Table of Contents
You are probably aware of my love for the Biqu Big Tree Tech boards if you have read any of my other reviews. I have their boards currently in 3 3D printers, and will be expanding further as soon as they become available. The announcement was made this week that Biqu will be dropping a new board, and it looks to be a suitable option for my next upgrade. What we know so far about the SKR 3 and SKR 3 EZ can be summarized in the following paragraphs.
Big Tree Tech SKR 3 and 3EZ Specifications
The BTT SKR 3 and 3 EZ boasts some pretty epic stats when it comes to a printer’s main board.
Blazing fast processor
The board will be powered by a STM32H7VIT6 processor, with 480MHz speed. This is more than twice that of existing SKR boards.
Motor driver support
EZ5160 pro、EZ2209、EZ2208、EZ2225、EZ2226、EZ2130、EZ6609、TMC5160、TMC2209、TMC2225、TMC2226、TMC2208、TMC2130 (: Using EZ drivers requires the EZ adapters) Finally, the EZ version will additionally feature all new EZ sockets for driver swappability.
Firmware support
Marlin and RRF will be supported again, but Klipper will now be a supported option on the new SKR 3 boards.
3 PWM fans
The 3 PWM fans will now be able to change voltage with an external module, and the SKR 3 EZ will include an additional “always on” fan port. The fan ports all sport “flyback voltage protection” to prevent any MOSFET damage when driving highly inductive fans.
Voltage
New with this generation is the ability to individually select voltage to drivers, with a whopping 48V max on the board.
Jumper selectable
The new boards allow for a jumper select-able 4k7/2k2 pull up for PT1000 sensors.
Supports
Supports the shutdown after printing function, power loss, print resume function, filament runout detection, BL Touch, RGB light
How does the Big Tree Tech SKR 3 and 3EZ compare to Older Gens?
To be honest, the step from the BTT SKR 3 to the SKR 3 EZ does not seem like a huge jump. Some of the new features are quite interesting for someone who might want to tinker or change driver voltage. Many of those who would keep a 3D printer stock other than a board may want to look at the SKR 3. But with how popular 3D printing and tinkering has become, having the modular, and easily replaceable, stepper drivers is nice. The biggest advantage going from the Big Tree Tech SKR 3 to the 3 EZ will be the additional modular components.
Now, when looking at the Big Tree Tech SKR 3 and SKR 3 EZ compared to the SKR 2. There is a huge jump in features and capability. The first and foremost improvement is the massive jump in processing speed. The SKR 2 was decently fast for a 3D printer at 168 MHz. But the new Big Tree Tech SKR 3 and Big Tree Tech 3 EZ will both feature the 480MHz processor. This alone will be a driver for many to jump to the new generation of BTT boards.
When and where to buy the Big Tree Tech SKR 3 EZ
For pricing and availability for the Big Tree Tech SKR 3. The SKR 2 board typically sold for $65, so I expect price point to be between there and $100. I know I have another stock 3D printer just itching to be upgraded.
The BTT SKR 3 and SKR 3EZ are both now live on their website, and for quite a reasonable price. The base SKR 3 EZ board runs $79.99, and is currently $10 off during their introductory sale. From there you can add either 5pcs of BTT’s EZ2209 drivers for $10 (bringing the total to $89), or can add the EC5160 Pro V 1.0 drivers for $100. For more info on which driver may be right for your application, you can read the specs on the Biqu website. The SKR 3 board is only $5 less, and you will need to buy an adapter for the EZ drivers if you plan on using the modularity, so between the two, I will personally choose the EZ board for my next build.
Related Articles: