The Prusa i3 MK3S+ is available fully assembled and requires no calibration, but it costs nearly a grand. The Creality CR-10 Smart Pro is a modernized version of the classic CR-10, with a premium feature set that includes a direct-drive extruder, automatic bed leveling, and remote printing capabilities. Along with the Sprite direct drive extruder, this makes the Creality K1 Max capable of printing at up to 600 mm/s. It's paired with a volcano-style hotend that can heat up to 300°C, which improves the printer's ability to print at higher speeds or with larger layer heights--things that will reduce printing time for larger models.

For a deeper dive into what’s available, head to our dedicated Ender 3 upgrade guide and Ender 5 Pro upgrade guide. We recommend considering what types of objects you’ll want to print most often and using that as a basis to choose a printer in the lineup. In the same way that Creality did with the jump from Ender 3 to the Ender 3 Pro and Ender 3 V2, the company bundled up the much-loved experience and features of the Ender 5 and spruced them up with some quality upgrades to create the Ender 5 Pro. The Ender 3 V2 sports a maximum extruder temperature of 255°C and a maximum bed temperature of 110°C. The screen is wider than the LCD found in the Ender-3 V2, which is an improvement; the latter's 15-character limit often truncated filenames.

You also have the option of storing gcode files on a USB flash drive rather than the microSD card used by most other Creality 3D printers. The Print Settings menu lets you tweak resolution and infill, adding support structures, a brim, or a raft. The Ender 3 V2 can reach up to 110°C, making it slightly hotter than the Ender 5 Pro, which is capped at 100°C.

firmware, Bootloader, and thermal runaway protection, which are some of the must-have upgrades for the standard Ender 5. With so much upgrade potential, you can build on the Ender 3 V2 as your skills improve, giving it a welcome slice of future-proofing. If you want to compare these 3D printers side by side, check out our 3D Printer Comparison Tool, which allows you to view either 2 or 3 printers side by side to quickly compare their capabilities.The Creality Ender 5 Pro is a powerful budget 3D printer with virtually unlimited upgrade possibilities. With a carborundum bed, you wont need to use any additional adhesives like hairspray, but it is critical that you clean the bed with a damp cloth after every 5-10 prints to maintain the adhesion of the bed surface. On the bottom front of the machine, the USB and TF Card slots let you comfortably connect the device to an external computer as well as independently operate it via a TF card.

If you’re interested in dual-color printing and want a 3D printer that is capable of both single and dual-color prints, the Creality CR-X is a great choice. The Sprite direct drive extruder is the same one you’ll find on the Ender 3 S1, and it has proven to be extremely reliable under extended use for our 3D printing business.The magnetic bed allows for easy pop-off print removable seconds after a print finishes thanks to its flexible properties, while the glass bed on the Ender 3 V2 offers first-rate first layer adhesion and also allows prints to come off with little effort once the bed has cooled down.

You do also have the option of plugging in a USB flash drive with gcode files and printing using the touchscreen controller. inch HD color screen, a potentially useful toolbox carved into the printer’s base, and XY-axis tensioners to easily tweak belt tension on the fly. h file there are printer models you can uncomment to tell the firmware what machine you are setting it up for.

Interrupting the flashing can “brick” your board and if this happens you will need to reflash the bootloader with a programmer before you can flash again. Its build volume of 300 x 300 x 400 mm puts it in a larger print size class than the Ender 3 series, giving you the ability to print noticeably larger parts than those machines. I went for Ender 5 because of the frame structure and because the bed is only moved down while printing and the head does all the movement necessary for printing.