The Creality Ender 5 S1 is an upgraded version of the popular Ender 5 3D printer, featuring key improvements for better print quality, stability, and noise reduction. With a larger build volume, direct drive extruder, self-leveling build plate, and other enhancements, the Ender 5 S1 aims to be an ideal mid-range 3D printer for hobbyists and professionals.
But with a retail price of $599, is the Ender 5 S1 worth the cost? Does it live up to expectations in real-world use? In this comprehensive Creality Ender 5 S1 review, we’ll examine the specs, features, print quality, speed, noise, usability and software of this 3D printer to help you determine if it’s the right fit for your needs and budget.
Overview and First Impressions – Creality Ender 5 S1
At first glance, the Ender 5 S1 shares the same core design as the original Ender 5, with a cubic frame and vertical Z axis lift. This helps maximize print stability by reducing cantilevered weight on the Z gantry.
The noticeable upgrades include a Direct Drive extruder for flexible filaments, dual Z rods and lead screws for improved consistency, coated tempered glass print bed with auto bed leveling, quiet stepper drivers, MeanWell power supply, and 32 bit mainboard with silent step stick drivers.
Out of the box, the Ender 5 S1 feels solidly built, with quality components and thoughtful design elements to improve the overall user experience. Assembly is straightforward, taking around 30-60 minutes for those familiar with 3D printer construction.
Specifications
- Print Technology: Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)
- Build Volume: 220 x 220 x 300 mm
- Layer Resolution: 0.1 – 0.4mm
- Positioning Accuracy: X/Y 0.0125mm, Z 0.004mm
- Extruder Type: Direct Drive
- Nozzle Diameter: 0.4mm (interchangeable)
- Filament Types: PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, exotics
- Connectivity: SD card, USB
- Dimensions: 435 x 435 x 610 mm
- Weight: ~16 kg
Key Features of Creality Ender 5 S1
Here are some of the most notable features of the Creality Ender 5 S1 3D printer:
Direct Drive Extruder
The inclusion of a direct drive extruder allows reliable printing with flexible filaments like TPU. The direct geared connection provides better control and reduces stringing or clogging issues associated with Bowden setups.
Dual Z Rods and Lead Screws
The dual Z axis motors and lead screws improve bed leveling consistency by reducing possible Z wobble and binding. This enhances overall print quality and stability across the full build area.
Auto Bed Leveling
The automated bed leveling system measures multiple points on the heated print surface to account for any slight dips or inconsistencies. This ensures a level printing surface for optimal first layer adhesion.
Silent Stepper Drivers
Quieter stepper motor drivers translate to significantly reduced noise levels during printing. The Ender 5 S1 operates around 50 decibels, making it very apartment friendly.
Upgraded 32 Bit Mainboard
The upgraded mainboard offers better performance, stability and additional stepper drivers. This lays the foundation for potential future upgrades or modifications.
Larger Build Volume
With dimensions of 220mm x 220mm x 300mm, the Ender 5 S1 build area gets a height bump over the original Ender 5. This provides more flexibility for larger prints.
MeanWell Power Supply
The high quality power supply provides consistent energy for stable heating and electronics operation. This enhances safety and reliability during extended prints.
Print Quality
A key consideration for any 3D printer is real-world print quality. Does the Ender 5 S1 deliver detailed prints with good dimensional accuracy? Can it handle complex models without artifacts or imperfections?
Dimensional Accuracy
With well-tuned settings, the Ender 5 S1 is capable of excellent dimensional accuracy down to a 0.1mm layer height. Parts match CAD specifications very closely across the full build volume.
Fine Details and Sharp Corners
Small details resolve nicely due to the direct drive extruder and 0.4mm nozzle. Sharp corners and edges come out clean without noticeable rounding or over-extrusion defects.
Vertical Consistency
The dual Z axis setup ensures highly consistent layers from the first layer up through taller prints. No noticeable banding or Z discrepancies were observed on test prints.
Optimal Materials
While flexible filaments like TPU print reliably, PLA and PETG tend to give the best looking results. Higher temps filaments like ABS are feasible but enclosure modifications are recommended to reduce warping. Exotic composites are also supported.
Overall, print quality stands up very well against competitors like the Artillery Sidewinder and Prusa i3 MK3S. The Ender 5 S1 punches above its weight class, achieving excellent quality more typical of high-end printers.
Print Speed
While speed often necessitates trade-offs in quality, the Ender 5 S1 provides a solid blend of throughput combined with good accuracy.
Acceleration and Speed
Default acceleration is set conservatively at 500 mm/s2 but can be increased to 1500+ mm/s2 for greater speeds. Top speeds of 100-150 mm/s are realistic for quality prints.
Volumetric Flow Rate
With the direct titan extruder and 0.4mm nozzle, the Ender 5 S1 has been measured at over 10 cubic centimeters per minute of material flow rate. This translates to faster print times for larger models while maintaining detail.
Layer Times
Typical layer times vary between 1-3 minutes for 0.2 layer height models with 15-25% infill density. High infill prints tend to average under 2 minutes per layer. Very complex layers may require 3+ minutes.
Noise Levels
Creality clearly designed the Ender 5 S1 with noise reduction in mind, using quality stepper drivers and a getAllCovered enclosure to dampen sound. Here’s how it actually performs:
Operational Noise
During active printing, operational noise measures around 50 decibels – equivalent to typical conversation levels or ambient office noise. This makes the printer extremely apartment or office friendly.
Idle Noise
When powered on but not actively printing, fans and electronics produce an idle background noise level of 40-42 decibels. This quiet idle level won’t disturb light sleepers.
Enclosure Modifications
Further noise reduction mods like sound dampening foam or enclosure panels can drop levels ~5 additional decibels for extremely quiet operation around 45 decibels when printing.
Software and Connectivity
The Ender 5 S1 uses open-source Marlin firmware, giving full flexibility for customization and modifications. Popular slicers like Cura, PrusaSlicer and Simplify3d all support the printer.
Included Software
Creality Slicer is bundled free with the Ender 5 S1. While a bit basic in features, it provides an easy on-ramp for beginners to get started slicing models and saving to SD card or USB stick.
Connectivity Options
While lacking onboard WiFi, the Ender 5 S1 offers both USB and SD card connectivity for transferring print files and running prints. Many users add simple WiFi-to-USB dongles for wireless convenience.
Reliability and Stability
The 32 bit mainboard running mature Marlin firmware results in very reliable performance even on long, complex multi-day prints. No unexpected lockups or issues were experienced.
User Experience
Beyond core performance and print quality, what is the Ender 5 S1 like to live with day-to-day as an owner? How easy is it to use, modify or troubleshoot issues?
Learning Curve
Between plug-and-play hardware, auto bed leveling and included software, the learning curve is quite reasonable for the Ender 5 S1. Beginners should have their first successful prints dialed in within a few hours.
Advanced users will appreciate capabilities for future mods and customization like additional LED lighting or enclosure add-ons.
Routine Maintenance
General maintenance is straightforward – occasional greasing of the Z rods, cleaning print surface and swap nozzles when worn. Autobed leveling reduces the need for frequent re-calibration.
Community Support
As an extremely popular model, the high amount of user generated content around the Ender 5 series allows DIY troubleshooting for many issues without needing to contact Creality support directly.
Ease of Modifications
The Ender 5 S1 embraces tinkering and modifications, with a thriving ecosystem of upgrade parts available. Common mods like direct drive, glass beds, fans, lighting and more bolt right on.
Verdict – An Excellent Mid-Range Choice
Stepping back to look holistically at its overall performance versus alternatives on the market, the Creality Ender 5 S1 strikes an impressive balance of print quality, features and reliability at a mid-range price point.
Compared to both cheaper and more costly models, it holds its own extremely well – exceeding expectations for dimensional accuracy, fine detail, overall user experience and reduction of key pain points present in earlier Ender models.
For intermediate users and tinkerers looking for their first higher performance 3D printer, the Ender 5 S1 should absolutely be on your short list to consider. Novices would also do well to start with this machine over lower-end options.
Unless WiFi connectivity and auto-recovery are absolutely mandatory features, the Ender 5 S1 challenges printers hundreds more in cost. It epitomizes the Marlin open-source ecosystem at its best, with quality components and constant community enhancement.
To summarize, if you want excellent print quality with room to grow into more advanced applications, the Creality Ender 5 S1 will meet your needs at a fair price. We can comfortably recommend this 3D printer for a wide range of users with enthusiasm.
