The Creality Ender 3 V4 (entry) and Qidi Tech Plus5 (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. The Plus5 costs $350 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF on its materials list) and 170% more build volume.
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 →Just released — full support runway ahead
Best for: Makers and small businesses who need a large enclosed build volume for engineering materials at a prosumer price — particularly those printing PA-CF, ABS, and PC at scale.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V4 | Qidi Tech Plus5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $399 | $749 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 235 mm | ★ 320 × 320 × 300 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 | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | ~684 days |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Buy |
| 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 Plus5 was released on Aug 5, 2026, 99 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 684 days, so it is 14% of the way through — roughly 585 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 Plus5 has roughly 585 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 Plus5 at $749 — $350 apart, so the Plus5 costs 88% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $35 for the Ender 3 V4 versus $24 for the Plus5 — so the pricier Plus5 actually gives you more build space per dollar.
Our pick for most buyers is the Plus5, for an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF on its materials list) and 170% more build volume, plus a higher editor score (8.4 vs 8.2). Go for the Ender 3 V4 instead if you want to spend less — it is $350 cheaper ($399 vs $749).
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.
An 18% larger build volume than the Plus4's 305×305×280 mm, in the same enclosed prosumer class.
A 550 W third-generation chamber heater holds 65°C for PA, PA-CF, ABS, ASA, and PC with minimal warping across the build plate.
Handles high-performance engineering composites including carbon- and glass-fiber reinforced filaments and PPS-CF without a separate hotend upgrade.