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Should You Spend an Extra $300 for Better 3D Printer Features?

A Big Choice or Small Upgrade?

If you're into 3D printing in 2025, you've probably faced this tough decision. You like Prusa printers because they work well and make good prints, but now you have to choose between an older, trusted model and a newer, faster one. This choice isn't just about buying a new machine - it's about deciding what your workshop will look like in the future.

We're comparing two of the best 3D printers you can buy today. First, there's the Prusa MK4S, which uses a classic "bedslinger" design that's famous for being super reliable and making perfect prints. Then there's the Prusa CORE One, which uses a CoreXY system that prints faster and can handle tougher materials because it has walls around it.

This article focuses on one main question: Is it worth spending about $300 more for the CORE One's CoreXY system and built-in enclosure compared to the already great MK4S?

We'll explain how these machines work differently, look at how they affect print speed and quality, figure out which materials work best with each one, and go through different user situations to help you decide where to spend your money. We're not trying to pick a winner - we're trying to help you find the right tool for what you want to do.

Two Different Ways of Moving

To make the right choice, you need to understand how these machines work differently and what that means for real printing. This explains why the companies make certain claims about performance and helps you make your decision.

The Best of the Old Design

The Prusa MK4S represents the best version of the old i3, or "bedslinger," movement system. How it works is pretty simple: the print head moves left and right (X-axis) and up and down (Z-axis). The main feature is that the entire print bed, along with whatever you're printing, moves back and forth (Y-axis).

This design has some clear strengths. It's been improved for decades, so it's very reliable and the mechanical setup is simpler, making it easier for users to understand and fix problems. There's a huge community of users, which means almost any problem you might have has been solved before.

But this design has some physical limits. The weight of the moving bed, which gets heavier as your print gets bigger, makes it hard to print at very high speeds. Moving the bed back and forth quickly can cause vibration problems, like ringing or ghosting, which show up as faint lines around sharp corners. This happens more often on tall, heavy prints.

The New CoreXY Way

The Prusa CORE One uses a different approach: CoreXY mechanics. In this system, the print head moves in both X and Y directions across a frame that doesn't move. This complex movement is controlled by two long, coordinated belts. The much heavier print bed only moves down, little by little, on the Z-axis.

The main advantage of CoreXY is that there's much less moving weight in the XY plane. Since only the lightweight print head assembly moves at high speed, the system can reach much higher speeds and accelerations while staying stable. The bed that doesn't move makes it perfect for tall, delicate, or heavy prints that might wobble on a bedslinger.

The possible downside of this performance is that the mechanics are more complex. The complicated belt paths of a CoreXY system are harder to understand than an i3's simple, separate axis belts. This might require more careful tensioning and maintenance, though modern versions have made this much easier for users.

Speed, Acceleration, and Print Problems

The real advantage of CoreXY isn't just a higher top speed in mm/s. The important thing is being able to maintain high print quality while printing fast. This depends on acceleration.

A key area where these systems differ is in reducing ringing. Imagine the printer making a sharp 90-degree turn. On a bedslinger, the momentum of the heavy bed moving in one direction has to be overcome to move it in another direction. This can make the whole frame vibrate, creating faint ripples on the print's surface. The CORE One's lightweight gantry changes direction with much less momentum, reducing these problems even at aggressive speeds. Input shaping firmware helps reduce this on both machines, but the better mechanical design of the CoreXY gives it a higher performance limit.

Think about a practical example: printing a tall, thin model like a tower or a detailed vase. On an i3 machine, the model itself gets subjected to the rapid back-and-forth motion of the Y-axis. As it gets taller, it acts like a lever, making any vibration worse and increasing the risk of the print coming off the bed or failing completely. On the CORE One, the print stays still as it grows, providing a big advantage in stability and success rate for these types of shapes.

Why the Enclosure Matters

The second major difference is the enclosure. It's more than just a box - it's a tool for controlling the printing environment, unlocking new materials, and improving the user experience.

The Open Frame Benefits

The open-frame design of the MK4S has clear advantages, making it excellent for certain tasks. It works perfectly for the most common filaments used today: PLA, PETG, and flexible TPUs.

The practical benefits are obvious. An open frame gives you complete access to the print bed and nozzle. Removing finished prints, cleaning the sheet, and watching the first layer are easy. Also, for materials like PLA that are sensitive to too much heat, the open design provides better heat removal, reducing the risk of "heat creep" where filament gets soft too early in the hotend, causing jams.

A Controlled Environment

The Prusa CORE One's built-in enclosure provides the power of a stable environment. Its main job is temperature control. By trapping waste heat from the print bed, the enclosure creates a consistently warm temperature around the model. This is the most important factor in preventing warping and layer splitting, especially with materials that shrink a lot.

The other benefits are just as important. An enclosure helps manage the fumes and tiny particles released by materials like ABS and ASA, filtering them through its filtration system. This is important for health and comfort. It also reduces noise significantly, making the printer more pleasant to have in a busy workshop or quiet office. Finally, it protects prints from outside factors like room drafts, sudden temperature changes, or dust, leading to more consistent and repeatable results every day.

The Material Test

The choice between an open or enclosed printer often comes down to the materials you plan to use. This is where the line between hobby use and engineering applications becomes clear.

The MK4S is the master of the "big three": PLA, PETG, and TPU. While you can technically print ABS or ASA on an MK4S using a third-party enclosure, it's not an optimized, ready-to-use experience.

The CORE One excels at everything the MK4S can print, but its true value comes with reliable, high-quality printing of engineering-grade materials. The ability to produce strong, temperature-resistant parts from ABS, ASA, Polycarbonate, and various Nylons is its key advantage, moving the user from making models to manufacturing functional parts.

The $300 Question

Let's use this information directly to answer the article's main question. We'll analyze three common user types to see where the approximate $300 difference is best spent.

Scenario 1: The Creative User

Your projects include cosplay props, tabletop miniatures, decorative items, and clever household gadgets. You are a hobbyist, a creator, and perhaps an artist.

Your primary materials are, and will likely remain, 95% PLA and PETG, chosen because they're easy to use and come in many colors and finishes.

For this use case, the MK4S delivers exceptional quality and is an amazing tool. Its print speed, already excellent for a bedslinger, is more than enough for your projects. The advanced capabilities of the CORE One—extreme speed and high-temperature material printing—would rarely be used. That $300 is almost certainly better spent elsewhere. It could buy a huge collection of filament to fuel your creativity for months, a Multi-Material Upgrade (MMU) to unlock multi-color printing, or other tools to finish your creations.

Scenario 2: The Engineering User

Your projects involve functional prototypes, custom manufacturing jigs and fixtures, durable end-use parts, and small-batch production runs. You might be a prosumer, an engineer, or a small business owner.

Your material needs are diverse. You use PETG for rapid prototyping but require the strength, UV resistance, or heat tolerance of ASA, ABS, or even Polycarbonate for final, functional parts.

Here, the CORE One transforms from a luxury to a powerful investment. The ability to reliably print engineering-grade materials straight out of the box is a game-changer. The enclosure isn't a bonus; it's a core requirement for your work. The increased speed and acceleration translate directly to higher throughput, meaning faster design iteration and quicker production. For you, the $300 is not an expense; it's an investment in capability and efficiency that can directly impact your workflow and bottom line.

Scenario 3: The Current Owner

You are a current, happy MK4S owner. You love your machine, but find yourself increasingly curious about printing with ASA for outdoor parts, or you simply wish your larger prints finished faster.

Here, a third option enters the picture: the official MK4S-to-CORE One conversion kit. This path requires careful consideration. First, compare the cost of the kit against the potential return from selling your used MK4S and purchasing a new CORE One. Factor in shipping and marketplace fees.

Next, be honest about the required skill and downtime. The conversion is a significant project. It requires mechanical ability and a willingness to follow detailed instructions. Most importantly, can you afford to have your primary printer out of commission for the duration of the build?

Finally, evaluate your actual need. Is your desire for CoreXY features a critical, recurring need, or just curiosity? Perhaps a simple, passive enclosure for your existing MK4S would be a more practical and cost-effective first step to experiment with materials like ASA before committing to a full mechanical conversion.

Your 2025 Workshop

The choice between the Prusa MK4S and the Prusa CORE One is a classic trade-off. The MK4S is the undisputed master of standard materials, offering incredible value, proven reliability, and a gentle learning curve. The CORE One is the specialist for those who demand more: more speed for higher throughput, more material options for functional engineering, and more environmental control for ultimate consistency.

Ultimately, the "worth" of that extra $300 is entirely personal. It depends on where you are now and where you want to go. The right choice is the one that best aligns with your personal or professional goals.

To help you decide, ask yourself these questions:

• What materials will I realistically print in the next 12 months?
• Is print time a critical bottleneck in my workflow, or a minor inconvenience?
• Do my projects require the heat resistance or mechanical strength of ABS, ASA, or PC?
• Is my budget better spent on a more capable machine, or on more materials and accessories for a proven platform?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add an enclosure to my MK4S?

Yes, many users build or buy enclosures for i3-style printers. This helps significantly with warping when printing materials like ABS. However, a purpose-built machine like the CORE One, which is designed from the ground up to be enclosed and filtered, provides a more controlled, reliable, and integrated environment for achieving consistent, high-quality results with demanding materials.

Is the CORE One faster?

For small PLA prints at "quality" settings, the time difference may be minimal as other factors like cooling become the bottleneck. The speed gap widens dramatically on larger prints, prints with complex or dense infill, or when using "draft" or "speed" profiles. In these cases, the CORE One's superior acceleration can be fully utilized, leading to significant time savings.

Is CoreXY maintenance harder?

It can be more involved. While the Prusa implementation is robust and designed for longevity, correctly tensioning the complex belt paths of a CoreXY system is a more detailed task than managing the simpler, independent belts on the MK4S. However, this is not a frequent maintenance item for a well-built machine.

Which for a beginner?

In 2025, both machines are excellent choices for a beginner, thanks to Prusa's highly refined software, excellent documentation, and strong community support. The MK4S, with its slightly simpler mechanical design and open frame, can be less intimidating to learn and troubleshoot. It represents an exceptionally safe, powerful, and forgiving starting point for anyone new to 3D printing.