XYZ Printing da Vinci 1.0 Pro Review

Either arriving damaged due to shipping, with loose parts rattling around on the inside, or falling apart after only a few prints, this model didn't strike us as the most reliable or durable. After going through three different units, we essentially gave up on this printer, rather than get a fourth.

Performance Comparison

We bought the best of the best 3D printers currently available and conducted a thorough series of side-by-side tests to find the winners. The XYZ wasn't one of them.

Print Quality

This printer earned a subpar 3 out of 10 in this test, primarily due to the fact that we only got a few prints out of it before breaking. This model also had the odd quirk of the rafts being impossible to remove.

The 3D Benchy in ABS seemed alright on the left side but showed plenty of imperfections and faults on the ride side.

The bridging test was acceptable, while the Eiffel Tower failed to print.

The articulated elephant was awful but the nickel test was average — though slightly oversized. The overhang test actually was quite alright, on part with the QIDI and the Monoprice

Both the platform jack didn't print and hollow cube wasn't great.

Every other print in the test failed or the printer broke before we could finish, except for the threaded lid.

Ease of Use

This printer actually scored above average in the Ease of Use metric, earning a 7 out of 10. Ease of Use accounted for 30% of the total score. This model should be relatively easy to unbox — with hardly assembly required — if it arrives intact.

This model only works with proprietary software, XYZware Pro. We weren't a fan of it, finding it unintuitive and clunky.

This model either needs to be connected to a computer or configured as a network printer. We found the WiFi somewhat unreliable. This model does have a reasonable display on the printer, showing current progress. The saving grace for this printer in this metric was how easy it was to swap filaments and level the bed. This model uses filament cartridges, so it semi-automatically swaps the filament for you. The bed is also leveled semi-automatically, with the printer probing and then instructing you what knobs to turn.

Print Capabilities

The da Vinci 1.0 scored poorly in this metric — which made up 20% of the total score — earning a subpar 4 out of 10. This model's slicer seemed to be prone to issues, having to repair almost any model loaded into it — even models that loaded flawlessly in every other slicer. However, it is compatible with Simplify3D. This model has a reasonable build volume, measuring in at 198 x 198 x 198mm but the print surface was terrible — akin to masking tape. This model appears to be compatible with XYZ filament only, meaning it has limited filament compatibility — regardless of the cooling options and temperature range of the nozzle and bed.

Support

The fourth and final group of tests under the Support metric made up the remaining 10% of the score. These consisted of evaluating the level of documentation, the ease at contacting the manufacturer, and the helpfulness of the response. The XYZ team scored above average, earning a 6 out of 10.

The website had a few videos that may be helpful. The support page has many methods to contact the manufacturer but it feels like you have to jump through several hoops to actually contact XYZ. They were pretty helpful when we actually contacted them through the phone number about a missing piece and sent us one, though it did take several weeks and appeared to be the incorrect part. This model did have a 12-month warranty if purchased from the manufacturer, or a 90-day warranty if purchased from an authorized distributor. However, we used Amazon for all our returns.

Value

This printer is a terrible value, as it was expensive and didn't work.

Conclusion