Review: Anycubic Vyper 3D Printer – easy to use and easy on the eyes

Kev, the big boss man (not this one), knows my fascination with 3D printers. He knows I’m obsessed with the idea of them, and he knows how much I wanted the Voxelab Aquila 2 to work out. So, I think it’s fair to say he offered the Anycubic Vyper 3D printer for review at least partially out of guilt.

Obviously, I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth though, and the space I had put aside for a 3D printer was looking awfully lonely… so, after playing the violins a little more, I jumped at the chance to try this one out and give it a review.

The Anycubic Vyper 3D printer will set you back $429. Its printing size extends to 9.6 inches by 9.6 inches by 10.2 inches. It also features a magnetic, removable platform. But all of that information is available on the Amazon listing. Let’s dive into how the printer actually works and what we think of it.

Precursor to printing

So, a little bit of background on the unit. It’s the next step up from the base-level models that need modding. Something that pops straight out of the box and is ready to go as soon as you’ve put it together. This is backed up by the ridiculously smart ideas Anycubic has put into it.

Self-leveling bed? Check. Magnetic, flexible plate that sits on top of the bed to make peeling prints off easier? Check.

READ MORE: The EIBOS Oceanus makes cleaning 3D-printed objects easy

An incredibly sturdy side-stand that holds your filament in place without worrying about the spool falling off, pulling the entire printer down with it, and leaving you with a very expensive paperweight? Check. Easy-to-follow instructions that had me up and running within 25 minutes (I timed it)? Also, check.

Beautifully built

When I reviewed the Voxelab Aquila 2, I thought it was an incredibly well-constructed piece of kit, despite my negativity about how it performed. Compared to the Vyper though, the Aquila was like putting together a LEGO made of glass shards. While wearing a blindfold.

Four screws had the motor attached to the base. Three more and the screen was attached. Then it was just a matter of plugging in all the labeled wiring. That’s it. That’s all it took.

I was ready to run through the initial setup then hopefully, finally, I’d be able to create the dickasaurus army that’s been fuelling my nightmares for the last few months.

Printing in practice

Powered by a 32-bit motherboard and Cortex-M3, the Vyper can be used with traditional PLA and ABS filaments, but it can also be used with TPU, PETG, and — I’m not kidding here — wood.

This is mainly down to the huge temperature range, which allows the hot end kit to run from a plastic-friendly 200 degrees, right up to a scorching 260 degrees.

The basic test project went amazingly well. I got that lovely level of ‘squish’ that gives you confidence as the base layer adheres. While was running, I decided to try out a couple of things. I changed the x-axis settings slightly, then reverted them.

I could actually see where I’d made the changes when the print was complete. It’s such a small thing, but it genuinely blew me away to have such accurate control over everything.

A TCM2209 silent driver means it’s ridiculously quiet, especially when previous experience made me think 3D printers were supposed to sound like a PS4 on steroids. The stock software is absolutely fantastic, too.

Mid-project changes are easy thanks to touchscreen capability, and even picking our next print from the SD card is incredibly simple.

The Anycubic Vyper offers articulated excellence

Confidence running high, I skipped past basic projects and tried out this ‘articulated dragon’ from Cults. Definitely a dragon. Definitely not a water-type creature from a smash-hit video game, trading card, and anime series. I decided to name this project Shmyrados.

It took around 17 hours, but holy shit, it actually worked. The joints were smooth and separated, the detail on its face was impeccable, and even the small, small rough parts on the spikes of its back just needed a little bit of smoothing out with sandpaper to have it in perfect condition.

What I’m trying to say is, it made me extremely popular with my kid, and he’s now asking on an almost daily basis what we can print next.

A couple of simpler projects were lined up next. I decided to try a logo for the metal band, Gojira, and the same band’s iconic L’Enfant Sauvage album artwork, the latter of which will eventually be turned into a wall clock.

The album artwork is where I ran into my first real issue with this printer.

Hot or not

This is a small thing, and if you’re not attempting larger projects, there should be no issue, but it’s definitely something to be wary of.

The bed doesn’t seem to stay at the right temperature in certain areas. For me, this led to issues with bed adherence, so one area near the bottom where it looks slightly denser, is due to heating issues with the bottom plate.

It doesn’t seem to make it weaker or impact the finished project too much, but it does make it look slightly less than perfect.  Shmyrados also had this issue, although it only hampered the base layer, not the rest of the print.

It hasn’t impacted the creativity running wild in my mind, either. The fun stuff is all well and good, but I want to use it for productive means, too.

I can design or find a plan for a cable holder to eliminate the spaghetti-like amalgamation of cables in the office. I can make a phone stand, complete with space for a USB-C connection.

The print quality, except for that small area of heat loss, is enough to justify using it on a regular basis.

The disappointment of dickasaurus

Above all else, I’m sure the whole reason you’re reading this in the first place is because you want to know whether dickasaurus works or not. The answer to that is a little bit of a double-ended dildo double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it worked, and it worked damn well. On the other hand, this veiny, turgid monster is something I even feel bad about showing to my friends.

I have no issues showing it to anyone reading this though, especially not on a site that reviewed the Autoblow AI. Please enjoy this disgraceful bastard in all of its NSFW glory.

Anycubic Vyper: The verdict

Safe to say, the hopes of a penisaurus army have been well and truly disbanded, and the idea has been locked in a small box at the back of my brain. That’s never getting opened again.

Anycubic’s Vyper 3D printer helped me to realize that nightmare, though, and I genuinely couldn’t be more impressed with the outcome.

While the asking price of $429 (available on Amazon or directly from Anycubic where it is currently cheaper) might be a little cost-prohibitive for beginners in the hobby, it also offers almost anyone the ability to churn out high-quality prints on a consistent basis.

If the price isn’t something you are comfortable with, there are other budget options for those looking to get into the hobby. The ELEGOO Mars 3D printer might be more your speed or even this cheaper option from Anycubic.

My partner has already put in requests for more useful ideas, like organizing trays for herbs, and small fidget toys. I, on the other hand, have dreams for an army of printed ducks, including tiny hat-wearing generals.

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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more. A sample unit was provided for the purpose of this review.