The Formlabs Form Studio 1 completed three different print jobs in Matt Farmer’s Tom’s Hardware review, but its appeal comes with hands-on resin handling and cleanup. It looks like a practical entry into Formlabs’ resin-printing ecosystem if you plan to use the company’s validated materials; third-party resin brings extra compatibility checks, manual pouring and calibration.
Three reported prints, three different jobs
Matt Farmer reported no failed prints across three jobs in his Tom’s Hardware hands-on review. Each used a different model or resin workflow, so their times describe those jobs rather than a like-for-like speed test.
| Resin | Resin used | Print time | Layer height | |
| Diablo III Crusader Johanna with Shield | Alpha Grey V1 | 264 ml | 10 h 56 min | 0.05 mm |
| Headless Horseman | Alpha Grey V1 | 224 ml | 7 h 58 min | 0.05 mm |
| Soccer stress ball and airless tennis ball, combined | Flexible 80A V2 Black | 153 ml | 7 h 53 min | 0.050 mm |
The first print used stock Alpha Grey V1 settings and supports. For the Headless Horseman, Farmer scaled the model to fit and added supports. On the two flexible models, he adjusted the supports manually after PreForm proposed too many around the openings. Those details matter: print time and resin use depend on the model, material and settings, not just the printer.
Open Material Mode still means hands-on resin work
Formlabs’ Open Material Mode supports third-party resin without an extra mode charge, but it is not a plug-and-play route. Formlabs requires 405 nm resin; automatic dispensing is disabled in this mode, so you pour the material manually and tune the print settings yourself. The company says most third-party resins require the Resin Tank Pro. Its Form Studio 1 product specifications and material guidance also warn that incompatible resin can quickly damage the standard tank film, cause a leak and harm the printer.
The tank film is not user-replaceable. Formlabs says its tanks are designed to last more than 75,000 layers with proper maintenance and Formlabs materials. That makes resin compatibility a practical ownership question, not just a software setting: check the material and tank requirements before pouring a new resin.
For a more ready-to-use workflow, Formlabs lists nine materials with validated settings for the Form Studio 1: six Alpha resins, Tough 1500, Flexible 80A and True Cast. The company’s product comparison lists 23 Formlabs materials for the Form 4.
Form Studio 1 or Form 4?
Formlabs lists the Form Studio 1 at a $699 starting price in the US and the Form 4 at $2,625. Their build footprints are the same, but their listed height, light intensity and supported Formlabs-material counts differ.
| Specification | Form Studio 1 | Form 4 |
| US starting price listed by Formlabs | $699 | $2,625 |
| Build volume | 200 × 125 × 235 mm; 5.9 L | 200 × 125 × 210 mm; 5.25 L |
| Pixel size | 35 μm | 50 μm |
| Light intensity at print plane | 6 mW/cm² | 16 mW/cm² |
| Listed Formlabs materials | 9 | 23 |
The Studio 1’s extra 25 mm of build height may suit taller parts, while its smaller stated pixel size describes the printer’s pixel dimensions—not a blanket guarantee of better prints. Form 4 has higher listed light intensity and a broader Formlabs-material catalog; a Formlabs employee also identifies its resin mixer as a difference relevant to material compatibility. If your work depends on a wider range of Formlabs-validated materials, those distinctions are more useful than comparing pixel size alone.
US pricing and package choices
Formlabs lists the Form Studio 1 from $699. Tom’s Hardware reported launch prices of $699 for the Basic package and $749 for the Flex package it tested; both prices included shipping at launch. The review’s tested Flex package included a flexible build platform, so its result is not simply a printer-only configuration at the Basic price.
PreForm, setup and the work after printing
The Form Studio 1 uses Formlabs’ PreForm software; Formlabs says the printer is not compatible with third-party slicers or print-preparation software. Farmer found the printer nearly assembled and pre-leveled, with setup largely limited to removing packing materials and mounting the build platform. The printer also prompts users to check leveling for balanced automatic resin feed.
Printing is only one stage of resin work. Farmer describes rinsing parts in 95% isopropyl alcohol, washing them in the separately sold Wash+Cure, drying them, removing supports and then curing them with UV light. He recommends gloves and eye protection when handling uncured resin, along with a well-ventilated work area.
