Halo Product Review: Sandboxr 3D Printed Medium Spartan

Sandboxr-Logo_DarkBG

Technical Specs:
Size: 
Height: This will vary between 5-5.5 inches depending on the stance you choose. It appears that the stance with the Railgun pointed in the air is the tallest, adding another half inch or more to the total height.
Width: The base is 3 inches wide. However, the overall statue will be slightly wider, again, depending on stance chosen. It appears the stance with the sword drawn is the widest, adding another half inch or more to the total width.
Cost: $49.99 U.S. dollar

Okay on with the pics! (As always, click to make bigger)

This is the box it came it. The black band can easily be slipped off and back on again.Sandboxr sm-BOX

This is how the statue comes packed inside. Foam layers with an instruction sheet included on top, then the plastic is shrink wrapped around this to make it more secure.Sandboxr foam packing

Here is the unpacking slip. I highly recommend you follow this to the letter folks.Sandboxr unpacking instructions

While this next pic isn’t the model itself (it’s the small one), it shows you how the layers separate. If you want to put the statue back in to box with the styrofoam, I suggest numbering the styrofoam pieces as you take them off, so you know how they go back together again. Each styrofoam piece is laser cut to fit the statue snugly between them. That’s very good packing on the part of Sandboxr!Sandboxr unpacking foam parts

Here’s the model itself. This Spartan measures 5.25 inches tall by 3.25 inches wide. If you’re wondering which armor/helmet I chose, the armor is Helioskrill armor, while the helmet is the Teishin (base) helmet. I used the darkest brown as the primary color and the lightest brown (apologies that I can’t remember the actual color name of that ATM) for the secondary color. I wanted an “Earthy” feel to this one, that’s why I chose the colors that I did. What’s cool about this model is that I hadn’t yet unlocked the sword stance yet and was still able to order it this way!
Sandboxr MD model

As you can see, the Halo 5 Guardians banner is prominently display at the front of the base.

Here are four shots of the model from approximate front, sides and back views. (Click to make this bigger folks.)Sandboxr MD model ortho

You have the option to include text within the block as shown. I imagine most will use their gamertag, as I have here.Sandboxr MD nameplate

Now let’s look at closer up shots!

The detail here is fantastic! I really like the layered look of the Helioskrill armor and it translated well to the 3D model!Sandboxr MD detail 1

If you look close enough, you can see the layers here. The material used is a form of polystone. While plastic could have been used, I was told by the owner himself that the current available plastic doesn’t have enough of the vibrancy of color that they wanted to use, so they went with polystone instead.Sandboxr MD detail 2There is a lot of detail going on here that is otherwise hidden during gameplay. Well, at least not see by the player themselves.

The layers are not that noticeable when viewed at arm’s length, which is about the minimum one would likely display their model.
Sandboxr MD detail 3

Overall evaluation: The amount of detail overall is superb. The shine to the model does not detract from it. The texture is a little grainy due to the polystone material used. I would have liked a smoother model. But again, since Sandboxr is using polystone in 3-D printing, this is the best that can be achieved with this material at this point in the technology.

Value: At $49.99 this may seem a little pricey with the model being only 5-5.5 inches tall. One thing I want you to consider though is that there is no other company out there producing individual Spartans. You can choose from ANY of the armor and helmets you have unlocked as well as ANY of the primary and secondary colors, not to mention visor color as well. That is something truly remarkable. As a one-off in this case, you are likely to have the ONLY version of this spartan to ever be made. Let that sink in… It is one-of-a-kind. So for that, as well as the great detail and color, I think this is a good value.

Also, if you compare this to the larger size, which is $89.99 and roughly only 1-1 1/2 inches taller, the value is even better here at $49.99! Almost half the price for just a slightly smaller model!!!

Rating: I give this 9 out of 10 stars. The reason for the point off is just for the texture. Again though, at normal display distances, you won’t notice this as much, if at all.

If you have any questions about this model that I didn’t cover in the review, please do not hesitate to ask me. Either reply below or e-mail me at [email protected]

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of the review.

If this review gives you an informed decision on whether to purchase a Sandboxr 3D Spartan, please consider a small donation (50 cents) maybe. It’s much appreciated and helps ensure that HFFL stays active on the internet. Thank You.

-Sal

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About Sal

I’ve got tons of experience with Halo gaming and collecting. I feel I have something to offer to the greater Halo fan community. Posts along the way will be about tips and tricks in the games as well as collecting and many more Halo related things. I’ll also repost interesting articles from the official site, Halowaypoint.com, or from fellow Halo fan sites. As I continue this blog, I hope to help gamers who want advice on the games, as well as any collectors with regards to where to find collectibles as well as deals, coupons and so on. You can also follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/HaloFanForLife or Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/halofanforlife11. Welcome to my blog and I hope you’ll come back again and again. -Sal