The Creality Ender 3 V4 (entry) and Flashforge AD5X (prosumer) 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. Both are open-frame printers with 4-slot multicolor and automatic calibration. For the same money, the AD5X gives you extra engineering materials (ABS and PA-CF) and a top speed of 600 mm/s (vs 500).
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 — no release history to base predictions on
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who want built-in 4-color multicolor printing under $400 — primarily for PLA and PETG. Open frame, so not suited for ABS or engineering filaments without the add-on enclosure.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V4 | Flashforge AD5X | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | $399 | $399 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | ★ 220 × 220 × 235 mm | 220 × 220 × 220 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Jan 15, 2026 | Jun 15, 2025 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | — |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Caution |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| 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 AD5X was released on Jun 15, 2025, 515 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
On timing alone, the Ender 3 V4 is the safer buy right now — it is only 35% of the way through its expected cycle, while the AD5X has no release history pointing to a successor yet.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
Both list at $399, so price alone will not separate them.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $35 for the Ender 3 V4 versus $37 for the AD5X.
This one is close on paper. At the same price, the AD5X adds extra engineering materials (ABS and PA-CF) and a top speed of 600 mm/s (vs 500); otherwise they are evenly matched.
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.
The AD5X undercuts comparable multicolor setups on price with IFS built directly into the printer — no separate accessory needed.
No cloud dependency or mandatory account. OrcaSlicer is community-standard open-source slicer software — familiar to most experienced makers.
Ships ready for PLA-CF and PETG-CF without requiring a nozzle upgrade — a genuine differentiator at this price point.