The AnkerMake M5C 3D printer officially debuted today as the more affordable successor to the original AnkerMake M5. The AnkerMake M5 released last year at a notably high price of $799. The new AnkerMake M5C is priced at $399 which is half the price of the original albeit with the sacrifice of a few key features found on the M5.
We reviewed the AnkerMake M5 last year and appreciated its performance. The characteristics we appreciated most were its built-in camera and AI-powered print monitoring system. However, for a printer with a price tag of $799, it had some drawbacks worth noting like it’s lack of SD card slots, loud fans and the fact that the AI monitor only worked with the native slicer. For the AnkerMake M5C to stand out, it would need better features or a more reasonable price tag—the latter of which seems to be the route taken.
According to Anker, the new AnkerMake M5C has some familiar specifications to the M5 including a 49-point automatic bed leveling system, a magnetic build plate, and speeds as high as 500mm per second. It’s also capable of reaching a precise resolution of .1mm.
There are a few differences in the new model, however, that set it apart from the M5 including a one-piece design that’s intended to make the setup process a bit easier. It also has a smaller print bed with a volume of 220 x 220 x 250mm rather than 235 x 235 x 250mm. The M5C features a base with an aluminum construction and uses two screws for the Z-axis.
There are also some features missing from the AnkerMake M5C that were somewhat critical to the design of the AnkerMake M5. For example, there is no more integrated camera so the AI monitoring is gone. There are no screens at all so you must rely on the proprietary slicer for optimizing your prints. Anker also decided to drop the filament runout sensor.
The new AnkerMake M5C overall appears to offer similar build quality with a few sacrifices at a lower cost. Whether or not these changes are ideal will vary depending on personal preference. If you’d like to get your hands on the new addition, you can find the AnkerMake M5C over at Amazon right now for just $399.
