Creality Ender-3 S1 3D Printer
By Creality · 3D Printers · 3D Printing · More from Creality
- 96% pre-installed 6-step fast assembly
- Decibel≤50dB
- 4.3-inch HD Color Screen
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Summary
A partially pre-assembled FDM printer with a 220 × 220 × 270 mm build volume, a Sprite direct-drive extruder, CR-Touch auto leveling and a flexible magnetic bed. Check the hotend before you plan high-temperature materials: it is PTFE-lined, so sustained printing above about 240 °C is not recommended.
Strengths
- Direct-drive Sprite extruder handles flexible filament and improves retraction control.
- CR-Touch auto leveling with a 5×5 grid makes first layers repeatable.
- Flexible magnetic PC-coated spring-steel bed gives strong adhesion and easy part removal.
- Quiet operation measured at about 34 dB.
- Filament runout sensor and power-loss resume protect long prints.
- Beginner-friendly assembly in about 15 to 30 minutes.
Weaknesses
- PC bed coating is unusually sticky; delicate prints can lose their bases.
- Knob-driven 4.3-inch screen and no Wi-Fi feel dated.
- Front-mounted cooling fan blocks the view of the first layer.
- Firmware lacks Linear Advance, causing bulging corners unless tuned.
- PTFE-lined hotend limits sustained printing to about 240 °C.
- 150 mm/s top speed loses quality well before the limit.
Verified specifications
| Technology | FDM, single 0.4 mm nozzle, 1.75 mm filament. |
|---|---|
| Build volume | 220 × 220 × 270 mm (8.5 × 8.5 × 10.5 in). |
| Accuracy | ±0.1 mm. |
| Layer thickness | 0.05 to 0.35 mm. |
| Max print speed | 150 mm/s (manufacturer); quality drops well before the top end. |
| Max nozzle temperature | 260 °C (PTFE-lined; sustained use above about 240 °C not recommended). |
| Max bed temperature | 100 °C. |
| Supported materials | PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU. |
| Extruder | Creality Sprite dual-gear direct drive, about 3.5:1 gear ratio. |
| Bed leveling | CR-Touch 5×5 grid, with manual springs retained as backup. |
| Filament sensor | yes. Power-loss resume: yes. |
| Connectivity | full-size SD card and Type-C USB. |
| Interface | 4.3-inch color LCD with rotary knob (not touchscreen). |
| Mainboard | 32-bit (STM32F103) with TMC2209 silent stepper drivers. |
| Power | 115/230 V, 350 W (Creality CMS-350-24 supply). |
| Machine weight | 9.1 kg; package weight 11.2 kg. |
| Dimensions | 487 × 453 × 622 mm (19 × 18 × 24.5 in); package 540 × 510 × 260 mm. |
| Belt | Gates; dual Z-axis synchronized by belt. |
| Languages | English/Chinese; file formats STL, OBJ, AMF. |
| Heating (measured) | nozzle to 200 °C in about 1 min 5 s to 2 min; bed to 60 °C in about 2 min 5 s; bed to 100 °C in 6 min 15 s. |
| Power draw (measured) | idle about 8 W, heating about 290 W, printing about 80 W. |
| Noise (measured) | about 34 dB; manufacturer spec at most 50 dB. |
| CR-Touch probe deviation | 0.001118. |
| In the box | tools (spatula, pliers, screwdriver, wrench, Allen key), nozzle cleaner, spare nozzle, extra Z limit switch, full-size SD card with USB adapter, PDF manual, Creality Slicer 4.8.0, sample PLA, pre-sliced gcode and STL models. |
| Warranty and returns | up to 12-month warranty and 14-day return and refund (Creality store). |
Full research notes and sources
Print quality and noise
Tom’s Hardware printed silk PLA, TPU and calibration models and reported good print quality with working CR-Touch leveling, while calling the bed too sticky. CNET scored the printer 8.5 out of 10 and said print quality matched $500 to $600 machines, with setup as easy as any printer tried. Accuracy is rated at ±0.1 mm.
Bed, leveling and adhesion
The PC-coated spring-steel bed grips hard: reviewers report prints resisting release and occasional bottom-layer damage, and advise a glue stick and a careful Z offset for delicate parts. The CR-Touch probe runs a 5×5 grid with manual springs retained as backup, and the probe deviation measured 0.001118. The bed reaches 60 °C in about 2 min 5 s and 100 °C in 6 min 15 s.
Controls, connectivity and firmware
Control is a rotary knob on a 4.3-inch color screen; there is no touchscreen and no Wi-Fi. Files move by full-size SD card or Type-C USB, and the board’s Type-C connector is recessed, so not every cable fits. The firmware is Marlin-based with community Klipper ports; it lacks Linear Advance. Owners in r/Ender3S1 describe easy assembly, good print quality, direct-drive TPU performance and reliable auto leveling, with some reporting stringing on stock retraction settings. No reliable defect-rate data exists; these are individual signals, not population rates.
Running costs and upkeep
Ongoing costs are filament (PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU), occasional 0.4 mm nozzles and bed-sheet replacement; there is no proprietary consumable lock-in. Creality’s store lists the base S1 at $175.00 (sold out) against a $329.00 compare-at price, with bundle options at $185.00 and $235.00. Newegg listed the S1 at $89.40 in a 2022 deal widget cited by Tom’s Hardware, which is historical pricing, not current. The store page states up to a 12-month warranty and a 14-day return and refund.
Is it worth it?
Value is strong at or below about $200, competitive between $200 and $300, and weak above about $300, where newer printers add a touchscreen, Wi-Fi or an all-metal hotend. At the store’s $175.00 (sold out) it is a good buy if in stock; at the $329.00 compare-at price it is poor value. No exact-model tests from RTINGS, Wirecutter or Tom’s Guide were found, and PCMag reviewed only the S1 Pro and S1 Plus variants, not the base S1.
Which model this is
This page covers the base Creality Ender-3 S1, an FDM printer on the Ender-3 platform with the Sprite direct-drive extruder, CR-Touch auto leveling, dual Z-axis and a 220 × 220 × 270 mm build volume. Do not confuse it with the Ender-3 S1 Pro (all-metal hotend, higher temperature, touchscreen, LED), the Ender-3 S1 Plus (larger build volume) or the Ender-3 V2 and V3 series, which are different machines. The seed product URL is the Creality US store Ender-3 S1 page.
Sources
Manufacturer:
Independent reviews:
Owner reports:
