Review: Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus

Elegoo had already trusted us to review the Jupiter SE 6K. They jumped at the chance to let us test their Neptune 4 Plus FDM (filament/extrusion) printer.

The Neptune 4 Plus is very affordable for its size and features. FDM technology is the simplest for the user, and it’s an extremely competitive market, Prusa’s open source model having opened the door for everyone to offer their machines on the market.

Elegoo has designed this printer to be one of the best FDM printers in its class. The Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus is currently available for €350 on their website.

So what’s this printer worth, and can we recommend it to beginners?

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Mounting

The assembly instructions are well illustrated and clear, but Elegoo also offers a video. All the steps are clear and have a dedicated bag of screws. It’s impossible to make a mistake. If you like Lego, you won’t be disappointed. And even if you have no prior knowledge, assembly of the Neptune 4 Plus should pose no problem and can be completed in less than half an hour. And of course, all tools are supplied.

Calibration

After switching on the printer for the first time. It is advisable to ensure that the print head is firmly in place. The next step is to level the print bed. Elegoo provides a step-by-step guide for this. This is crucial if you want to get good prints later on. So it’s best to take your time. Calibration is not entirely automatic: you’ll need to use the huge screws on the underside of the hot bed and a sheet of paper.

The fact that you have to assemble the machine makes this step impossible to do in the factory, and above all crucial for what happens next.

Be careful to keep the printing PEI sheet in place during calibration, or you could damage the coating underneath. Don’t ask how we know..

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Design

The printhead is rather bulky, and doesn’t allow you to change the extruder without a bit of tinkering. However, filament changing is quick and well thought-out, with a lever for disengaging without using the software.

The 4.3″ touchscreen is magnetized, so it can be mounted anywhere else, vertically for example, depending on where you want to install your printer.

Elegoo has integrated LEDs on the head and arch of the printer, which can be switched on or off via the touchscreen, a handy extra for inspections.

To cool the deposited filament, the printer has a fan module that runs the full width of the printer and is mounted directly behind the printhead.

The filament detector lets you get away with not wasting a print. The printer will alert you and pause, leaving you to change filament before resuming printing. A simple, effective solution.

More photos of this printer’s construction.

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The Slicer

The Elegoo printer comes with the Cura Slicer, a version of the Ultimaker Cura software that includes basic settings for the brand’s printers and filaments.

The software is simple and perfect for beginners, taking little time to get to grips with, and the YouTube guides are endless and constantly updated.

Web interface

If you enter the IP address in the browser of a smartphone or computer connected to the same network, the full range of Klipper firmware functions opens up. Here you can upload print files, connect a camera, control the extruder and temperatures, and much more..

We haven’t gone into too much detail here, because it’s a bottomless pit. But if you want to use it the traditional way, you’ll have access to all your printer’s functions directly from your computer or smartphone. No need to use a USB key.

This is totally optional, of course, as you can also use a USB stick plugged directly into the printer and use the printer’s touch screen.

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Print quality

The included USB key also contains a number of G-codes, i.e. pre-sliced templates. A simple solution for testing the printer after installation. There’s the Buddha with a printing time of 40 minutes.

Now to the most important thing of all: print quality. The Buddha in PLA is in orange, PLA Pro in black:

We start small by printing cable combs.

Note the perfect prints, even without adhesive backing with the Elegoo PLA Pro.

Noctua offers the files for its NA-IS1 on Printables. Naturally, we wanted to print some to test later.

Now if the print doesn’t want to set on the PEI plate, we use some of the PVP glue supplied with the printer.

And finally, an interlocking test print. Here, a cable roller to tidy up your tangled cables.

Overall, print quality is good out of the box, but it would certainly be interesting to adjust its profiles for other types of filament.

We’ve just received a large number of filaments and we’ll be offering you profiles for other materials very soon (ASA, PETG, etc.). We’ll need some time to fine-tune the profiles.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, the Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus, available for €350, has an unbeatable price/performance ratio at the moment. At this price, you can’t expect it to be on par with a Prusa or Bambulab printer, especially on special materials. But if you want to print in PLA only, there’s no reason to pay twice as much or more.

If you want to use more exotic or hard-to-print materials (ASA for example), you’ll need patience to find the right adjustments and compromises. It’s still possible, but it won’t be a plug-and-play experience .

This printer has a solid construction, integrated filament management, the ability to resume printing after a power cut, … So many features that testify to Elegoo’s commitment to durability and ease of use.

We liked:

• Ease of assembly
• Perfect PLA prints
• Large build volume
• Connectivity and remote printing
• Unbeatable price/performance ratio

Our least favorite :

• Built-in settings for other materials in the Slicer
• Difficult to see the first layer clearly with this large print head
• No on-screen access to files imported via the Web UI

ELEGOO Neptune 4 Plus

If you want to get started in 3D printing, you’ll need to consider the Neptune 4 Plus, especially if your budget is limited. Hobbyists will have plenty to learn, test and improve on… A perfect first printer, capable of speeds up to 500mm/s.

For us, it’ll be the gold award.