The Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro and Prusa Research CORE One+ are both prosumer-tier printers, but the CORE One+ costs 3.8× as much — so the question is what the extra money buys. The CORE One+ costs $739 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with PA and PC on its materials list) and 8-slot multicolor.
Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who want a capable bed-slinger with Klipper firmware for customization — without Bambu's closed ecosystem or Prusa's premium pricing.
Full details →Early in release cycle — no urgency to wait
🔧 Upgrade kit available — from CORE One+, MK4S
Best for: Makers who want CoreXY speed and precision with Prusa's open-source ethos, community support, and long-term repairability — without Bambu's closed ecosystem.
Full details →| Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro | Prusa Research CORE One+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $260 | $999 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Prosumer | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 225 × 225 × 265 mm | ★ 250 × 220 × 270 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ★ ✅ 8 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | 🔧 From CORE One+, MK4S |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Jul 15, 2023 | Aug 13, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~450 days | ~209 days |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Caution |
| Next model | — | — |
The Neptune 4 Pro was released on Jul 15, 2023, 1,216 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 450 days; it is now 766 days past that point and no successor has been announced.
The CORE One+ was released on Aug 13, 2026, 91 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 209 days, so it is 44% of the way through — roughly 118 days before a successor would be due at that pace.
On timing alone, the CORE One+ is the safer buy right now — it is only 44% of the way through its expected cycle, while the Neptune 4 Pro is 766 days past its ~450-day cycle with no successor announced.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Neptune 4 Pro lists at $260 and the CORE One+ at $999 — $739 apart, so the CORE One+ costs 284% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $19 for the Neptune 4 Pro versus $67 for the CORE One+ — the Neptune 4 Pro is the better value per litre as well.
If you are buying before Dec 5, 2026, the active sale tips value toward the Neptune 4 Pro.
Our pick for most buyers is the CORE One+, for an enclosed chamber (with PA and PC on its materials list) and 8-slot multicolor, plus a higher editor score (9.0 vs 7.7) and better buy-now timing. Go for the Neptune 4 Pro instead if you want to spend less — it is $739 cheaper ($260 vs $999).
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The Neptune 4 Pro ships with Klipper pre-installed — enabling advanced input shaping, pressure advance, and configuration flexibility without modding.
A 500 mm/s rated speed at a price significantly below Bambu and Prusa alternatives.
Full automatic bed leveling reduces setup time and calibration friction.
The CORE One+ matches Bambu CoreXY speed (600 mm/s) while keeping everything open source — firmware, hardware, slicing profiles.
Unlike Bambu's closed ecosystem, every component of the CORE One+ can be modified, repaired, or community-improved.
The CORE One+ (Gen 2) can be ordered with Prusa's INDX toolchanger in 4- or 8-tool versions, shipping from 15 October 2026. Each material gets its own nozzle, with about 12 seconds per material change and almost no purge waste. The MMU3 remains compatible as a 5-color add-on.