ELEGOO SatelLite – What makes it special?
With SatelLite, ELEGOO wants to be more than just a hardware manufacturer. The new free slicer should not only work perfectly with ELEGOO printers, but also with devices from other brands. The company is thus directly attacking established solutions such as CHITUBOX and Lychee, and with a range of functions that you would otherwise expect to find behind a paywall. Let's take a closer look at the features.
A slicer not only for ELEGOO printers
While many manufacturers limit their own software to specific printers, ELEGOO takes an open approach. SatelLite is not only optimized for the Mars, Saturn and Jupiter series, but also works with third-party devices. This means that the software is not only aimed at die-hard ELEGOO fans, but at the entire resin 3D printing community.
Pro features without a price tag
Boolean operations, model repair, hollowing out and precise cutting - functions that are only available in the paid version of CHITUBOX or Lychee are available for free with SatelLite. No advertising, no subscription models, no limited trial versions. Simply install and get started. This clearly sets the slicer apart from the alternatives and could be of particular interest to price-conscious makers.
EVO support technology for better prints
Support structures are a science in resin printing. If they are too weak, the model falls over. If they are too massive, they are almost impossible to remove. This is where the new EVO support technology comes in, which, according to ELEGOO, has a success rate of over 90 percent and is twice as fast as conventional auto-support systems. A real plus, especially for beginners who don't want to spend hours setting up supports manually.
material and model library
The integrated material library offers ready-made profiles for ELEGOO resins. No more tedious trial and error, just select the right material and get started. Users of other printer brands can create their own profiles and share them with the community. ELEGOO is also planning a model library that will offer a collection of ready-made 3D models in the future.
Control multiple printers simultaneously
Anyone who uses multiple resin printers knows the problem. Most slicers are not designed for multi-device management. SatelLite is designed to address this issue and be able to manage multiple printers simultaneously. A real advantage for small-batch producers or makers with parallel printing projects.
export formats without restrictions
Instead of committing to a format of its own, SatelLite supports various other file formats in addition to .goo. Thanks to UVTools integration, there are even more options. This should be of particular interest to makers who work with printers from different manufacturers and want to remain flexible.
This all sounds promising on paper, but how does the slicer perform in real-world use? Let's take a look at the installation and the first practical test.
Installation & first impression – How well does SatelLite work?
A new slicer can have as many features as it wants, but if the setup is complicated or the user interface seems overloaded, enthusiasm will quickly wane. ELEGOO promises easy operation that works for both beginners and experienced makers.
Download & Install
SatelLite is available for free download from the ELEGOO website. The file is not particularly large at around 400 MB, and the installation is straightforward. However, there is one hurdle: the software is currently only available for Windows. Mac users will have to be patient or improvise with a virtual machine.
After the first start, a user account is required to save printer profiles and receive updates. Not a problem per se, but an optional guest mode would have been a nice addition for occasional users.
printer setup
SatelLite appears tidy from the start, without any unnecessary frills. A tutorial can guide you through the entire workflow. Among other things, this involves determining which printer you will use. The appropriate settings for most devices from well-known brands are already stored, including automatic material profiles.
user interface
Anyone who has already worked with CHITUBOX or Lychee will quickly find their way around SatelLite. The menu structure is clear and the most important tools are easy to reach. ELEGOO uses a user interface with large icons and well thought-out tooltips.
Compared to CHITUBOX, SatelLite looks a bit more modern, but does without unnecessary gimmicks. Lychee offers an individually customizable interface, but hides many functions in nested menus. SatelLite has found a good middle ground here.
import and model editing
SatelLite can handle all common 3D file formats, including STL, OBJ and 3MF. Models can be added via drag & drop.
Basic functions such as scaling, rotating and mirroring are directly available. Additional features such as hollowing, cutting and Boolean operations can be accessed with just a few clicks and are even free here, unlike CHITUBOX or Lychee.
Practical test with the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra – How well do slicer and printer work together?
Theory is one thing, but how does SatelLite perform in practice? To find out, we tested the slicer with the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra, one of the most exciting resin 3D printers currently on the market. With a 9K display, auto-leveling and tilt-release technology, it offers a strong basis.
Automatic model repair – A clever but not error-free solution
For the test, we chose a model with a lot of fine structures and overhangs. As soon as an STL file is loaded into SatelLite, the software checks the model for mesh errors, holes or non-waterproof areas. If problems are detected, SatelLite offers an automatic repair - a function that is particularly useful for beginners.
The test showed that this works very well in most cases. Defective or incomplete surfaces are reliably repaired, which prevents later printing errors. The repair is a real advantage, especially with complex structures or organic shapes. In CHITUBOX Free you would either have to use an additional tool such as Meshmixer or upgrade to the paid version.
But: With certain "one-piece" models, i.e. figures or designs that are designed as a closed unit, it can happen that individual parts of the model disappear after repair. In this case, you should check the result carefully before starting printing.
Slicing performance – How fast is SatelLite?
The slicing was surprisingly smooth and around 20 percent faster than CHITUBOX, which is particularly noticeable with complex models. Lychee remains marginally faster in pure slicing, but while Lychee requires more configuration, SatelLite delivers results that are ready to print straight away.
The layer structure in the preview also appears clear and smooth, without the micro-stutters that you sometimes see with other slicers. The first impression: ELEGOO has optimized its algorithms well!
The Mars 5 Ultra has an AI camera. It can be accessed via RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol). The camera can be reached via RTSP://ipaddress:554/video .
EVO Supports – Do They Really Work That Well?
One of the most exciting features of SatelLite is the EVO supports, which set support structures with a supposedly over 90 percent success rate. We wanted to find out exactly that.
SatelLite first analyses the model, sets the supports automatically and adjusts the strength depending on the area. The whole process works much faster than with CHITUBOX and Lychee. If you want to be more precise, you can improve the supports, but the auto version already provides stable and easily removable support structures.
Lychee offers a similar technology with Adaptive Supports, but with longer computing time. CHITUBOX, on the other hand, is rather rudimentary in the free version, and many support structures have to be adjusted manually.
Export & Print – Does the workflow work?
After slicing, it's time to export. SatelLite supports the .goo format, but also other formats if you work with multiple printers. Unfortunately, there is still no direct WiFi transfer to the printer, as Lychee Pro offers. The model must therefore be loaded onto the Mars 5 Ultra using a USB stick.
As soon as the print starts, you immediately notice the combination of tilt release and precise support structure. The print is stable, there are no unexpected detachments or errors.
After about two hours of printing, the model is finished and it is clear that SatelLite delivers. Fine structures are cleanly worked out, without visible artifacts or warped areas. The transitions between the layers are barely visible, which indicates good anti-aliasing.
The EVO supports can be removed with minimal effort and there are no broken details or unsightly residues. In a direct comparison with CHITUBOX and Lychee, it is noticeable that SatelLite is on a similar level, but in many cases finds a better balance between stability and easy removal of the supports.
SatelLite vs. CHITUBOX vs. Lychee – The big comparison
A new slicer is only as good as the competition it challenges. CHITUBOX has been the standard for many resin 3D printers for years and Lychee has established itself as a particularly beginner-friendly alternative. Can ELEGOO SatelLite keep up or maybe even offer more?
1. Operation & Workflow – Which is the easiest to use?
All three programs rely on an easy-to-understand user interface, but there are clear differences:
- CHITUBOX seems functional, but a bit old-fashioned now. Many professional functions are hidden or only available in the paid Pro version.
- Lychee goes the opposite way: an extremely clean interface, but with many features behind a paywall. In the free version you have to live with advertising.
- SatelLite combines the best of both worlds: tidy, modern, but still powerful. The UI with large icons that make it clear where each function is located is particularly pleasant.
SatelLite is more modern than CHITUBOX and more accessible than Lychee. This is a clear advantage, especially for ELEGOO users.
2. Slicing speed – who is the fastest?
When simply calculating the layers, there are small but measurable differences:
- CHITUBOX Pro offers better performance than the free version, but costs money.
- Lychee is slightly faster, but often requires more manual adjustments to produce truly print-ready files.
- SatelLite beats CHITUBOX Free in speed and is about 20% faster overall, especially for complex models.
Lychee remains the fastest slicer, but SatelLite is pretty close and easily beats CHITUBOX Free.
3. Support generation – EVO vs. Adaptive vs. Tree supports
The quality of the support structures is one of the crucial points for successful resin prints.
- CHITUBOX Free provides relatively rudimentary support, which often needs to be edited manually.
- Lychee Adaptive Supports are flexible to adapt but take a long time to calculate.
- SatelLite EVO supports deliver a higher success rate in less time and are easier to remove.
SatelLite is ahead of the game here. EVO is a real improvement, especially for beginners and people who don't want to set their supports manually.
4. Export & printer compatibility – How flexible are the slicers?
- CHITUBOX Free only allows limited export formats, while the Pro version offers more.
- Lychee offers a good selection of formats, but there are limitations in the free version.
- SatelLite supports .goo and other formats and can be extended using UVTools.
CHITUBOX Free is the most limited here. SatelLite and Lychee are more flexible. SatelLite scores particularly well with its open source connection via UVTools.
5. Features & Paywalls – What do you get for free?
This is where things get exciting.
- CHITUBOX Free is limited in many areas. Many professional features are only included in the paid version.
- Lychee offers a very good basis, but has advertising and some features are only available in the Pro version.
- SatelLite offers ALL features for free, with no ads or hidden costs.
SatelLite wins this duel by a landslide.
