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Creality has announced the Ender 3 V3 SE, a new entry-level 3D printer that packs an impressive feature set at a very competitive price. We're honestly pretty shocked at how many features from the higher-end Creality 3D printers are appearing in this new base model. It’s already available on Amazon and other retailers, but keep reading for our thoughts on this new machine.
With a build volume of 220 x 220 x 250 mm (8.6" x 8.6" x 9.84") and a standard Cartesian motion sytem, the Ender 3 V3 SE matches the size of most other printers in the Ender 3 series. The body design is similar to the Ender 3 V2, with the power supply concealed in the base of the printer. Creality has continued to refine this design, and this printer has smooth, clean lines that make it look more polished than the previous models. We've also noted that the motion system has some apparent upgrades: the Ender 3 V3 SE has dual Z axis leadscrews, which isn't something we've typically seen on the entry-level Ender 3 models, and the Y axis includes linear rails, which is a completely new addition to the Ender 3 series.
The linear rails on the Y axis are a new addition to Creality’s Ender 3 series.
But the feature we're more excited about in this printer is the extruder. Creality has brought its Sprite extruder to the Ender 3 V3 SE, making it the most affordable Creality 3D printer with a direct-drive extruder. The Sprite has previously made appearances in printers such as the Ender 3 S1 and is also available as an upgrade kit for other Creality machines, and we've seen great results in our testing. In our opinion, the direct-drive extruder is a huge upgrade for this printer and something we're very excited to see at this price point. If you're interested in printing with flexible filament such as TPU, you'll be especially interested in this feature.
The Ender 3 V3 SE also includes ease-of-use features in line with other modern 3D printers. The PC spring steel bed has automatic bed leveling with a CR-Touch sensor, which is something we've seen on most of Creality's newer models and have been pleased with. The control screen is also a more modern design, with a full-color screen that displays more information than what we've seen in the past--for example, you can see a graph of the hotend temperature during printing. Features like this may not directly impact the quality of prints, but they make the printer easier to use, so we're glad to see improvements here.
The reason the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE caught our eye is that it appears to be aimed to replace Creality's entry-level machines, such as the Ender 3 Neo and Ender 3 V2 Neo. Compared to those machines, the Ender 3 V3 SE is priced similarly, but offers the direct-drive extruder, which is a dramatic upgrade in capability and performance. Combined with the motion system upgrades and improved control screen, the Ender 3 V3 SE appears to be an unprecedented value for an entry-level Creality 3D printer. We can't wait to test it out, and we'll be covering this printer in detail on our site--so stay tuned for more on this machine.
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE is available now, and you can find it on Amazon here.