The Creality Ender 3 V4 is the direct successor to the Creality Ender 3 V3 KE, which Creality no longer sells new — so the questions here are whether Ender 3 V3 KE owners should upgrade, and whether a leftover Ender 3 V3 KE is still worth buying. Both are open-frame bed-slinger printers with a 500 mm/s rated top speed and automatic calibration. The Ender 3 V4 costs $120 more and gets you 4-slot multicolor.
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 It has been replaced by the Creality Ender 3 V4.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 →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 →| Creality Ender 3 V3 KE | Creality Ender 3 V4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $279 | $399 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Entry |
| Motion | BedSlinger | BedSlinger |
| Build Volume | ★ 220 × 220 × 240 mm | 220 × 220 × 235 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ★ ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Sep 15, 2023 | Jan 15, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | ~854 days |
| Cycle advice | Superseded | Buy |
| Deals advice | Clearance | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The Ender 3 V3 KE has been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
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.
Because the Ender 3 V4 directly replaces the Ender 3 V3 KE, timing points one way: buy the current model. The Ender 3 V4 itself is only 35% of the way through its expected cycle, so there is no reason to hold off.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Ender 3 V3 KE lists at $279 and the Ender 3 V4 at $399 — $120 apart, so the Ender 3 V4 costs 43% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $24 for the Ender 3 V3 KE versus $35 for the Ender 3 V4 — the Ender 3 V3 KE is the better value per litre as well.
The Ender 3 V4 is Creality's replacement for the Ender 3 V3 KE. Here is what changes between them:
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Ender 3 V4 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| List price | $279 | $399 | $120 more |
| Build volume | 220 × 220 × 240 mm | 220 × 220 × 235 mm | -2% |
| Multicolor | None | 4 slots | |
| Editor score | 7.6 | 8.2 |
Unchanged: 500 mm/s top speed, open-frame design, bed-slinger motion and materials list.
For Ender 3 V3 KE owners the upgrade is narrow — the main gain is 4-slot multicolor. Upgrade only if that matters to how you print.
For new buyers, the Ender 3 V4 is the one to get; the Ender 3 V3 KE's lower $279 list price only makes sense if you find remaining stock at or below it and can live without 4-slot multicolor.
Buy the Ender 3 V4, not the Ender 3 V3 KE. It brings 4-slot multicolor. A leftover Ender 3 V3 KE only makes sense at a steep discount.
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The KE keeps the Ender 3's familiar bed-slinger layout but runs Klipper-based firmware, reaching 500 mm/s without the Bambu premium.
The Ender 3 series has one of the largest 3D printer communities in the world, with thousands of documented modifications and upgrades.
If you outgrow the KE, the Creality K2 and K2 Plus are natural next steps within the same brand ecosystem.
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.