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Sindoh 3DWOX DP201 Review

A great value option for those that want a simple and reliable printer that just works without a lot of fuss
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Sindoh 3DWOX DP201 Review (The Sindoh 3DWOX DP201)
The Sindoh 3DWOX DP201
Credit: Sindoh
Price:  $1,300 List
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Manufacturer:   Sindoh
By David Wise and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Jun 14, 2017
67
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Print Quality - 40% 6.0
  • Ease of Use - 30% 9.1
  • Print Capabilities - 20% 5.0
  • Support - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

Towards the end of 2019; The Sindoh 3DWOX DP201 was Discontinued
REASONS TO BUY
Extremely easy to use
Good prints
Good value
REASONS TO AVOID
PLA only
Proprietary filament
The DP201 by Sindoh is a fantastically easy to use model that is fantastically easy to use and produces reasonably good prints, earning it our Best Buy award. While this model isn't the absolute best value you can get, it's still a fantastic value for those that want the printer that will require the least work while still producing high-quality prints.

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Sindoh 3DWOX DP201 is a great pick for someone that wants all of the easy to use and convenience features of a premium printer without paying a premium price. This is a great pick for someone who needs things 3D printed but doesn't necessarily view 3D printing as a hobby, more of a means to an end. This model makes high-quality prints right out of the box with practically no setup. This printer would also be a great choice for schools or libraries, with the enclosed body keeping wandering hands out of the printer and the integrated web camera for remote monitoring.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the sindoh dp201 is an exceptional value and exceptionally easy to...
The Sindoh DP201 is an exceptional value and exceptionally easy to use.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Performance Comparison


To evaluate 3D printers, we bought the top models available on the market today and tested them head-to-head, scoring their performance in four different rating metrics. These metrics were Print Capabilities, Print Quality, Ease of Use, and Support., with the following sections detailing how the Sindoh DP201 performed and why it merited an award.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the set of prints from the sindoh dp201. this model only prints in...
The set of prints from the Sindoh DP201. This model only prints in PLA, so only one version of each model was made.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Print Quality


The most important metric in our test was Print Quality, based on the performance of each printer on our set of sample prints. This metric comprised almost half of the entire score, measuring in at 40%, with the Sindoh delivering an above average performance, earning it a 6 out of 10, putting it in the upper half of the printers that we tested.


Our rating panel, composed of both experts and novices, compared the quality of each print produced against the rest of the group, without knowing the printer of origin. The scores were then aggregated to determine each printer's final score for this set of tests.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the group of test prints from the sindoh, ready to be evaluated.
The group of test prints from the Sindoh, ready to be evaluated.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The Sindoh only prints in PLA plastic, meaning we only had one version of each sample print to evaluate. This model did a slightly subpar job in our first test, the 3D Benchy tugboat torture test. The DP201's Benchy was below average, with some misprinting in the windows and some imperfections noticeable at the base of the smokestack.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - we found this benchy to be slightly below average, due to some...
We found this Benchy to be slightly below average, due to some imperfections in the layers and the smokestack.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

This model did much better with the bridging test but failed on the Eiffel Tower print. The bridging model did amazing, with a minuscule amount of sagging and only a few strings due to insufficient retraction. The Eiffel Tower broke in half when we tried to remove it from the print bed and had a raft fused to the base.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the sindoh had flawless bridging but a fractured eiffel tower.
The Sindoh had flawless bridging but a fractured Eiffel Tower.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The performance in the next group of prints wasn't terribly impressive but the Sindoh did excel in the overhang test. The articulated elephant had some artifacts at the top of the ears and the underside had a poor surface finish. However, the legs did move relatively freely. The nickel test turned out slightly oversized for the nickel but otherwise was great. As mentioned above, this model did an excellent job on the overhang test, though the planes weren't quite as clean on the sharpest overhangs as the FlashForge.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the sindoh did the best in the overhang test out of this trio of...
The Sindoh did the best in the overhang test out of this trio of prints.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

This model created a close to perfect hollow cube, with only the smallest bit of sagging. However, the platform jack created by the Sindoh wasn't the best, with some Z-axis wobble and a Z-axis shift partway through printing. The bridges were sub-par but the platform jack opened and closed smoothly, even with all the issues.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the hollow cube made by the sindoh was excellent, while the platform...
The hollow cube made by the Sindoh was excellent, while the platform jack needed a little work.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Boosting its score, the DP201 did well with our pair of low-poly figurines from some popular video game franchises. The larger print did very well, with only some slight issues with the smallest points. The smaller print had some poor quality overhangs and had an overall rougher finish.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the smaller model came out slightly worse than the larger one.
The smaller model came out slightly worse than the larger one.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The tall tower test came out exceptionally well, though the corners were slightly rounded. However, there was no perceptible Z-axis wobble — the main point of this test. The support test was about average, requiring more cleanup and tools to remove the support structure than other models. The spiral vase was plagued with strings and retraction issues and we couldn't adjust the settings to get a single layer wall thickness, even after consulting with the manufacturer.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the tower didn't have any z-axis wobble, but the vase had tons of...
The tower didn't have any z-Axis wobble, but the vase had tons of retractions issues on the inside.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The DP201 delivered a very strong showing in the final two tests: a threaded jar and lid.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the lid threaded on the jar smoothly, but there was a noticeable...
The lid threaded on the jar smoothly, but there was a noticeable seam from the starting and stopping points.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The threads were very smooth — allowing the lid and jar to fit together without resistance. However, there was a noticeable seam from the stop/start points.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the sindoh was the easiest to use, by far.
The Sindoh was the easiest to use, by far.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Ease of Use


Ease of Use received the second highest weighting in our review, accounting for 30% of the final score, based on comparing the ease at leveling the bed, initial assembly, swapping filaments, and sending files to the printer from a computer. This metric is where the Sindoh DP201 truly shined, earning a 9 out of 10 — one of the best scores that we have seen!


This model had zero setup and assembly and was ready to go right out of the box. The Sindoh uses a cartridge based filament system that means it will automatically do all of the work to swap filaments for you. You simply need to navigate to the correct menu on the printer and select load or unload. It will then preheat the extruder and retract or advance the filament.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the sindoh and its filament cartridge.
The Sindoh and its filament cartridge.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Bed leveling is a semi-automatic process, with the printer probing and then prompting you to adjust certain knobs by a certain number of clicks to perfectly level it.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the semi-automatic bed leveling on the sindoh instructs you how to...
The semi-automatic bed leveling on the Sindoh instructs you how to adjust the knobs after probing.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

This model also had the widest array of connection methods available, allowing you to print directly from a computer via USB cable or Ethernet cable, from a flash drive for standalone printing, or relatively reliably from a network connection.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the display on the sindoh was very informative compared to the other...
The display on the Sindoh was very informative compared to the other models.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

This model also had one of the nicest and most informative displays while printing.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the sindoh was somewhat restricted in terms of capabilities.
The Sindoh was somewhat restricted in terms of capabilities.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Print Capabilities


Earning the third highest weighting, Print Capabilities is responsible for 20% of the final score. The Sindoh's performance dropped slightly, with this model earning a 5 out of 10 for its overall average set of capabilities.


We compared the ability to upgrade or swap slicing software, the build volume and build plate, filament compatibilities, and extruder capabilities to score this metric. The build volume on this model is decently large, measuring in at 210 x 200 x 189mm. The build surface is some type of flexible rubber and removable, making it very easy to remove prints. However, we had a few bed adhesion issues on the largest prints.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the flexible bed surface makes removing prints a breeze.
The flexible bed surface makes removing prints a breeze.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

This model is only compatible with Sindoh-specific filament, with the printer checking a computer chip on the cartridge to view filament remaining. While this does limit the types of filament you can use, it does make things like automatic filament changes and a warning when you have an insufficient amount of filament to complete a print possible.

This model uses a proprietary slicer as the recommended software but is compatible with other programs like Cura or Simplify3D.

sindoh 3dwox dp201 - the recommended proprietary slicer for the sindoh.
The recommended proprietary slicer for the Sindoh.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

As mentioned above, this model is restricted to PLA only, making the extruder temperature range somewhat irrelevant.

This is because you could not make use of higher temperature filaments even if the extruder is capable of reaching the requisite temperatures. However, it does have a single layer cooling fan to improve the quality of PLA prints.

Support


The last metric in our test — making up the residual 10% of the score — rated the manufacturers of each machine rather than the machine itself. We compared the helpfulness of the response to our questions to customer support, the quickness of the response, included warranty, and the documentation on the website of the manufacturer. The DP201 finished with a reasonable score, earning a 6 out of 10.


The Sindoh includes a year or 3000m filament warranty but the inner parts, such as the nozzle or bed are only covered for 90 days. You can check the full terms of service on the Sindoh website here.. Their response to our question regarding the settings for a spiral vase were helpful but didn't really help us solve the issue, with the walls of the vase still turning out unacceptably thick. In addition, the contact form wasn't the most intuitive to use and there was no USA phone number listed, but there were about 10 instructional videos that walked you through the use of the printer on their site.

Value


While this printer is a little pricey compared to some of the more economical options, it is a great value for the convenience it offers.

Conclusion


While there are cheaper options out there, they are much much harder to use and have a steeper learning curve in getting quality prints. The Sindoh just works from the get go and is a fantastic option for someone that just wants a reliable 3d printer that works without fuss and produces good prints.

David Wise and Austin Palmer