Engineering a stable, accurate gantry system on a true 500x500x500mm build volume 3D printer (while maintaining a reasonable price point) is super difficult.

In my 2023 testing, I didn’t find any models with these exact dimensions that I’d feel comfortable recommending.

However, there are several excellent options very close to the 500mm mark with no practical difference for your large 3D prints.

For most users, I recommend the Anycubic Kobra Max 2 as the best balance of price, performance, and max build size. With a 420x420x500mm capacity, it’s ideal for printing large multi-part objects or batches of smaller items.

Those on a tight budget should consider the Elegoo Neptune 3 Max. For around $500, you get access to a 420x420x500mm build volume capable of 3D printing large pieces like full helmets and vases.

For premium quality, the Creality CR-M4 excels with its dual linear rails and all-metal hot end. Its 450x450x470mm capacity lags slightly behind, but unmatched print quality and reliability justify the $1099 price for professionals.

Premium Pick
Best Overall
Budget Pick
4.5
4.8
4.7
$959.00
$549.00
$470
400 x 400 x 450 mm
450 x 450 x 470 mm
420 x 420 x 480 mm
260°C
300°C
300°C
90°C
100°C
85°C
PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU
PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, PA, wood fill PLA, CF PLA
PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, Nylon Filaments
Premium Pick
4.5
$959.00
400 x 400 x 450 mm
260°C
90°C
PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU
Best Overall
4.8
$549.00
450 x 450 x 470 mm
300°C
100°C
PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, PA, wood fill PLA, CF PLA
Budget Pick
4.7
$470
420 x 420 x 480 mm
300°C
85°C
PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, Nylon Filaments
03/07/2024 12:39 am GMT

In this guide, I’ll be doing an in-depth comparison of these three leading extra-large 3D printers based on my hands-on experience.

I’ll cover all the key factors – ease of use, print quality, value for money, and the size of prints you can achieve – to help you choose the right 3D printer without overspending.

Top Picks

500mm 3D Printers Tested

  • Anycubic Kobra 2 Max (420 x 420 x 500 mm)
    • Best For: Those seeking a budget-friendly yet feature-rich printer, ideal for prop makers, costume creators, and small businesses.
  • Creality CR-M4 (450 x 450 x 470 mm)
    • Best For: Enthusiasts and small businesses desiring a premium, large-format printer.
  • Elegoo Neptune 3 Max (420 x 420 x 500 mm)
    • Best For: Budget-conscious users who don’t want to compromise on build volume.
  • Anycubic Kobra Max (400 x 400 x 450 mm)
    • Best For: An affordable large-format printer with a focus on convenience and quality.
  • Modix Big 60 (600 x 600 x 660 mm)
    • Best For: Businesses that require a premium, large-format printer with all the bells and whistles.

The Best 500 x 500 x 500 mm 3D Printers

1. Elegoo Neptune 4 Max – Budget Pick (Around $500)

  • Price: Check Elegoo here / Amazon here
  • Build volume: 420 x 420 x 480 mm
  • Nozzle temperature: 300°C
  • Heated bed temperature: 85°C
  • Filament compatibility: PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, Nylon Filaments
Source: 3DSourced

Pros

Unbeatable low price for a large-volume printer

Helpful 121-point mesh auto bed leveling

Pre-installed Klipper firmware

Cons

Less polished and more issue-prone than pricier options

The Elegoo Neptune 4 Max offers big prints at a low price, clocking in at a build volume of 420 x 420 x 480 mm. As the successor to the well-received Neptune 3 Max, Elegoo has tried to pack as many features as they could into the 4 Max. 

It has auto bed leveling, a detachable color touchscreen, and a PEI flex steel spring sheet. However, you can’t swap out the sheet to a glass one without forgoing the auto-level feature, since it relies on an inductive sensor.

Source: 3DSourced

The biggest upgrade to the Neptune 4 Max comes in the form of the pre-installed Klipper firmware. With Klipper, you can print huge designs at breakneck speeds.

After an in-depth testing period, we’ve found that the Neptune 4 Max is capable of beautiful, high-detail prints when tuned correctly.

Source: 3DSourced

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to print statuettes, cosplay pieces, or even start a 3D print business, it’s hard to beat. Unfortunately, budget printers often need more troubleshooting than their premium counterparts. The Neptune 4 Max is no different.

You’re signing up for a huge build volume at a bargain, but from our test, you might be in for some troubleshooting, too.

Great Large-Volume 3D Printer
Elegoo Neptune 4 Max
4.4

With a large 420x420x480mm build volume, integrated auto bed leveling, and fast print speeds enabled by Klipper, the Neptune 4 Max is an affordable option for hobbyists wanting to print big.

However, some tinkering is likely needed to get the best results.

Pros:
  • High potential print speeds (pre-installed Klipper + good processor)
  • Huge 420 x 420 x 480 mm build volume
  • 121-point mesh auto-leveling
  • Direct drive print head
  • Huge toggleable fan
Cons:
  • Likely to need tinkering to work properly
  • Difficult to swap proprietary nozzle
  • Few upgrades from the cheaper Neptune Max 3
Elegoo here Amazon here
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2. Anycubic Kobra 2 Max – Best Overal (Under $1000)

  • Price: Check latest price at Anycubic here
  • Build volume: 420 x 420 x 500 mm
  • Nozzle temperature: 260°C
  • Heated bed temperature: 90°C
  • Filament compatibility: PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU

Pros

Improvements on the Kobra Max

Much faster print speeds

Same price as the original Kobra Max

Cons

No high-flow nozzle

An update to the Anycubic Kobra Max, the Anycubic Kobra 2 Max is all about taking those solid foundations and improving where needed. 

The biggest change is the build volume, which jumps up to 420 x 420 x 500 mm, compared to 400 x 400 x 450 mm. That might not sound like much, but it certainly feels chunkier when you see the devices side by side.

It reinforces the Kobra 2 Max as an excellent choice for prop makers, costume makers, cosplayers, and small businesses looking to batch print limited runs.

Elsewhere, Anycubic has woven in its refreshed LeviQ 2.0 automatic bed leveling system. The original LeviQ worked beautifully and the 2.0 version simply refines the system for even more precise and hassle-free leveling. The Kobra 2 Max also swaps out the glass plate for a spring steel magnetic surface for easier print removal. 

And, though it still doesn’t feature a high-flow nozzle, print speeds are faster than on the first Max thanks to improvements.

These include dual motors on the z-axis, double metal spindles under the build surface, a beefier Cortex-A7 processor (faster calculations, commands, and motor control) and vibration compensation flow control that improves retraction and infill printing to further improve the Max’s already impressive print quality.

The result is that speeds jump from around 80 mm/s to around 300 m/s from the Max to the 2 Max according to Anycubic.

Given that it’s priced the same as the original Kobra Max, but offers a large build volume, faster print speed, and targeted convenience improves, there’s no reason not to get the Anycubic Kobra 2 Max.

If the original Max is heavily discounted, it’s worth a purchase, but at price parity, the 2 Max simply makes more sense.

Cutting Edge Tech
Anycubic Kobra 2 Max
4.5
$549.00

The Anycubic Kobra 2 Max is the new king of big, fast FDM printing.

The massive 420x420x500mm build volume is perfect for large prints.

Enjoy super fast print speeds up to 300mm/s thanks to dual Z motors and improved firmware.

Anycubic here
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3. Creality CR-M4 – Premium Choice (Over $1000)

Pros

Great features – ABL, direct drive extruder, Wi-FI

Easy to assemble and use

Large format build volume

Cons

Expensive

Large footprint

Creality CR-M4 hits Creality’s line-up as a replacement for the previous flagship 500 x 500 x 500 mm printer, the CR-10 S5. Aimed at enthusiasts and small businesses, the CR-M4 is a super-sized workhorse that can produce huge prints to a high standard of quality.

It features a 450 x 450 x 470 build volume, enough for cosplay costume parts, props, helmets, talk figurines and models, and any large print that simply won’t fit on a standard build volume. 

Aside from the side, it’s the other features that make the CR-M4 interesting: seamless automatic bed leveling, simple assembly and setup, one of Creality’s excellent dual-gear Sprite direct extruders (which makes printing with flexibles much more reliable), and a high-flow hot end to reduce print times.

It also beats other similar-sized printers like the Anycubic Max Kobra and Elegoo Neptune Max Neptune with small touches like an all-metal hot end, Wi-Fi connectivity, and dual Y-axis linear rails for smoother bed movements during printing.

The biggest issue holding back the Creality CR-M4 is its $1,099.00 price tag, almost twice as much as similar printers from Anycubic and Elegoo. Add to that a massive footprint, and it’s not all that suitable for amateur makers on a budget.

Premium Pick
Creality CR-M4
4.5
$959.00

Boasting a 450x450x470mm build volume, the CR-M4 is perfect for cosplay, props, and oversized models.

With automatic bed leveling, a high-flow hot end, and the Sprite dual-gear extruder, it offers incredible precision and reliability.

Amazon here
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03/07/2024 12:39 am GMT

4. Anycubic Kobra Max – A Worthy Alternative to the Kobra Max 2

Pros

Affordable

Large build volume

Automatic bed leveling

Great print quality

Cons

Long print times

No high-flow nozzle

The larger, bulkier brother to the excellent Anycubic Kobra, the Kobra Max is a large format printer that offers convenience and plenty of build space for enthusiasts and amateurs, especially those working on cosplay, prop, and small batch production projects.

Thanks to a 400 x 400 x 450 mm build volume, it offers enough room to print a huge range of large projects, both for home use and for small businesses. This size also comes with quality printing capabilities that lean on excellent details aided by convenient features like the LeviQ automatic bed leveling system, easy assembly, double-threaded z-axis rods to improve stability, and a sleek touch screen for easy print navigation.

Priced at $569.00, the Anycubic Kobra Max falls on the more affordable end of consumer large-format printers, but the price tag is only justified if you’ll make use of the supersized build volume.

Those who aren’t printing props, cosplay parts, or batch printing in large volume will be wasting their money here.

The Anycubic Kobra Max’s biggest flaw is that it doesn’t have a high-flow nozzle, which makes print times quite long compared to printers like the CR-M4. The glass bed can also be divisive, especially for those that prefer the convenience of a removable bed and the ease of removing large prints from a PEI-style surface

Affordable Pick for Hobbyists
Anycubic Kobra Max
4.0

This user-friendly workhorse delivers an enormous 450 x 400 x 450mm build volume perfect for printing epic cosplay armor, props, and more.

Achieve smooth 50 micron resolution prints thanks to auto bed leveling and a stable dual Z-axis.

Simple 10-minute assembly makes printing fast and easy right out of the box!

Anycubic here Amazon here
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5. Modix Big 60 – Best for Industrial Applications

  • Price: Check Dynamism here / Matterhackers here
  • Build volume: 600 x 600 x 660 mm
  • Nozzle temperature: 500°C
  • Heated bed temperature: 110°C
  • Filament compatibility: PLA, ABS, PHA, PVA, Nylon, TPE, TPU, PETG, CF, wood, copper, brass, magnetic, HIPS
Modix Big 60 pic01

Pros

Massive 600 x 600 x 600 mm build volume

IDEX system for multi-color/filament printing

Cons

Very expensive

Huge footprint

With a 600 x 600 x 660 mm build volume, the Mosix Big 60 exceeds the scope of this guide but is nevertheless worth a mention for those after a premium, business-focused large-format printer decked out with all the trimmings.

Price at just shy of $5,000, it’s by no means cheap, but bundles in everything you’d need to run a business dependent on reliable, high-quality batch printing. The main advantage over consumer printers is in the features. 

There are too many to list, so highlights include an IDEX dual-extruder system for multi-color or multi-filament prints. The print heads work independently from one another to not just speed up print times but to avoid mid-print filament swaps.

Testing the Modix Big-60 V3
Testing the Modix Big 60 V3

Elsewhere, the Modix Big 60 features a built-in enclosure, which makes it suitable for all manner of heat-sensitive materials like carbon fiber, nylon, ABS, PHA, fill-type filament, and many more. These simply aren’t possible on the open frame designs you find on most consumer large format printers.

The downside is that the Modix Big 60 has a huge footprint that is only really suited for a workshop rather than home use.

The printer is also equipped with a host of sensors to ensure successful prints, including a filament runout detector, robust automatic bed leveling (including gantry alignment, z-offset calibration, and bed titling calibration), clog detector, and an automatic filament changer.

Modix Big 60 pic02
The results of my test prints with the Modix Big 60

Lastly, the Modix Big 60 is equipped with a high-flow hot end and nozzle, designed to drastically increase print speeds. Troubleshooting is vastly easier thanks to these compared to lower cost consumer printers.

We’re just scratching the surface here. Modix also offers over two dozen optional add-ons to further tailor the Modix Big 60 to your needs, including an active air filter, tilt screen, super volcano hot end, a magnetic bed, and more.

Best for Businesses
Modix Big 60
4.0
$4900

Engineered for precision and speed, the Big60 boasts an IDEX dual-extruder system, a vast range of filament compatibility, and a high-temp nozzle reaching 500°C.

Perfect for workshops, it's a premium investment for top-tier industrial results.

Dynamism here Matterhackers here
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Why Buy a 500 x 500 x 500 mm 3D Printer?

Frees Up Time

When printing and project, you are at the mercy of the print time. Not just the print time, but the time spent setting up the printer for each print, selecting your model and print settings.

Being able to print the entire project in one print is a massive bonus. Larger 3D printers can be left to finish the project without interruption, freeing up more time.

Fewer pieces to assemble

Being able to print larger parts greatly reduces any post-processing you need to do. If you’re stuck with a smaller 3D printer and need to glue many pieces together to form your larger model, these welded are weak points that can break easily.

For example, cosplay enthusiasts seeking to wow fellow convention-goers who 3D print entire cosplay outfits or armor can print their dream outfit in fewer parts on a 500x500x500mm 3D printer.

Huge models just look more impressive, and a 500 x 500 x 500 mm build volume means you can make a full-size Mandalorian helmet, or similar-sized prints, without the need to assemble multiple parts.

Printing a whole batch at once

A batch of hobby pieces can be tricky with a small print bed. Having to reprint a series is time-consuming. With a large print bed you can print all these pieces at once because they all fit within the print bed’s area.

Print Speed

You could be forgiven for wondering if large 3D printers take longer to print, but with the right hardware, this isn’t the case. Investing in a larger nozzle will greatly affect how quickly a large printer can finish a project.

This, and taller layer heights can quicken the process — but you need to decide if you’re comfortable with the quality trade-off.

FAQs

What’s the benefit of a 500x500x500 mm build volume? 

The main benefit of a 500x500x500 mm build volume is that you can print larger objects up to that size and ones much larger that you can on a printer with a standard build volume.
Popular projects for printers with a 500x500x500 mm build volume include props for cosplay, helmets, vases, terrain for tabletop gaming, small batch production, architectural models, and any other large prints that won’t fit on a standard build volume.

What materials can these printers print? 

Printers with a 500x500x500 mm build volume can print all the same standard materials as other FDM printers, including PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, and, in some cases, more exotic filaments like Nylon and fill materials.
However, due to the size of the build plate, it can be challenging for large printers to reach the required temperatures that meet the demands of certain materials.

Are there any other difficulties associated with larger 500mm 3D printers?

One of the main issues with large format printers is the print head behaving erratically due to the size of the printer, which can lead it to bump into the print during printing, often leading to errors and failed prints.
Another big negative of most 500 mm 3D printers are the extended print times as are difficulties in heating up such a large build platform.

What’s Changed?

Updated 5th October 2023

To ensure our readers have the most up-to-date recommendations, we’ve made the following changes to this article since it was first published in September 2022:

  • Added the new Anycubic Kobra Max 2 as our current top pick, replacing the standard Anycubic Kobra Max. The original remains a solid option given that the release of the Kobra Max 2 will likely bring down the price.
  • We’ve also added the ELEGOO Neptune 3 Max and Creality CR-M4 printers as two other new models worth considering.
  • To make room for these additions, we’ve removed some older models that have been discontinued or replaced by newer versions.

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3DSourced

3DSourced is a leading authority in the field of 3D printing and scanning, dedicated to delivering expert insights and guidance since 2017. Our team, composed of experienced industry professionals, has been at the forefront of analyzing and reporting on the evolving landscape of 3D technology. Over the past six years, our commitment to quality and accuracy has earned us numerous accolades, including awards for our feature stories. Our hands-on experience is extensive, having rigorously tested more than 20 of the latest models in 3D printers and scanners. At 3DSourced, our mission extends beyond reporting; we strive to make 3D printing accessible and understandable for everyone.

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