TL;DR
The Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro is one of the best value-for-money choices in the budget segment. With Klipper firmware, a direct drive extruder, linear rails, and auto-leveling, it's the most feature-packed printer at this price. Print quality is excellent for its price, but there are some assembly and quality control inconsistencies. Overall Score: 8.0/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
For anyone on a budget who doesn't want to compromise on speed and quality.
Box Contents
The Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro's box is compact and well-packaged:
- Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro main body (base part)
- Gantry (top part - assembly with 4 screws)
- Print bed (PEI coated flexible steel)
- Power cable
- Tool kit (Allen wrench set, screwdriver, side cutter)
- USB drive (test models and software)
- PLA filament sample (white, approx. 200g)
- Spare nozzle (0.4mm)
- Spare PTFE tube
- Quick start guide
- Spare screws and couplers
The box contents are sufficient and practical. A functional package without unnecessary luxury.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Printing Technology | FDM (Bed-Slinger / Cartesian) |
| Print Volume | 225 x 225 x 265 mm |
| Maximum Speed | 500 mm/s |
| Maximum Acceleration | 10,000 mm/s² |
| Nozzle Temperature | Up to 300°C |
| Bed Temperature | Up to 110°C |
| Layer Resolution | 0.05 - 0.35 mm |
| Nozzle Diameter | 0.4 mm (swappable) |
| Filament Diameter | 1.75 mm |
| Supported Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, PA |
| Extruder Type | Direct Drive (Dual Gear) |
| Auto Leveling | Yes (121 points - capacitive sensor) |
| Guide Rails | Linear Rail (on all axes) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, USB, LAN |
| Display | 3.5" Touch IPS |
| Enclosure | Open |
| Dimensions | 423 x 423 x 488 mm |
| Weight | ~8.7 kg |
Design and Build Quality
The Neptune 4 Pro has a classic bed-slinger design. This is theoretically a disadvantage at high speeds compared to CoreXY, but Elegoo manages to compensate for this with Klipper's input shaping feature.
Frame and Structure
The aluminum extrusion frame is sufficiently sturdy. The profile thickness is good for its price segment. The use of linear rails on all axes is a rare feature at this price point and has a direct positive impact on print quality.
Print Bed
The PEI coated flexible steel bed is magnetically attached. Excellent adhesion with PLA. The bed leveling is well-done at the factory – we measured less than 0.05mm deviation on the bed.
Extruder
The dual-gear direct drive extruder design is powerful and reliable. The filament grip force is adjustable – lower pressure is needed for soft materials like TPU. With support up to 300°C, engineering materials can also be used.
General Feel
Build quality is above average for its price segment. Linear rails are a big plus. However, some plastic parts (fan duct, cable clips) feel a bit flimsy.
Setup and First Print
The Neptune 4 Pro comes semi-assembled – it can be completed in about 20 minutes.
Setup Steps
- Unpack the base body and gantry (2 min)
- Attach the gantry to the base body with 4 screws (5 min)
- Connect motor and screen cables (3 min)
- Place the print bed (1 min)
- Plug in the power cable and turn it on (1 min)
- Wi-Fi and basic settings on the screen (3 min)
- Auto-leveling (121 points, ~3 min)
- First print!
Total: approximately 20 minutes. Instructions are clear and a video guide is also available.
First Print Experience
Benchy model with the included PLA: completed in 23 minutes (at 250mm/s speed). Very good for a first print – surface quality is smooth, bridging tests are successful. The only drawback: the Z-seam is a bit noticeable, but this can be improved with settings.
Print Quality Tests
PLA Tests
- Temperature: 215°C nozzle / 60°C bed
- Speed: 250 mm/s
- Result: The Neptune 4 Pro truly shines with PLA. Thanks to the linear rails, the surface quality is very smooth. At 0.2mm, layer lines have low visibility. Clean results up to 65 degrees in overhang tests. Compared to the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon, the quality is 90-95% close – impressive for this price.
PETG Tests
- Temperature: 240°C nozzle / 75°C bed
- Speed: 180 mm/s
- Result: Good performance in PETG printing. Stringing is a bit excessive with the factory profile but improves with retraction settings. Layer adhesion is strong for mechanical parts. Sufficient quality for functional parts.
ABS Tests
- Temperature: 250°C nozzle / 100°C bed
- Speed: 150 mm/s
- Result: Due to the open enclosure, warping is inevitable for large ABS parts. It's manageable for small parts (under 5cm). An enclosure is essential for ABS – even a cardboard box works. Enclosed printers definitely have an advantage in this regard.
TPU Tests (95A)
- Temperature: 220°C nozzle / 50°C bed
- Speed: 40 mm/s
- Result: The direct drive extruder works very well with TPU. The dual-gear system feeds the filament smoothly. Much fewer issues compared to Bowden systems. Flexible cases and fitness bands were printed successfully.
PA (Nylon) Tests
- Temperature: 280°C nozzle / 100°C bed
- Speed: 100 mm/s
- Result: Nylon printing is possible thanks to the 300°C hotend support. Moisture control is critical – feeding filament from a drying box is essential. Results are acceptable but less consistent than with enclosed printers.
Speed and Performance
Speed Tests
| Test Model | Standard (50mm/s) | Neptune 4 Pro (250mm/s) | Time Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benchy | ~55 min | ~23 min | 58% faster |
| Calibration Cube | ~25 min | ~11 min | 56% faster |
| Phone Case | ~90 min | ~35 min | 61% faster |
| Gearbox | ~120 min | ~50 min | 58% faster |
The 500 mm/s claim is not practically achievable – surface quality drops significantly. The best results are in the 200-300 mm/s range. The bed-slinger design causes vibrations on the Y-axis (the back-and-forth movement of the bed)
ere neden olabiliyor — input shaping compensates for this to a large extent but is not as effective as CoreXY.
Input Shaping Performance
Klipper's built-in input shaping system works very well. After automatic calibration with the accelerometer, ghosting is minimal at 250 mm/s. Especially on the X-axis (light extruder movement), the results are excellent, while there are slightly more artifacts on the Y-axis (heavy bed movement).
Noise
- Idle: ~30 dB
- Normal print: ~48 dB
- High speed: ~55 dB
Standard level for the mid-range segment. For night printing, it is recommended to stay below 200 mm/s.
Software and Ecosystem
Klipper Firmware
The biggest advantage of the Neptune 4 Pro is that it comes with Klipper firmware. This allows for:
- Input shaping (automatic calibration)
- Pressure advance
- Access via web interface (Fluidd/Mainsail)
- Macros and automation
- Advanced temperature control
Slicer
Elegoo does not have its own slicer — Cura and OrcaSlicer are recommended. OrcaSlicer's Neptune 4 Pro profiles are quite good. Profiles continuously developed by the community are available.
Remote Access
Full control is possible over the local network via the Klipper web interface (Fluidd). Third-party solutions like Obico can be used for cloud connectivity.
Firmware Update
OTA (over-the-air) firmware update support is available. Elegoo regularly releases improvements and bug fixes.
Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
- Excellent price/performance ratio
- Klipper firmware (advanced features)
- Direct drive extruder
- Linear rails on all axes
- 300°C hotend (engineering materials)
- Automatic 121-point leveling
- Excellent compatibility with OrcaSlicer
- Good community support
- Wi-Fi and web interface access
- Easy setup
❌ Cons
- Bed-slinger design is at a disadvantage compared to CoreXY at high speeds
- Open case (not suitable for ABS/ASA)
- 500mm/s claim is unrealistic
- No multi-color printing support (single color)
- Small screen (3.5")
- Quality control inconsistencies reported on some models
- No camera (must be purchased separately)
- Fan noise is at a moderate level
Who is it For?
Definitely Buy If:
- You want maximum features on a limited budget
- You want to play with and learn Klipper
- You primarily work with PLA and PETG
- Speed is important to you, but CoreXY is beyond your budget
- You are interested in DIY and modification
Consider If:
- You work a lot with ABS and ASA (no enclosed case)
- You want multi-color printing
- You expect a perfect out-of-the-box experience
- You need to print parts larger than 250mm
Price/Performance Evaluation
The Neptune 4 Pro is priced in the range of approximately $259-299. For this price:
- Klipper firmware
- Direct drive extruder
- Linear rails (all axes)
- 300°C hotend
- Automatic leveling
- Wi-Fi connectivity
The offering is an incredible value. We can say it's the best option in this price segment (Sub-$300). It has a much longer feature list compared to its competitors like the Ender 3 V3 SE and Kobra 2 Neo.
Conclusion and Scoring
The Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro is a product that raises the standards of the budget 3D printer segment. It's not perfect, but the value it offers for its price is amazing.
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Print Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 |
| Speed and Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 |
| Ease of Setup | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 |
| Material Compatibility | ⭐⭐⭐ 7.5/10 |
| Software | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 |
| Build Quality | ⭐⭐⭐ 7.5/10 |
| Price/Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 |
| OVERALL | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8.0/10 |
Final Word: If you want the most out of your budget, the Neptune 4 Pro is a printer you can buy with your eyes closed. Finding the power of Klipper and the reliability of direct drive at this price is truly difficult.