Creality Ender 3 V3 KE vs Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE and Qidi Tech Q1 Pro are both entry-tier printers, but the Q1 Pro costs 1.8× as much — so the question is what the extra money buys. Note that both have been replaced — the Ender 3 V3 KE by the Ender 3 V4 and the Q1 Pro by the Q2 — and neither is sold new. The Q1 Pro costs $220 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list) and 24% more build volume.
💰Creality Ender 3 V3 KE is $220 cheaper (44% less)
📐Qidi Tech Q1 Pro has 24% more build volume
⚡Qidi Tech Q1 Pro tops out at 600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s
🏠Only Qidi Tech Q1 Pro has an enclosure — and it adds ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC 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.
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Buy/Wait:Superseded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 It has been replaced by the Creality Ender 3 V4.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 →Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
Buy/Wait:Superseded
This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Q2.
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who need active chamber heating for ABS, ASA, and PA printing. Look for clearance deals — the Q2 is the better long-term buy if available.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V3 KE | Qidi Tech Q1 Pro |
|---|
| Pricing |
| Starting Price | ★ $279 | $499 |
| Print Specs |
| Tier | Entry | Entry |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 240 mm | ★ 245 × 245 × 240 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing |
| Released | Sep 15, 2023 | Mar 20, 2024 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | ~518 days |
| Cycle advice | Superseded | Superseded |
| Deals advice | Clearance | Clearance |
| Next model | — | — |
Timing: When to Buy
The Ender 3 V3 KE has been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
The Q1 Pro has been replaced by the Q2 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
Neither printer is sold new any more: the Ender 3 V3 KE has already been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and the Q1 Pro has already been replaced by the Q2.
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 Q1 Pro at $499 — $220 apart, so the Q1 Pro costs 79% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $24 for the Ender 3 V3 KE versus $35 for the Q1 Pro — the Ender 3 V3 KE is the better value per litre as well.
- 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.
- Q1 Pro: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track — judge any listing against the Q2's $499 list price.
Who Should Choose Each
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 $220 cheaper ($279 vs $499)
- your prints fit within 220 × 220 × 240 mm — then the Q1 Pro's extra build volume is money you do not need to spend
Choose the Qidi Tech Q1 Pro if…
- you find it at a clearance price — it is no longer sold new, and the Q2 is its replacement
- you want to print ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC — it is enclosed and lists them, while the Ender 3 V3 KE is open-frame
- you want our higher-rated printer — 7.8 vs 7.6 out of 10
- you print large parts — its 245 × 245 × 240 mm build volume holds 24% more than the Ender 3 V3 KE's 220 × 220 × 240 mm
- print speed matters — it is rated for 600 mm/s against 500 mm/s
Our Take
Neither is sold new any more, so we would not buy either at full price: the Ender 3 V3 KE has already been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and the Q1 Pro has already been replaced by the Q2. The fair comparison today is between their replacements.
Compare Creality Ender 3 V4 vs Qidi Tech Q2 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
Quick Winner by Buyer Type
💰
Budget pick
Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
$279 vs $499
📐
Large prints
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
245×245×240 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
600 vs 500 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
🧪
Engineering filaments
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
5 vs 0 listed
⭐
Editor score
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
7.8 vs 7.6
🗓
Buy-now timing
Tie
Both: superseded
The Gaps That Matter
💰PriceEnder 3 V3 KE wins
$279 vs $499 — 44% less than the Q1 Pro
🏠EnclosureQ1 Pro wins
Enclosed Q1 Pro vs open-frame Ender 3 V3 KE
ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC appear only on the Q1 Pro's materials list. ABS and ASA need an enclosure.
📐Build volumeQ1 Pro wins
245 × 245 × 240 mm vs 220 × 220 × 240 mm (14.4 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.
⚡SpeedQ1 Pro wins
600 vs 500 mm/s — 20% higher rated top speed
🔀Motion system
CoreXY Q1 Pro vs bed-slinger Ender 3 V3 KE
On the Ender 3 V3 KE the bed moves back and forth under the nozzle; on the Q1 Pro the bed only moves down as layers build.
Materials
—
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
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
Why buy each?
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.
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
Active 60°C chamber heatingThe Q1 Pro's heated chamber was groundbreaking at its price point. ABS, ASA, and PA prints come out without warping that plagues open-frame printers.
600 mm/s CoreXY speedSame speed class as Bambu Lab printers at a fraction of the price for enclosed printing.