After first hearing about the news of the first-ever 8K resolution with 22 microns on a consumer-grade resin 3D printer, Geoff from VogMan has been waiting impatiently for the release so he can try it out. But now that he has finally got a printer on his hand to test and play around with, let's hear what he has to say about the world's highest resolution on an LCD 3D printer, the Sonic Mini 8K.
- The mini is not as mini as you think it would be.
- Encountering issues and getting in touch with Phrozen support.
- Printing with the brand new Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K Resin.
- Providing a balanced review about the not-so-mini 8K.
- What to expect from the Sonic Mini 8K?
The Sonic Mini 8K Is Not As Mini As You Thought
Despite the name, it's safe to say that the Sonic Mini 8K is probably not as small as you think it would be. In fact, it's significantly larger when compared to the Sonic Mini 4K. With a nice sturdy-looking printer and solid base, the Sonic Mini 8K has left a very good first impression on Geoff.
The power socket and switch are neatly located in the rear of the printer along with a single fan that's pretty quiet even when running at full capacity.
The menu screen is not the biggest screen he has ever seen on an LCD 3D printer, but it's definitely not the smallest either. It's also clear and very easy to use. On the far left of the menu screen is the USB port for your flash disk. It's easily accessible while still far enough from the menu screen, so it doesn't get up in the way.
Dual linear rail of the machine is chunky and firm. Even from the width and appearance alone, it suggests great stability without any visible wobble. Similarly, the building plate was also made from thick metal that was smoothly engineered. In terms of size, the building plate of the Sonic Mini 8K is certainly bigger than the one in Sonic 4K, which again makes Geoff thinks that it wasn't so mini at all. It's furnished with a frosted laser cut finish which prints stick very well on.
The resin vat is also metal with removable bolts to hold it in place. There's a nice, clear max level indicator on the inner side of the resin vat so you can avoid overfilling your brand-new 3D printer.
And the most exciting part, of course, is the heart of the printer itself: the staggering 8K LCD screen. Capable of printing at 22 microns with 1152 pixels per inch, the mono LCD screen is ultra-high resolution indeed. With the highest resolution ever available on the market, it is the best quality print we've ever seen in the consumer printer market.
The Unexpected Mishap
Although Phrozen did our best to securely packaged each of their machines, we still may not be able to ensure a 100% safe delivery. Each unit, including 3D printers and other accessories, needs to go through various delivery services during its weeks-long trip, and sometimes some mishaps are inevitable. However, we can assure you that our support team will try our best to tackle your issue so you'll have a great start with your brand-new machine every time.
Unfortunately, even VogMan himself can't escape the unanticipated mishap. When he performed the LCD test, he felt like it didn't look right. To confirm his suspicion, he put a piece of paper on it, and he immediately realized there was a serious problem that could happen to just anyone.
Getting in Touch With Phrozen Customer Support
As you should, whenever you encountered an issue during your initial setup, Geoff got in contact with the Phrozen support. And in Geoff words, "They are excellent." Our support team guided Geoff through a couple of very simple videos to perform a quick diagnosis. Soon enough, he figured that the problem lays in the broken mirror inside the 3D printer.
Despite the fact that the printer had been very well packaged and looked perfect when it arrived, Geoff realized that the box had a deep crease line on the lower part, which might be a result of an accidental drop during shipping. Regardless of the safety packaging measure Phrozen had taken, such a shock from a drop like that is definitely more than enough to shatter a mirror inside.
That said, although heartbroken, Geoff had a pleasant experience with the support team and received a replacement mirror in less than a week. Guided with some easy tutorial videos on how to install the printer, he's now ready to get printing and testing out the new beast!
Printing With the New Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K
To provide the best results on the Sonic Mini 8K, Phrozen has prepared a brand new resin to accompany the machine: the Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K. Specially created to enhance the printing result on the Sonic Mini 8K and other Phrozen 8K printers, of course, Geoff also has one in hand ready.
AmeraLabs Town Test Print
Just like he always did, Geoff started with the AmeraLabs Town Test Print. According to Geoff, the results are incredible. He printed on the usual 0.05 mm he normally goes with, but this looks stunning. It's amazing how when he chooses to take some still pictures, the only significant things are the leftover dust from his paper towel and no visible layer lines from the print itself.
Printing The Faun Girl Model
Then he chose to test the Sonic Mini 8K with the Faun Girl Model, and lo and behold, the results knocked his socks off. The piece is wonderful with great detail, and Geoff honestly says that the Sonic Mini 8K does true justice to the beauty of this model.
Highly Detailed Jumping Spider Ring
He also tried printing out the amazing ring design by Eric Keller from the ZBrush Jewellery Workshop. As a hardcore entomologist enthusiast, Eric put some incredible and realistic details into the Jumping Spider ring he designed. And certainly, all the textures on the ring were displayed so perfectly.
Visible Skin Pores on a 25 mm Face
Lastly, to really test out the power of the Sonic Mini 8K, Geoff decided to print out the incredible Mephisto model by 3D Wicked. It took him three days to get all the parts printed, but it's totally worthwhile as the results are stunning. Although you can see some layer lines through the camera, Geoff reminds us that the images are super zoomed in and will easily be looked past in real life.
One of the Most Difficult 3D Printer Reviews Ever
Those who are a loyal follower of Geoff's channel knows very well that he always tries to do his review as balanced as possible. He highlights the positives as much as he calls out the negatives. However, the Sonic Mini 8K has made him stumped as there's nothing that he could gripe about.
So he tried really hard to pinpoint some negatives he could find, and he mentioned that the building plate bonds like stink, so he suggested thickening up the rafts. But even that ‘glue-like strength’ will loosen to a more acceptable level after several prints. After all, he'd done plenty of printing without a single issue.
Should You Get the Sonic Mini 8K?
Geoff finds nothing to stop him from buying the new 3D printer. It's too damn good. So, what are some of the most notable highlights of this not-so-mini LCD 3D printer?
- Build quality is up to the job
- Linear rails are wide and sturdy.
- The build plate is built to last forever.
- 8K screen that gives clarity of print that has previously never been done on an LCD 3D printer.
The Sonic Mini 8K has become the best LCD 3D printer Geoff has ever come across. It produces excellent-quality prints on a home-grade printer. It's a real winner and has created a new standard for others to attain. In fact, Geoff loves it so much that he went out of his way to create a special poem for the 8K resolution screen.
You can watch VogMan's full review on the video below, or are you curious on what he thinks about the Sonic Mighty 8K? Or what are the differences between these machines and how they compare to their much bigger siblings–The Sonic Mega 8K? Read more about it on Phrozen's Guides now!
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VogMan (formerly VegOilGuy, formerly VOG) or also known as Geoff, is someone who enjoys figuring out how things work, as well as finding the best and easiest way to do things. Geoff shares unboxing videos of 3D printers, 3D printing tips, and tricks, casting tutorials, and pretty much anything that interests him. You can check out his works on his website—VogMan, or on his Youtube channel under the same name.
