[bsamuels]

I guess switching to a bowden extruder let them cut a ton of costs. Can't wait to see how it prints compared to the mk3.

The real test will be comparing it to the Ender 3, which seems to be the form factor/market the mini is trying to go after. Even if the mini is 150 bucks more than the Ender 3, if it prints even slightly as reliably as the MK3 then the Ender 3 may be done for.

With low cost printers like the Ender 3/Maker Select/etc, after the first 50-200 hours of printing, you can end up spending more time on printer maintenance than printing. There's also small problems that can happen that for non-technical users would be the end of their adventure into 3D printing. That is easily the greatest pain point at the Ender 3's price point.

[WillPostForFood]

Switching to the Bowden extruder may have been more about reducing print head mass because of the cantilevered design.

I'd avoid printers like the Ender for fire risk as much as the hidden cost of maintenance and upgrades. The Prusa Mini will be a much better entry option than the cheap Chinese knockoffs.

[shifto]

Ender is fine and not comparable to previous chinese printers like the Anet series. Also the merlin firmware has been made more robust against risk of fire through some software mitigations (measuring extruder heat etc).

[shrubble]

Do you have a view on the Trinamic drivers? Are they important to have?

[panpanna]

They are QUIET!

See Toms video: https://youtu.be/sPvTB3irCxQ