Formlabs
Formlabs Form 4
Professional MSLA resin printer with 50 µm pixels, a 200 x 125 x 210 mm build and up to 100 mm/hour
$2,625Price checked October 28, 2026
Best for Engineering prototypesBest for Dental and jewelry modelsBest for Small-batch production partsBest for Service bureaus and print farms
Overview
The Formlabs Form 4 is a professional masked SLA (MSLA) resin printer with a 200 x 125 x 210 mm build volume, a 50 µm pixel size and published print speeds up to 100 mm/hour. It supports Formlabs resins plus third-party resins through Open Material Mode.
What it is
The Form 4 is Formlabs' desktop resin printer for professional use, built on what Formlabs calls its Low Force Display approach to masked stereolithography (MSLA). It is sold through the Formlabs store in Basic, Complete and Premium packages. Formlabs also sells the larger Form 4L and the biocompatible-capable Form 4B, but neither is described as a replacement for the Form 4.
Key specs that matter
From Formlabs' official product and tech specs pages:
- Build volume: 200 x 125 x 210 mm (5.3 L), with a maximum part length of 273 mm when parts are angled.
- Resolution: 50 µm pixel size and 50 µm XY resolution with pre-tuned anti-aliasing; XY dimensional tolerance is quoted at ±0.15% for features of 1 to 30 mm.
- Light source: a backlight of 60 LEDs at 405 nm delivering 16 mW/cm² to the cure plane, with collimating lenses for uniform exposure.
- Layer thickness: 25 to 200 µm.
- Speed: up to 100 mm/hour with Fast Model Resin at 200 µm layers. Formlabs says most prints finish in under two hours.
- Resin heating: conduction heating with infrared sensing, holding resin at 25 to 45 °C.
- Connectivity: dual-band Wi-Fi, gigabit Ethernet and USB-C.
- Interface: a 7 inch 1280 x 800 touchscreen and a 5 MP camera for remote monitoring and timelapses.
- Materials: 23 Formlabs resins, plus third-party resins through Open Material Mode.
- Size: 398 x 367 x 554 mm and 18.3 kg.
Who it suits
The Form 4 is aimed at engineering teams, product designers, dental and jewelry businesses, and service bureaus that need accurate, smooth resin parts on a repeatable schedule. Its integrated workflow (PreForm slicing, Dashboard fleet management, the camera and a large first-party materials catalog) is the main reason companies choose it over lower-cost consumer resin printers.
What to know before buying
The Basic Package was listed at $2,625 (before sales tax) on the Formlabs store when checked. That includes the printer, a resin tank, mixer, build platform and finish kit. Washing and curing equipment is part of the Complete ($5,461) and Premium ($8,123) packages, and most resin workflows need both. Optional Pro service plans cost $449 for one year up to $1,349 for five years.
Resin printing also brings running costs and handling requirements that FDM printers do not: resin tanks are consumables, uncured resin requires gloves and ventilation, and Formlabs specifies an 18 to 28 °C operating environment.
Biocompatible materials are not supported on the standard Form 4; Formlabs directs those users to the Form 4B. If you need larger parts, the Form 4L is the bigger option in the same family.
When comparing the Form 4 with consumer MSLA printers, look beyond the printer price. Formlabs' value lies in validated materials, print settings tuned for each resin, the Dashboard software for managing several printers, and optional service plans. For a business printing every day, those can matter more than the hardware cost. For occasional hobby use, they are hard to justify.
Specifications
| Type | resin |
|---|---|
| Price | $2,625 |
| Build volume | 200×125×210 mm |
| Max speed | Not listed |
| Multicolor | No |
| Enclosed | Yes |
| Auto bed leveling | No |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi (2.4/5 GHz), Ethernet, USB-C |
| Noise | Not listed |
| Release year | 2024 |
Pros and cons
Pros
- A 50 µm pixel size and ±0.15% XY tolerance on 1 to 30 mm features give fine detail for professional prototypes and small parts.
- Published print speeds up to 100 mm/hour mean Formlabs says most prints finish in under two hours.
- Open Material Mode allows third-party resins in addition to 23 first-party Formlabs materials.
- Dual-band Wi-Fi, gigabit Ethernet, a 5 MP camera and Dashboard support remote monitoring and fleet use.
- Built-in resin heating keeps material between 25 and 45 °C for more consistent prints.
- A large 7 inch touchscreen makes on-printer setup and job management easier.
Cons
- The $2,625 Basic Package excludes wash and cure units, which most resin workflows need.
- Resin tanks and resin are ongoing consumable costs that raise the total cost of ownership.
- Liquid resin requires gloves, ventilation and an 18 to 28 °C room, unlike PLA-based FDM printing.
- The 200 x 125 x 210 mm build volume is small next to many FDM printers in the same price range.
- Biocompatible materials are not supported on the standard Form 4 and require the Form 4B instead.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Formlabs Form 4 cost?
The Formlabs store listed the Form 4 Basic Package at $2,625 before sales tax when checked. The Complete Package was $5,461 and the Premium Package $8,123.
Can the Form 4 use third-party resin?
Yes. Formlabs offers Open Material Mode for third-party materials, alongside its own catalog of 23 resins.
How fast is the Form 4?
Formlabs quotes up to 100 mm/hour with Fast Model Resin at 200 µm layers and says most prints finish in under two hours. Actual times depend on part height, resin and layer thickness.
Do I need a wash and cure station?
Resin parts must be washed and post-cured. The Basic Package does not include Formlabs' wash and cure units, which come in the Complete and Premium packages.
What is the difference between the Form 4 and Form 4B?
Formlabs states biocompatible materials are not available on the Form 4 and are supported on the Form 4B, which is aimed at medical and dental uses.
Sources
Verdict
Buy the Form 4 if your business needs accurate, smooth resin parts with a managed workflow and a large first-party materials library. Look elsewhere if you are a hobbyist on a budget or need large parts, where FDM or consumer resin printers cost far less.
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