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The Old vs. The New: Does the Artillery Sidewinder X2 Still Matter in 2025?

1.0 At a Turning Point

In the world of home 3D printing, few machines have earned the "reliable workhorse" title as much as the Artillery Sidewinder X2. For many hobbyists in the early 2020s, it was the top choice for large-format printing - known for being dependable, having huge build space, and looking great. It printed well, it printed big, and it simply worked.

But now it's 2025, and everything has changed dramatically. A new generation of super-fast, smart printers has arrived, completely changing what we expect from 3D printers. Models like the Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus come with advanced Klipper software built right in, making printing speeds that once seemed impossible now totally normal. They are faster, smarter, and packed with features that used to only be found on expensive custom-built machines.

This leads us to an important question that's at the heart of the Artillery Sidewinder X2 vs Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus comparison. For someone today looking at large-format printers - maybe on a tight budget, checking out used machines, or just curious about the classics - is the once-powerful Sidewinder X2 completely outdated? Or does it still have specific, real advantages that make it worth considering? This review will examine that question, not to pick a winner, but to figure out where each printer fits in today's maker world.

2.0 Two Different Worlds

To understand these two machines, we first need to understand the two different eras of 3D printing they come from. They represent completely different approaches to technology.

The "Traditional" Era

The Sidewinder X2 represents the best of its time. This world was defined by:

• Marlin Software: The clear leader of its day, Marlin is careful, predictable, and highly customizable. However, this customization meant diving deep into computer code, rewriting software, and installing it on the printer's brain - a process that could be scary for beginners.
• Strong Hardware Focus: The emphasis was on a solid, often over-engineered frame and simple, separate parts. A 32-bit computer board, standard motor controllers, and easily recognizable parts made the machine highly fixable and understandable.
• A Slower Approach: The goal was print quality and reliability. Speed was secondary, with most high-quality prints being made at a careful pace, typically under 100 mm/s.

The "High-Speed" Era

The Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus represents today's approach, driven by a software revolution:

• The Klipper Revolution: Klipper software moves the heavy computer work from the printer's main board to a more powerful separate computer (like a Raspberry Pi or a built-in single-board computer). This allows for complex calculations to happen instantly, enabling huge increases in print speed without losing accuracy.
• Advanced Features as Standard: Technologies like Input Shaping, which actively cancels out the printer's own shaking, and Pressure Advance, which improves plastic flow during speeding up and slowing down, are now standard. These features are the key to keeping print quality high at high speed.
• Speed-Focused Hardware: The hardware is built for speed. This means more powerful cooling fans, lighter direct-drive extruders to reduce moving weight, and software interfaces designed for a smooth, web-based user experience.

3.0 Two Different Approaches

Comparing the Sidewinder X2 and Neptune 4 Plus is less about simple specifications and more about understanding how their core design approaches affect the user.

3.1 Speed and Output

This is the biggest difference between them. The Neptune 4 Plus is built for speed from the start. With Klipper pre-installed and set up, it can easily print at speeds of 250 mm/s or higher right out of the box. For a maker producing functional parts, test models, or simply large quantities of prints, this is game-changing. A 20-hour print on an older machine can become a 6-hour print, completely changing project timelines and how quickly you can try new ideas.

The Sidewinder X2, in its original form, operates at a "set it and forget it" pace. While reliable, its standard print speeds for quality output stay around 60-80 mm/s. It will get the job done, but on its own terms and its own schedule.

Of course, the X2 is not a closed system. It can be upgraded to run Klipper. However, this process turns the printer into a project itself. It requires getting a host computer, installing software, and carefully adjusting the configuration files. This is a rewarding path for someone who wants to learn, but it's very different from the Neptune 4 Plus's ready-to-go, high-speed experience.

Feature	Artillery Sidewinder X2 (Stock)	Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus
Software	Marlin	Klipper
Typical Speed	60-100 mm/s	250-500 mm/s
Core Technology	Onboard Processing	Host-Assisted Processing
Key Features	Basic ABL	Input Shaping, Pressure Adv.

3.2 Build Quality, Reliability, Maintenance

The Sidewinder X2's reputation was built on its physical strength. It features a rock-solid frame with dual Z-axis lead screws, synchronized by a timing belt, which provides excellent stability. Its cable management, using flat ribbon cables, gives it an exceptionally clean look. While these cables were a problem for a small number of early users, they contribute to a neat, professional appearance. Its most famous feature, however, is the AC-powered heated bed, which reaches temperature incredibly fast and provides amazingly even heating across its large surface.

The Neptune 4 Plus uses a more modern construction that focuses on cost-effective performance. Its frame is also strong, designed to handle the intense vibrations of high-speed printing. The moving parts and printhead are engineered to be lightweight to enable rapid direction changes. Its DC-powered heated bed is a more common design in 2025, but it includes smart segmented heating. This allows a user to heat only the center portion of the bed for smaller prints, saving energy and reducing warm-up time.

When it comes to repairability, an interesting point emerges. The X2, being a simpler and older machine, is built with more "standard" electronic parts. A broken motor driver or a faulty temperature sensor can often be replaced with a generic part found at any hobby electronics store. Newer machines like the Neptune 4 Plus may use more integrated or proprietary boards, which can sometimes make finding specific replacement parts a bit more challenging.

3.3 Print Quality Potential

Here, the difference is between "right out of the box" quality and "perfectly tuned" potential. A user's first print on a Neptune 4 Plus is likely to be surprisingly good and incredibly fast. The pre-tuned Klipper profiles for Input Shaping and Pressure Advance mean that common high-speed problems like ringing and bulging corners are already minimized.

The Sidewinder X2, out of the box, produces good, clean prints. But to achieve perfection, the user must work with the slicer settings - adjusting speeds, retraction, and temperatures. It requires a more hands-on approach to dial in.

The important question is: what is the maximum quality? Can a perfectly tuned Sidewinder X2, printing at a slow and steady pace, produce a print as dimensionally accurate and problem-free as a Neptune 4 Plus? The answer is largely yes. When speed is removed from the equation, the X2's rigid frame and reliable extruder can still produce exceptional results. For models where surface finish is most important and time doesn't matter, the quality gap between the two machines becomes much smaller. The difference lies in the effort and patience required to get there.

3.4 User Experience

From assembly to daily use, the quality-of-life differences are clear. Both printers arrive mostly pre-assembled, requiring only a few bolts to connect the moving parts to the base. The final setup is straightforward on both.

Bed leveling, however, shows the generational gap. The Sidewinder X2 uses its hotend nozzle combined with a strain gauge to physically touch the bed at multiple points (an ABL, or Automatic Bed Leveling system). It's a clever system but can be sensitive to nozzle cleanliness. The Neptune 4 Plus uses a more modern sensor that measures its distance from the metallic build plate. It typically checks a much denser grid of points (e.g., 121 points), creating a more detailed and accurate map of the bed surface for more reliable first layers.

The interface is another clear difference. The X2 features a basic but functional color touchscreen that provides access to core printer functions. The Neptune 4 Plus, running Klipper, is controlled via a more feature-rich screen that is essentially a tablet running a web interface like Fluidd or Mainsail. This provides deep, real-time insight into the printing process, temperature graphs, and often includes built-in WiFi for sending files and monitoring prints remotely from a computer or phone.

4.0 The X2's Lasting Advantages

So, given the Neptune 4 Plus's clear technological superiority, why would anyone in 2025 still consider a Sidewinder X2? It turns out the veteran has some compelling, if specific, advantages.

4.1 The Ultimate Learning Platform

The Sidewinder X2 has been on the market for years. This has resulted in a huge, established community of users. There are thousands of pages of forum posts, video guides, and documented modifications for it. Want to install a new all-metal hotend? There's a guide. Want to design a new cooling system? Someone has already shared five different designs.

This makes the X2 a perfect "project printer." It is an ideal platform for someone who doesn't just want to print, but wants to learn the detailed mechanics and electronics of a 3D printer. Upgrading it piece by piece - from the extruder to the mainboard to a full Klipper conversion - is a highly educational journey.

4.2 Unbeatable Used Market Value

This is perhaps the X2's single most compelling advantage in 2025. On the used market, a second-hand but well-maintained Sidewinder X2 can be bought for a fraction of the cost of a new large-format printer. For a student, a hobbyist on a tight budget, or someone needing a second machine for large, non-urgent prints, this is an incredible value. Getting a massive 300x300x400mm build volume for such a low entry cost is an opportunity that new machines simply cannot match.

4.3 Simplicity and the AC Bed

For some users, the X2's relative simplicity is a feature, not a problem. It's a more mechanical, less software-driven machine. Troubleshooting often involves a multimeter and a wrench rather than a command line interface.

Furthermore, its powerful AC-powered heated bed should not be underestimated. For users who frequently print with high-temperature, high-warp materials like ABS or ASA, the X2's ability to get to 110°C quickly and hold that temperature evenly across the entire surface is a significant, if specialized, benefit that remains competitive even against modern DC beds.

5.0 Recognizing the Signs of Age

A balanced view is critical, and we must acknowledge where the Sidewinder X2 clearly shows its age.

5.1 The Speed Gap is Real

Without major modification, the X2 cannot compete on output. In a world where rapid prototyping is key, the difference between a 5-hour and a 15-hour print is huge. For anyone needing parts quickly or running a small print farm, the stock X2 is simply not the right tool for the job.

5.2 Outdated Core Technology

The stock 32-bit board, while capable for its time, is generations behind the processing power available in modern Klipper-based machines. The slower processor, less sophisticated sensors, and reliance on Marlin software are real limitations in 2025.

5.3 The "Work Required" Factor

Achieving the X2's full potential requires user effort. It is not a "plug-and-play" experience by modern standards. It demands tuning, a willingness to learn the details of the slicer, and often, an additional investment in upgrades to keep pace. The out-of-the-box experience of a machine like the Neptune 4 Plus is objectively more streamlined for a beginner.

6.0 A Respected Veteran

In the final analysis of the Artillery Sidewinder X2 vs Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus, it's clear the X2 is no longer a front-line competitor in a head-to-head performance race. The game has changed, and speed is the new king.

However, becoming obsolete is not its fate. The Sidewinder X2 has gracefully transitioned into a new and equally valuable role. It's no longer about being the best printer; it's about being the right printer for a specific type of user.

If your priority is maximum speed, the latest features, and a seamless out-of-the-box experience, the path in 2025 clearly points toward modern machines like the Neptune 4 Plus. But the story is different if your journey is about learning, tinkering, and the satisfaction of mastering a machine. If you want to maximize build volume on a minimal budget, and if you see a printer not just as an appliance but as a project to be understood and improved, the Artillery Sidewinder X2 still holds a unique and respectable advantage. It has earned its place as a classic for a reason.