The Creality Ender 3 V4 (entry) and Prusa Research CORE One L+ (professional) 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. The CORE One L+ costs $1,600 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list) and 161% more build volume; the Ender 3 V4 answers with 4-slot multicolor.
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 →Early in release cycle — no urgency to wait
🔧 Upgrade kit available — from CORE One L
Best for: Engineers and professional makers who need large-format enclosed printing with active chamber heating — and want Prusa's open-source ethos and long-term support over a closed-ecosystem competitor.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V4 | Prusa Research CORE One L+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $399 | $1,999 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Professional |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 235 mm | ★ 300 × 300 × 330 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ★ ✅ 4 slots | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | 🔧 From CORE One L |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Jan 15, 2026 | Aug 13, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | ~279 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 CORE One L+ was released on Aug 13, 2026, 91 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 279 days, so it is 33% of the way through — roughly 188 days before a successor would be due at that pace.
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 CORE One L+ has roughly 188 days of runway on past cadence. 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 CORE One L+ at $1,999 — $1,600 apart, so the CORE One L+ costs 401% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $35 for the Ender 3 V4 versus $67 for the CORE One L+ — 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 CORE One L+, for an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list) and 161% more build volume, plus a higher editor score (8.6 vs 8.2). Go for the Ender 3 V4 instead if you want to spend less — it is $1,600 cheaper ($399 vs $1,999).
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.
A large enclosed build volume with genuine active chamber heating — making the CORE One L+ reliable for ABS, ASA, PA, and PC across the full build plate.
All firmware, hardware designs, and slicing profiles are open source. Prusa backs the CORE One L+ with long-term parts availability and community support.
For institutional, government, and production customers, a dedicated Critical Infrastructure Edition is offered — Prusa's commitment to secure supply for professional users.