The Anycubic Kobra 3 Max (professional) and Creality Ender 3 V4 (entry) come from different brands and sit in different tiers, so this is less a head-to-head than a question of how much printer you need. Both are open-frame bed-slinger printers with 4-slot multicolor and automatic calibration. The Kobra 3 Max costs $200 more and gets you 675% more build volume and a top speed of 600 mm/s (vs 500).
Just released — full support runway ahead
Best for: Makers who need a very large print area for props, architectural models, or batch production — and want multicolor without paying professional-tier prices.
Full details →Early in release cycle — no urgency to wait
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners who want optional multicolor printing in the trusted Ender 3 form factor at an accessible price — and are comfortable with a hands-on setup experience.
Full details →| Anycubic Kobra 3 Max | Creality Ender 3 V4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | $599 | ★ $399 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Professional | Entry |
| Motion | BedSlinger | BedSlinger |
| Build Volume | ★ 420 × 420 × 500 mm | 220 × 220 × 235 mm |
| Max Speed | ★ 600 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~716 days | ~854 days |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The Kobra 3 Max was released on Oct 1, 2026, 42 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 716 days, so it is 6% of the way through — roughly 674 days before a successor would be due at that pace.
The Ender 3 V4 was released on Jan 15, 2026, 301 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 854 days, so it is 35% of the way through — roughly 553 days before a successor would be due at that pace.
Both are early enough in their cycles that timing should not decide this one. The Kobra 3 Max has roughly 674 days of runway on past cadence and the Ender 3 V4 has roughly 553 days of runway on past cadence. Pick on features and price.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Ender 3 V4 lists at $399 and the Kobra 3 Max at $599 — $200 apart, so the Kobra 3 Max costs 50% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $7 for the Kobra 3 Max versus $35 for the Ender 3 V4 — so the pricier Kobra 3 Max actually gives you more build space per dollar.
Our pick for most buyers is the Ender 3 V4, for a lower price ($200 less), plus a higher editor score (8.2 vs 8.0). Go for the Kobra 3 Max instead if you print large parts — its 420 × 420 × 500 mm build volume holds 675% more than the Ender 3 V4's 220 × 220 × 235 mm.
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
One of the largest build volumes available at a consumer price — ideal for life-size props, large terrain tiles, and batch production.
Few printers offer multicolor at this scale. The ACE 2 Pro enables filament switching across the full 420×420 bed area.
Delivers large-format multicolor at a fraction of professional large-format printer costs.
The V4's rigid frame reduces vibration at high speeds, improving print quality over the V3 KE's lighter structure.
The Combo bundle includes Creality's CFS filament system for 4-color printing, expandable to 16 colors with additional CFS units — one of the most affordable multicolor setups available.
The Ender 3 family has the largest 3D printing community in the world, with extensive documentation, mods, and active Creality firmware updates.