Anycubic Kobra S1 Max vs Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
The Anycubic Kobra S1 Max (professional) and Creality Ender 3 V3 KE (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. Note that the Ender 3 V3 KE has been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new. The Kobra S1 Max costs $520 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PET-CF on its materials list) and 269% more build volume.
💰Creality Ender 3 V3 KE is $520 cheaper (65% less)
📐Anycubic Kobra S1 Max has 269% more build volume
⚡Anycubic Kobra S1 Max tops out at 600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s
🏠Only Anycubic Kobra S1 Max has an enclosure — and it adds ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC, PET-CF to the materials list
Cross-ecosystem comparison: These printers use different software ecosystems. Accessories, filament profiles, and community support are not interchangeable between brands. Consider the total ecosystem cost, not just the printer price.
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
Buy/Wait:Buy
First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Professional makers and small studios who need large-format enclosed printing for engineering filaments at a competitive price — and want Anycubic's ecosystem over Creality or Qidi alternatives.
Full details →Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
Buy/Wait:Superseded
This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Creality Ender 3 V4.
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners who want fast Klipper-based printing without the Bambu ecosystem or Prusa premium — and are comfortable with a more hands-on setup experience.
Full details →| Anycubic Kobra S1 Max | Creality Ender 3 V3 KE |
|---|
| Pricing |
| Starting Price | $799 | ★ $279 |
| Print Specs |
| Tier | Professional | Entry |
| Motion | CoreXY | BedSlinger |
| Build Volume | ★ 350 × 350 × 350 mm | 220 × 220 × 240 mm |
| Max Speed | ★ 600 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ★ ✅ 4 slots | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ★ ✅ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing |
| Released | Nov 25, 2025 | Sep 15, 2023 |
| Cycle length | — | ~854 days |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Superseded |
| Deals advice | Buy | Clearance |
| Next model | — | — |
Timing: When to Buy
The Kobra S1 Max was released on Nov 25, 2025, 352 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
The Ender 3 V3 KE has been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
On timing alone, the Kobra S1 Max is the safer buy right now — it launched only 352 days ago, while the Ender 3 V3 KE has already been replaced by the Ender 3 V4.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
Deals & Pricing
The Ender 3 V3 KE lists at $279 and the Kobra S1 Max at $799 — $520 apart, so the Kobra S1 Max costs 186% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $19 for the Kobra S1 Max versus $24 for the Ender 3 V3 KE — so the pricier Kobra S1 Max actually gives you more build space per dollar.
- Kobra S1 Max: On sale until Dec 5, 2026. Black Friday 2026 — best time to buy Anycubic professional printers.
- Ender 3 V3 KE: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track — judge any listing against the Ender 3 V4's $399 list price.
Who Should Choose Each
Choose the Anycubic Kobra S1 Max if…
- you want our higher-rated printer — 8.1 vs 7.6 out of 10
- you want to print ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PET-CF — it is enclosed and lists them, while the Ender 3 V3 KE is open-frame
- you are buying now — it is the safer pick on timing (recently launched, vs superseded for the Ender 3 V3 KE)
- you print large parts — its 350 × 350 × 350 mm build volume holds 269% more than the Ender 3 V3 KE's 220 × 220 × 240 mm
- you want multicolor prints — it supports 4 slots, while the Ender 3 V3 KE is single-color
- you want PLA-CF, PETG-CF and PVA — listed for the Kobra S1 Max but not the Ender 3 V3 KE
Choose the Creality Ender 3 V3 KE if…
- you find it at a clearance price — it is no longer sold new, and the Ender 3 V4 is its replacement
- you want to spend less — it is $520 cheaper ($279 vs $799)
- your prints fit within 220 × 220 × 240 mm — then the Kobra S1 Max's extra build volume is money you do not need to spend
Our Take
Buy the Kobra S1 Max. The Ender 3 V3 KE has already been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price. If the Ender 3 V3 KE appealed to you, the fair comparison today is the Kobra S1 Max against the Ender 3 V4.
Compare Anycubic Kobra S1 Max vs Creality Ender 3 V4 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
Quick Winner by Buyer Type
💰
Budget pick
Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
$279 vs $799
📐
Large prints
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
350×350×350 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
600 vs 500 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
🧪
Engineering filaments
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
6 vs 0 listed
🎨
Multicolor
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
4 slots vs none
⭐
Editor score
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
8.1 vs 7.6
🗓
Buy-now timing
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
Recently launched
The Gaps That Matter
💰PriceEnder 3 V3 KE wins
$279 vs $799 — 65% less than the Kobra S1 Max
🏠EnclosureKobra S1 Max wins
Enclosed Kobra S1 Max vs open-frame Ender 3 V3 KE
ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PET-CF appear only on the Kobra S1 Max's materials list. ABS and ASA need an enclosure.
📐Build volumeKobra S1 Max wins
350 × 350 × 350 mm vs 220 × 220 × 240 mm (42.9 L vs 11.6 L)
The Ender 3 V3 KE tops out at 220 × 220 × 240 mm; anything larger has to be printed in pieces.
🎨MulticolorKobra S1 Max wins
4 slots vs single-color
⚡SpeedKobra S1 Max wins
600 vs 500 mm/s — 20% higher rated top speed
🗓TimingKobra S1 Max wins
Kobra S1 Max: Recently launched · Ender 3 V3 KE: Superseded
Materials
ABSHeat and impact resistant — needs enclosure
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative — outdoor parts, needs enclosure
PANylon — strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon — very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate — extremely tough, challenging to print
PLA-CFCarbon-fibre PLA — rigid matte finish, more brittle
PETG-CFCarbon-fibre PETG — stiffer than PETG, easy to print
PET-CFCarbon-fibre PET — rigid, dimensionally stable
PVAWater-soluble support — dissolves for complex overhangs
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
—
Why buy each?
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
350×350×350 mm large-format build volumeOne of the largest enclosed build volumes in the prosumer/professional tier — suited for large engineering parts, architectural models, and batch production.
65°C active chamber heating at scaleMaintaining 65°C across a 350×350 mm chamber is a meaningful technical achievement — ensuring consistent results for ABS, ASA, and PA across the full build plate.
Anycubic ecosystem continuityThe S1 Max extends the Kobra ecosystem into the large-format enclosed segment, enabling Anycubic users to scale up without switching brands.
Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
Klipper speed at entry priceThe KE keeps the Ender 3's familiar bed-slinger layout but runs Klipper-based firmware, reaching 500 mm/s without the Bambu premium.
Large community and mod ecosystemThe Ender 3 series has one of the largest 3D printer communities in the world, with thousands of documented modifications and upgrades.
Accessible upgrade pathIf you outgrow the KE, the Creality K2 and K2 Plus are natural next steps within the same brand ecosystem.