What if the Anycubic Mega S has a laser? The Mega Pro is here to answer that request with a couple more welcome upgrades to the beloved Mega S. Is it worth the extra price or should you stick to the tried and true Mega S? Find out in today’s Anycubic Mega Pro review.
In-Depth Anycubic Mega Pro Review
Anycubic Mega Pro Review Basics
The laser engraver is perhaps the most interesting feature of the Mega Pro. While not unique (see the Bibo 2 for another engraver/3D printer combo), it definitely adds another dimension to what’s possible. Without getting too technical, the Mega Pro’s engraver can mark most wooden surfaces, from a piece of paper to a plank of wood.
Onto the 3D printing specs, the Mega Pro offers a familiar 8.2”W x 8.2”D x 8”H print volume and a simple all-metal open-frame design. The direct drive extruder works well with flexible filaments, allowing you to print with PLA, TPU, or PETG. Notably, it’s not recommended to print in ABS without a hotend upgrade.
The Mega Pro prints in resolutions from 100-400microns to varying results. You can get some great prints from this machine with the right slicer settings. The Ultrabase textured glass print bed also helps models stick for a great foundation and easy removal.
Connectivity is simple but limited. Most opt to use an SD card but tethered USB is also an option. As always with Anycubic, the Mega Pro’s touchscreen interface is entirely serviceable whether you’re printing or engraving.
Anycubic Mega Pro Review Pros
Some Nice Upgrades
We like the Anycubic Mega S and the Mega Pro shares many of the same features while improving upon others. For example, both printers share the same sizable print volume and basic all-metal design. They also both use the Ultrabase print surface which we absolutely adore.
When it comes to upgrades, however, the Mega Pro includes new quiet operation, a superior double-geared extruder, and assisted bed-leveling. There’s even a “multicolor” print functionality which we find quite gimmicky but may service some users. Overall, the Mega Pro provides significant value beyond its laser engraver when compared to the Mega S.
Laser Engraving
Laser engraving can be used for a huge variety of home and DIY projects. Engrave paper, wood, and even leather items! Popular uses includes engraving images onto wooden squares to hang as pictures, engraving text onto paper or cardboard, and engraving leather items with patterns or your initials. The potential is limited only by your imagination and adds a valuable tool to your DIY arsenal.
Anycubic Mega Pro Review Cons
Design Flaws
There are still some design flaws with the Mega Pro that we were surprised to see. For example, the print bed cabling is secured in such a way to catch the bed during printing. That wears out your cables at best and ruins a print at worst. It’s an easy fix but cable management is a consistent issue. Even the sheathing for the laser engraver’s cabling is a shoddy coiled mess.
The filament spool is also designed to sit in an awkward position which doesn’t suit the extruder. Again, it’s relatively simple to print or make another, higher filament mount. The problem is that Anycubic should know better.
Anycubic Mega Pro Review Verdict
We like the Anycubic Mega Pro. It’s very much in line with Anycubic’s other offerings in that it offers a mid-range experience for a budget price… at the expense of some minor issues. The Mega Pro’s issues are few and fixable, so we give it a pass this time.
Now, do you need or want a laser engraver? If you have to question yourself, the Mega Pro is probably not for you. Although it provides notable upgrades to the Mega S, the Mega S is much cheaper and does almost everything the Mega Pro can do. If, on the other hand, you can’t wait to experiment with a laser engraver in your 3D printing downtime, the Mega Pro is a great choice. Both engravings and 3D models come out clean, crisp, and readable. This is also a dependable machine which requires little troubleshooting.
If you’re not entirely sold on the Mega Pro, take a look at the Bibo 2 for another laser engraver/3D printer alternative.
