Given Creality’s unrivaled success among budget-conscious makers, it’s no wonder why so many companies try to copy them. Pyramid is one such company, tackling the CR-10 V2 with their uncannily similar A1.1. The Pyramid A1.1 is less expensive than the CR-10 V2, but is that a good deal or is this machine just a cheap impostor? Find out in today’s Pyramid A1.1 review.
Given Creality’s unrivaled success among budget-conscious makers, it’s no wonder why so many companies try to copy them. Pyramid is one such company, tackling the CR-10 V2 with their uncannily similar A1.1. The Pyramid A1.1 is less expensive than the CR-10 V2, but is that a good deal or is this machine just a cheap impostor? Find out in today’s Pyramid A1.1 review.
Pyramid A1.1 Review Basics
Modeled off the most successful features found in the CR-10 V2, the Pyramid A1.1 has similar specs. This includes an enormous 11.8” x 11.8” x 15.7” build volume over a heated glass print bed. Outfitted with a direct drive all-metal extruder, this printer can use PLA and ABS as well as flexible filaments like TPU and PETG.
Being such a big printer, resolution isn’t incredibly high because high-resolution builds take much longer to print. In an effort to save time on larger prints, the Pyramid A1.1 tops out at 100-micron layer widths and can print at up to 200mm/s.
Unsurprisingly, connectivity options are slime, with the Pyramid A1.1 featuring a simple, lonely SD card slot for uploading your files. While limiting, most users won’t find this to be an issue. The printer also comes with an SD card so you don’t need to buy a new one.
Pyramid A1.1 Review Pros
Large Print Area
The first thing to catch people’s eye about the Pyramid A1.1 is its incredibly build volume. Fully twice as big as the “average” 3D printer, the A1.1 competes with the likes of the CR-10 V2 for size. Other large-scale printers, like the Ender 3, Longer LK4, or even the QIDI X-Max can’t compete with just how massive this printer is. If you’ve ever had dreams of making HUGE models from a variety of filaments, the A1.1 delivers.
Awesome Value
Considering how large the A1.1 is and how many awesome features it has, the price is almost unbelievable. For less than the CR-10 V2 and around the same price as the CR-10, the Pyramid A1.1 competes very favorably with solid metal construction, features like a filament sensor and pause print function, a large touchscreen interface, and quiet operation even at high speeds. In all, the Pyramid A1.1 is a serious contender for less than its closest competition, making it a great option for makers on a budget.
Pyramid A1.1 Review Cons
Considerable Assembly Required
Some “assembly required” printers just need a few screws to be up and running, however the Pyramid A1.1 is not one of them. This printer comes in dozens of pieces and requires significant assembly to use. That said, video instructions are pre-loaded on an included SD card which make the whole process much easier. Following the step-by-step guide, almost anyone can build this printer in under an hour. Still, it’s important to note that the A1.1 is not a plug-and-play machine, nor should you attempt building it without following the instructions.
So-So Print Quality
On its own with no upgrades or modifications, the print quality from this machine is simply average. This is to be expected somewhat, due to the large size and relatively low print resolution. Large models can take hours or DAYS to print, so printing at 50-microns or at 30mm/s just isn’t practical. It’s also more difficult to control the temperature of a large project. All this leads to little imperfections and some light but visible layering. Consider that it might take some serious tinkering to get flawless results from this 3D printer, just like you would with similar DIY machines.
Pyramid A1.1 Review Verdict
The Pyramid A1.1 impressed us so much we hesitate to call it a clone. Instead, this is a fully-realized printer with its own personality and plenty of value. If you’re looking for an alternative to the CR-10 V2 without sacrificing build volume or filament compatibility, the Pyramid A1.1 deserves your attention. This 3D printer stands alone as its own product, no matter if the specs and basic design were “borrowed” from Creality. It’s even quite a bit cheaper! If brand name isn’t a high priority for you the Pryamid A1.1 is an excellent choice.
