The complicated adventure game that MakerBot created to tease their new 3D printer had me pretty excited about what they were going to announce at CES. But now that their Replicator is officially unveiled, I’m a touch disappointed.
It’s biggest improvement is that it’s, well, bigger, with a larger printing footprint. But it’s not that much larger. I’m sure experienced MakerBot users will appreciate the extra capacity, which amounts to roughly the size of a loaf of bread. But for inexperienced 3D printers like myself who dream of spitting out a cheap new car, it’s not going to accommodate our unreasonable vision just yet.
What is interesting about the Replicator is a new dual extrusion option that can print a creation in two different colours, or two different materials, at the same time. That option pushes the Replicator’s price tag to $US1,999, unless you’re happy with just a single colour which will cost you $US1,749. [MakerBot]