Creality Ender 3 V4 vs Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
The Creality Ender 3 V4 and Qidi Tech Q1 Pro are cross-brand rivals: both are entry-tier printers, listed $100 apart. Note that the Q1 Pro has been replaced by the Q2 and is no longer sold new. The Q1 Pro costs $100 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list) and 27% more build volume; the Ender 3 V4 answers with 4-slot multicolor.
💰Creality Ender 3 V4 is $100 cheaper (20% less)
📐Qidi Tech Q1 Pro has 27% more build volume
⚡Qidi Tech Q1 Pro tops out at 600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s
🏠Only Qidi Tech Q1 Pro has an enclosure — and it adds ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC to the materials list
Cross-ecosystem comparison: These printers use different software ecosystems. Accessories, filament profiles, and community support are not interchangeable between brands. Consider the total ecosystem cost, not just the printer price.
Creality Ender 3 V4
Buy/Wait:Buy
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 →Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
Buy/Wait:Superseded
This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Q2.
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who need active chamber heating for ABS, ASA, and PA printing. Look for clearance deals — the Q2 is the better long-term buy if available.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V4 | Qidi Tech Q1 Pro |
|---|
| Pricing |
| Starting Price | ★ $399 | $499 |
| Print Specs |
| Tier | Entry | Entry |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 235 mm | ★ 245 × 245 × 240 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ★ ✅ 4 slots | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing |
| Released | Jan 15, 2026 | Mar 20, 2024 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | ~518 days |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Superseded |
| Deals advice | Buy | Clearance |
| Next model | — | — |
Timing: When to Buy
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The Q1 Pro has been replaced by the Q2 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
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 Q1 Pro has already been replaced by the Q2.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
Deals & Pricing
The Ender 3 V4 lists at $399 and the Q1 Pro at $499 — $100 apart, so the Q1 Pro costs 25% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $35 for the Ender 3 V4 versus $35 for the Q1 Pro — so the pricier Q1 Pro actually gives you more build space per dollar.
- Ender 3 V4: On sale until Dec 5, 2026. Black Friday 2026 — best time of year to buy Creality entry printers.
- Q1 Pro: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track — judge any listing against the Q2's $499 list price.
Who Should Choose Each
Choose the Creality Ender 3 V4 if…
- you want our higher-rated printer — 8.2 vs 7.8 out of 10
- you are buying now — it is the safer pick on timing (early in cycle, vs superseded for the Q1 Pro)
- you want to spend less — it is $100 cheaper ($399 vs $499)
- you want multicolor prints — it supports 4 slots, while the Q1 Pro is single-color
- your prints fit within 220 × 220 × 235 mm — then the Q1 Pro's extra build volume is money you do not need to spend
- you are buying before Dec 5, 2026 — it is in Black Friday 2026 right now
Choose the Qidi Tech Q1 Pro if…
- you find it at a clearance price — it is no longer sold new, and the Q2 is its replacement
- you want to print ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC — it is enclosed and lists them, while the Ender 3 V4 is open-frame
- you print large parts — its 245 × 245 × 240 mm build volume holds 27% more than the Ender 3 V4's 220 × 220 × 235 mm
- print speed matters — it is rated for 600 mm/s against 500 mm/s
Our Take
Buy the Ender 3 V4. The Q1 Pro has already been replaced by the Q2 and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price. If the Q1 Pro appealed to you, the fair comparison today is the Ender 3 V4 against the Q2.
Compare Creality Ender 3 V4 vs Qidi Tech Q2 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
Quick Winner by Buyer Type
💰
Budget pick
Creality Ender 3 V4
$399 vs $499
📐
Large prints
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
245×245×240 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
600 vs 500 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
🧪
Engineering filaments
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
5 vs 0 listed
🎨
Multicolor
Creality Ender 3 V4
4 slots vs none
⭐
Editor score
Creality Ender 3 V4
8.2 vs 7.8
🗓
Buy-now timing
Creality Ender 3 V4
Early in cycle
The Gaps That Matter
💰PriceEnder 3 V4 wins
$399 vs $499 — 20% less than the Q1 Pro
🏠EnclosureQ1 Pro wins
Enclosed Q1 Pro vs open-frame Ender 3 V4
ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC appear only on the Q1 Pro's materials list. ABS and ASA need an enclosure.
🎨MulticolorEnder 3 V4 wins
4 slots vs single-color
📐Build volumeQ1 Pro wins
245 × 245 × 240 mm vs 220 × 220 × 235 mm (14.4 L vs 11.4 L)
The Ender 3 V4 tops out at 220 × 220 × 235 mm; anything larger has to be printed in pieces.
⚡SpeedQ1 Pro wins
600 vs 500 mm/s — 20% higher rated top speed
🗓TimingEnder 3 V4 wins
Ender 3 V4: Early in cycle · Q1 Pro: Superseded
Materials
—
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
ABSHeat and impact resistant — needs enclosure
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative — outdoor parts, needs enclosure
PANylon — strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon — very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate — extremely tough, challenging to print
Why buy each?
Creality Ender 3 V4
Die-cast aluminium gantryThe V4's rigid frame reduces vibration at high speeds, improving print quality over the V3 KE's lighter structure.
CFS multicolor ComboThe 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.
Successor to a proven platformThe Ender 3 family has the largest 3D printing community in the world, with extensive documentation, mods, and active Creality firmware updates.
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
Active 60°C chamber heatingThe Q1 Pro's heated chamber was groundbreaking at its price point. ABS, ASA, and PA prints come out without warping that plagues open-frame printers.
600 mm/s CoreXY speedSame speed class as Bambu Lab printers at a fraction of the price for enclosed printing.