The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE and Qidi Tech Q2C are cross-brand rivals: both are entry-tier printers, listed $120 apart. Note that the Ender 3 V3 KE has been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new. The Q2C costs $120 more and gets you 61% more build volume and an enclosed chamber (with ASA on its materials list).
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 It has been replaced by the Creality Ender 3 V4.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 →First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Budget makers who primarily print PLA, PETG, and TPU and want a large enclosed CoreXY at $379. Not the right choice if you regularly print ABS, ASA, PA, or PC.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V3 KE | Qidi Tech Q2C | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $279 | $399 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Entry |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 240 mm | ★ 270 × 270 × 256 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ★ ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Sep 15, 2023 | Jan 14, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~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| Cycle advice | Superseded | Buy |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The Ender 3 V3 KE has been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.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 Q2C was released on Jan 14, 2026, 302 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
On timing alone, the Q2C is the safer buy right now — it launched only 302 days ago, while the Ender 3 V3 KE has already been replaced by the Ender 3 V4.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 →
The Ender 3 V3 KE lists at $279 and the Q2C at $399 — $120 apart, so the Q2C costs 43% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $24 for the Ender 3 V3 KE versus $21 for the Q2C — so the pricier Q2C actually gives you more build space per dollar.
Buy the Q2C. The Ender 3 V3 KE has already been replaced by the Ender 3 V4 and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price.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 Q2C against the Ender 3 V4.
Compare Creality Ender 3 V4 vs Qidi Tech Q2C →
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.
270×270×256 mm is larger than the Bambu P2S and X2D at a lower price. The passive enclosure keeps PLA and PETG prints consistent without needing active heating.
The Q2C works with the Qidi Box multi-filament system — up to 4 units can be chained for 16-color printing, sold separately at $228 per unit.
Same rated top speed as Bambu Lab printers, placing it in the fastest tier of consumer FDM printers.