The Tronxy X5S is one of the brightest spots in an all new breed of 3D printer kits that seems to hit the proverbial sweet spot with discerning customers worldwide. As a matter of fact, the Tronxy X5S is the larger version of the Tronxy X3S 3D printer and as of now, it has overtaken it in terms of popularity.
In fact, over the past couple of years or so, it has now become one of the top best-selling 3D printers on various online superstores such as Gearbest, Amazon, and Aliexpress, to quote but a few.
Tronxy X5s Review
The single most glaring and obvious feature of this 3D printer is its impressive scope. Think of it this way; a 3D printer that offers a substantially large build volume of 330 x 330 x 400mm and is yet still available for as little as $300 sounds like a deal too good to be true.
However, it is true. In fact, in this review, we will try and figure out the ins and outs of the machine that have not been covered in any other review of the Tronxy X5s.
First Impressions
The Tronxy X5S is a large format 3D printer thanks to its uber large printing area of 330x330x400mm. This kind of setup has hitherto been reserved only for high-end equivalents at a much higher price tag. However, the good people at Tronxy have heard the feedback from the 3D printing community and gotten rid of many of the issues that had plagued the older Tronxy X5 in their all-new X5S.
It is pretty robust thanks to the really sturdy full metal cube frame. This is different from many of the older model 3D printers that tend to be constructed of acrylic variants). One look at it and you can tell that it is rock steady and provides the stability of 3D printers nearly twice its price. The aluminum extrusions that come with the X5S 3D printer are a mix of 20×20 and 20×40 extrusions.
The frame is so stable that common printing issues such as ringing and ghosting were all but absent, even when printing at low print speeds. For a $300 3D printer such as the X5s, it is almost unheard of achievement in this price range.
The Tronxy X5S is a 3D printer that rigidly adheres to a CoreXY cube configuration. Well, it is very simple really. This CoreYX design effectively ensures that the resident stepper motors from both the Y as well as the X axis don’t cause any sort of vibrations when 3D printing is taking place, by moving unnecessarily.
In other words, they tend to remain at a complete standstill when they are not in use. In the long run, this always results in a much more accurate and rapid build.
Assembly
The Tronxy X5S is a diy kit that comes with the following components:
- 1X Printer
- 12X 2020 aluminum profiles
- 1X Z Axle ColumnX2 Root
- 1X LCD Display Cable
- 1X Indices
- 1X Acrylic Fixed Foot
- 1X Six Angle Tool
- 1X Power Supply
- 1X A Main Board
- 1X Limit Switch Set
- 1X Squeeze Out One’s Head
- 1X X Axle Left Frame
- 1X Power Box Bottom (Acrylic)
- 1X Motor Line
- 1X Card Reader for the Memory Card
- 1X Print Accessories Pack
- 9X Polished Rod
- 1X Display Panel (Acrylic)
- 1X Axle Right Frame
- 1X Cross Screwdriver
- 1X Screwdriver
- 1X USB Line
- 1X Pack Of Screws
- 1X Z Shaft Motor
- 1X Z Upper Panel
- 1X Y Shaft Motor
However, the assembly instructions are lacking in clarity as they are “supposed” to be in English, but for the most part, they are near completely incomprehensible. Sometimes, wires, screws, and other components are misidentified in the instructions and that leads to more frustration. Moreover, shipping time might vary as well.
If you are a first-timer, you may have to spend 5 to 6 hours to assemble this Tronxy 3D printer because it does not come pre assembled.
Sometimes, the instructions will tell you to use components that are not even part of the X5s, and that can increase your misery. However, all hope is not lost as there are plenty of educational and assembling videos and instructions available online. The privacy policy terms and conditions are also mentioned in the manual.
Apart from that many of the components are present in the box in a pre-assembled form. They include axis carriages, cable guards, PSU, the hot end, and other parts to aid you in the assembly process. Finally, the cable chains also work fine once the machine is up and ready.
However, quality control is a bit of a letdown and you might need to go to the local hardware store to get a few odds and ends for your 3D printing machine since it does have missing parts issues. Albeit having said that, it is extremely rare for any important and vital component of the Tronxy to be missing from this printer.
If the guide is not good enough, you may have to rely on an online guide, once you buy this product. However, all such online sources tend to be free. So no issues if you need to use them.
Such guidance comes in all shapes and forms including friends and relatives. But it will be worth it if you get the required 3D prints.
Print Performance
Overall, the print performance is pretty decent for a 3D printer model in this price bracket. Yes, the usual issues such as stringing, ghosting, layering issues, nozzles oozing, and even ringing are there. However, they far less widespread than many users have anticipated. This holds truer at lower speeds.
If you are a perfectionist, you might get a bit irritated, but if you are just a regular user, you won’t have any issues with the print performance and printing quality of this 3D printer.
As far as features go, the very large volume print surface is the part where the Tronxy X5S shines the most points. There are few if any 3D printers that can offer such a large build surface for such a low price.
It does require a bit more juice though to bring out and enhance its true potential. Apart from that, it takes almost an hour for the heated plate to hit the desired temperature north of 50 degrees c. However, the time spent is worth it due to the overall build size. Especially when compared to the Creality CR 10.
Pros
- If size does matter than the Tronxy X5s wins the lottery hands down due to the sheer expense of its build plate
- It is relatively inexpensive when compared to many other printers in its price range such as the Creality Company’s many offerings.
- It offers good print quality overall
- Best large print bed
- It comes with a sturdy aluminum frame
- One of the best 3D printer for its cost
- Excellent features for its price
Cons
- The instructions are not easy to follow during assembly
- It is underpowered
- Some of the parts may be missing from the machine
Tech Specs
The tech specifications for the Tronxy X5S are roughly similar to most low-cost 3D printer kits that are available on the market today. No review is complete without tech specs and they include the following ones you might like:
- Build Volume: 330 x 330 x 400 mm
- Printer Dimensions: 520 x 490 x 498 mm
- Layer Resolution: 0.1 – 0 4mm
- Technology: FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
- Extruder: Single extruder
- Nozzle/Filament Diameter: 04 mm
- Connectivity: USB, SD Card
- Heated Bed: Yes
- Print Speed: 20-150 mm/s
- Operational Extruder Temperature: max 270C
- Operational Heat bed Temperature: max 100C
- Input rating: 110V/220V AC, 50/60Hz
- Filament materials: PLA ABS Hips and other filament products
- Filament product: 1 75mm
Who Is It Good For?
If you are on a low-level budget and want a printer that can help you learn the ropes, this is a great printer for you. Since it is essentially a semi-assembled 3d printer kit with a z axis, you will be able to learn to assemble the printing machine as well as figure out how to fine-tune and tweak it to derive the very best possible performance from your Tronxy machine.
You will also be able to indulge in cosplay thanks to the printing machine’s large size. These points propel the Tronxy x5s 3D printer into the ranks of the best 3D printers around for people on a tight budget who want a decent product for their home with the right diameter 1. There are other printing machines like this one but not at this cost and with such easy terms of use.
Who Is It Not Good For?
It is not good for anyone who is not interested in’ do it yourself’ work. Since the instructions are minimalist at best, the odds are that you will have to figure things out for yourself. It is very low powered and won’t be able to give the kid of accuracy and the print quality that you might have come to expect from other smaller printers in the same price range. In fact, you can compare this review with any review you may have read of other best 3D printers like this one with diameter 0.
Conclusion
The Tronxy X5S might be too finicky and underpowered for a veteran 3D printing expert. However, it is definitely worth the while for someone who wants a DIY 3D printer project to learn the ropes of the game. In short, there is no such thing as a free lunch and you get what you pay. However, you will be able to get the most from your prints once you tweak this printer a bit.
