The Ender 3 V4 (entry) and K3 (prosumer) are a step-up decision within Creality's lineup: same ecosystem, different class of machine. Both are open-frame printers with 4-slot multicolor, a 500 mm/s rated top speed and automatic calibration. The K3 costs $450 more and gets you 55% more build volume and support for PET, PCTG, PLA-CF and PETG-CF.
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 →First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Multicolor hobbyists and small creators who are tired of purge towers and filament waste, and who want tool-changer-style multicolor at well under half the price of Bambu's tool changers.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V4 | Creality K3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $399 | $849 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 235 mm | ★ 260 × 260 × 260 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Jan 15, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | — |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Caution |
| Next model | — | — |
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.
The K3 was released on Oct 13, 2026, 30 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
Both are early enough in their cycles that timing should not decide this one. The Ender 3 V4 has roughly 553 days of runway on past cadence and the K3 launched 30 days ago. 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 K3 at $849 — $450 apart, so the K3 costs 113% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $35 for the Ender 3 V4 versus $48 for the K3 — the Ender 3 V4 is the better value per litre as well.
If you are buying before Dec 5, 2026, the active sale tips value toward the Ender 3 V4.
Our pick for most buyers is the Ender 3 V4, for a lower price ($450 less), plus a higher editor score (8.2 vs 8.0). Go for the K3 instead if you print large parts — its 260 × 260 × 260 mm build volume holds 55% more than the Ender 3 V4's 220 × 220 × 235 mm. The Ender 3 V4 is also in a sale window right now (Black Friday 2026, until Dec 5, 2026).
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
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.
Four docked nozzles swap in about 5 seconds, so color changes no longer require purging a single nozzle. Creality quotes up to 85% less filament waste and up to 80% shorter multicolor print times.
Nozzles from 0.2 to 0.8 mm can be mixed in one print using extra nozzles sold separately. With a dedicated nozzle, TPU 95A prints without the feeding problems common to filament-switching systems.
The K3 brings near-tool-changer multicolor to a sub-$900 printer, well below Bambu's $2,399 H2C and $2,499 H3C.