Simple Sovol SV03 3D Printer Review – Worth Buying or Not?

The Sovol SV03 can be termed as the big bad brother of the Sovol SV01 and that 3D printer isn’t to be taken lightly either, despite that the manufacturer is not that well-known.

What the Sovol SV03 brings to the table for the budget-range is simply too appealing to overlook.

Costing around $450, this machine is loaded with great features and one of its major selling points is its extra-large build volume.

Similar to the SV01, however, the SV03 sports a Direct Drive extrusion, and that makes it all the more worth our while.

That’s not all that this fine specimen has up for offering though. There are several improvements and upgrades that I’ll talk more about later on.

This article will explore the features, benefits, downsides, specifications, and even current customer reviews of this 3D printer to help you come to a solid buying decision.

In the meanwhile, catch a glimpse of the Sovol SV03 (Amazon) below.

Continue reading for the good stuff ahead!

Features of the Sovol SV03

• Immense Build Volume
• BLTouch Preinstalled
• TMC2208 Silent Motherboard
• Direct Drive Extrusion
• Filament Run-Out Sensor
• Dual Z-Axis Design
• Print Recovery Function
• Meanwell Power Supply

Immense Build Volume

The Sovol SV01 has a build volume of 280 x 240 x 300 mm and while that’s pretty okay as well, it looks very small compared to the SV03’s immense build platform.

This 3D printer boasts a measurement of 350 x 350 x 400 mm. All it means is that you can fire up this machine and start making big prints right away.

Bigger is always better in terms of build volumes. Purchasing the SV03, you won’t have to worry about enough space for your models – that’s for sure.

BLTouch Preinstalled

Anyone rocking 3D printers with manual bed-leveling knows the importance of BLTouch. This is an automatic leveling sensor that is usually applied as an upgrade.

In the case of the SV03, BLTouch comes preinstalled, so this 3D printer won’t have you troubled in terms of getting your bed to a near-perfect level.

While the machine couldn’t afford auto bed-leveling technology of its own, BLTouch is nothing less than a welcome surprise.

TMC2208 Silent Motherboard

The Sovol SV03 sports a TMC2208 board that comprises 256 small and individual high-resolution upward steps. What this means is a smoother and quieter performance from the motherboard, leading to a noiseless operation.

For people that have their 3D printer setup in the same place as their rooms, this could attribute to a more workable experience, especially when you want your printing to be done overnight.

Carbon Crystal Silicon Glass Bed

The factory bed for the SV03 is a textured glass plate that supports heating as well. The build platform, in general, does a great job in offering proper adhesion to parts and models.

Therefore, the quality of the print bed is definitely one of this 3D printer’s plus points. By providing a decent flat surface, your prints will be sticking nicely to the platform and turning out just the way you want.

Direct Drive Extrusion

Direct Drive extrusion systems are in a league of their own. They are better able to support flexible filaments like TPU and TPE thereby increasing the range of materials you can work with.

There are also a number of other benefits of a Direct Drive set-up that I’ve talked about in this comparison article here.

The SV03 balances quality extrusion with good retraction and works great with the Direct Drive set-up.

Filament Run-Out Sensor

The Sovol SV03 packs in a modern filament run-out sensor that will notify you beforehand when the filament feed messes up somewhere or you’re just out of filament.

This can be helpful during longs rounds of printing to avoid potential print failures.

Dual Z-Axis Design

The manufacturer has decided to go with two different Z-Axis stepper motors on the gantry of the SV03. This goes on to lend a Z-axis accuracy of 0.001mm while improving upon the nozzle’s precision during vertical movement.

Print Recovery Function

If an accidental power outage happens to pause your 3D printing momentarily, expect the SV03 to begin right where it left off with its print recovery functionality.

Another modern feature, this can work right alongside the filament run-out sensor to make sure accidental and non-accidental mishaps alike are mercifully forgiven.

Meanwell Power Supply

Meanwell has become a standard for all those 3D printers that mean serious business. The SV03 also incorporates a 350W Meanwell power supply that offers a layer of protection from unexpected power surges.

In addition to that, this supply unit also heats up the print bed rather quickly and ensures stable and adequate power.  However, since the build volume is large, heating can take significantly more time.

Benefits of the Sovol SV03

• The SV03 is well-built and has a sturdy aluminum frame
• Exceptional for making large-sized prints
• Has a purchasable bundle with a touchscreen and Tungsten nozzles
• Comes ready for action out of the box and requires little effort in assembly
• The upgraded motherboard can run better versions of Marlin firmware
• Performs extremely well

Downsides of the Sovol SV03

• The ribbon cable wire harness could pose issues in the long run
• The SV03 occupies a footprint that might seem too space-taking for most users
• Bed heating can take longer due to the sheer size of the build plate

Specifications of the Sovol SV03

• Technology: FDM
• Assembly: Semi-assembled
• 3D Printer Type: Cartesian-XY
• Build Volume: 350 x 350 x 400 mm
• Extrusion System: Direct Drive
• Print Head: Single
• Nozzle Size: 0.4 mm
• Maximum Hot End Temperature: 260°C
• Bed-Leveling: BL-Touch
• Connectivity: SD Card, USB
• Print Recovery: Yes
• Camera: No
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm
• Third-Party Filaments: Yes
• Materials: PLA, TPU, HIPS, ABS, PETG, Wood

Customer Reviews of the Sovol SV03

The Sovol SV03 (Amazon) is a fairly new 3D printer and isn’t too popular at the moment compared to your Creality 3D printers. However, by researching around, I’ve mostly seen positive feedback for this machine from people who made the purchase.

The majority of customers say that the Sovol Sv03 is an excellent 3D printer that knows how to do its job well. A handful of great features that this machine ships with makes it well worth the purchase.

For instance, the upgraded motherboard apart from being whisper-quiet, makes the SV03 perform remarkably.

Moreover, it’s also made to be up-to-date so all new features that come to the Marlin firmware can be utilized by this printer as well.

What’s even more interesting is the automatic bed-leveling that the factory-installed BLTouch offers with the SV03.

For newcomers and experts alike, leveling the print bed can get tedious and bothersome, but this large machine lets users breathe a lot easier in that respect.

One user commends the easy assembly of the SV03 and how there’s little work required. This 3D printer doesn’t come branded with out-of-the-box printing for no reason.

Another customer says that there is a helpful Discord group and also an official Facebook page that makes sure newbies start out the right way. This type of community support is always something to vouch for.

Nonetheless, there were some people who complained about receiving faulty units in the early days, most likely due to poor quality checking in the SV03’s line of production.

This usually happens while manufacturers are trying to work out the proper logistics. This is still covered under the normal return policy, so the users could send the printers back, but still a disappointing outcome overall.

I think Sovol learned their lesson from this blunder and are starting to quality check and send out 3D printers that fit the standards for what users expect.

Other than that, the SV03 is well-liked and is well on its way to make a name for itself. Most people who bought it are happy, satisfied customers, and that says a lot about this printer’s value.

Verdict – Sovol SV03 Worth Buying or Not?

Costing somewhere around $450, the Sovol SV03 is hard to beat in its price range. With features like automatic bed-leveling, power recovery, filament run-out sensor, and good build quality, this 3D printer is no joke.

Taking into account how much it costs, the Sv03 also has a sensational build volume. It seems to me that Sovol is trying its best to blend value and affordability and so far, it’s doing the trick for them.

However, do bear in mind that if you’re not going to utilize the SV03’s build volume to its fullest from time to time, this 3D printer might not be for you at all.

You could be better off with something cheaper, say the Ender 3, but if it’s clear in your mind that you could use the extra space, the features and build quality of the SV03 make it a worthy adventure.

You can buy the Sovol SV03 from Amazon today.