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Upgrading to Klipper: Creality or BTT?

You want the amazing speed and beautiful print quality of Klipper. You've seen the results online and know it's the next step for your 3D printer. But the usual way—finding a Raspberry Pi, fighting with a difficult Linux setup, and dealing with software problems—is a big challenge. It's a whole project by itself, and you just want to print faster and better.

Luckily, the market for complete "Klipper Pads" has grown. As of 2025, two main companies control this area: the Creality Sonic Pad and the BigTreeTech (BTT) Pad 7. Both promise an easy, simple way to unlock Klipper's power.

This guide is not about picking one "winner." It is a detailed, user-focused comparison to help you understand the basic differences in approach, hardware, and user experience between these two devices. By the end, you will know which path is right for you, your printer, and your technical skill level.

The All-in-One Advantage

To understand the value of a Klipper Pad, you need to understand Klipper's basic structure. Unlike traditional firmware that runs completely on your printer's limited mainboard, Klipper splits the work. The printer's mainboard (the "muscle") only handles running real-time commands. The heavy calculations and g-code processing (the "brains") are moved to a separate, more powerful host computer.

The traditional DIY route required you to build this host computer yourself. This involved:

• Finding a Raspberry Pi, which has faced availability and pricing problems.
• Finding a compatible touchscreen and case.
• Manually installing a Linux operating system.
• Installing Klipper, a web interface like Mainsail or Fluidd, and all required software through command line.
• Spending lots of time troubleshooting configuration and software conflicts.

Klipper Pads remove most of this complexity. They are specially-built devices that bundle the host computer, a 7-inch touchscreen, pre-installed and pre-configured software, and all the necessary ports into a single, convenient package. Their goal is to take the pain out of the process, letting you focus on the benefits.

Two Competing Approaches

While both pads aim to make Klipper adoption easier, they approach the task from two very different philosophical viewpoints.

Creality's Appliance Approach

The Creality Sonic Pad is positioned as a polished, user-friendly, "it just works" solution. Think of it as the Apple product of the Klipper world. It's a highly integrated, controlled system designed from the ground up for simplicity and ease of use. Its main focus is on providing a smooth, step-by-step setup experience, especially for users who own Creality's own extensive line of 3D printers.

BTT's Open Toolkit

The BigTreeTech Pad 7 represents the opposite approach. It is an open, flexible, and powerful platform built for users who value customization, control, and tinkering. Think of it as a custom-built PC running Linux. It is powerful, endlessly configurable, and completely open to modification. It appeals to the wider "maker" community, regardless of printer brand, and is designed for those who are comfortable with a more hands-on, detailed approach to their tools.

A Head-to-Head Deep Dive

Understanding the core approaches is the first step. Now, let's break down the practical differences that will affect your day-to-day experience.

Hardware and Performance

At their core, both devices are small computers. Their internal hardware directly impacts their performance and capabilities.

• Processing and Core Module: The Sonic Pad is built around a purpose-built 64-bit mainboard with integrated components. It's a capable, all-in-one unit designed specifically for its task. The BTT Pad 7 takes a modular approach, using a System-on-Module (SoM). It typically ships with BTT's own CB1 module. This modular design, in theory, allows for future upgrades and even swapping in a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4) if a compatible version is used, highlighting its focus on flexibility. For the practical task of running Klipper for one to two printers, including a webcam stream and processing g-code, both units offer more than enough performance.

• Screen and Physical Build: Both pads feature 7-inch touchscreens. The quality, including brightness, color accuracy, and viewing angles, can vary slightly between production runs, but both work well for their purpose. Touch responsiveness is generally good on both. In terms of physical design, the Sonic Pad has an integrated, wide-base stand, giving it a stable, appliance-like feel. The BTT Pad 7 uses two screw-in "feet" for its stand, which works but feels more like a component and less like a finished consumer product.

• Connectivity and I/O: The number and type of ports are a critical difference. This determines how many printers, cameras, and other accessories you can connect.

The user impact here is significant. The Sonic Pad's four USB ports are a major convenience, allowing you to connect up to four printers, or a combination of printers, cameras, and a keyboard without needing a USB hub. The BTT Pad 7's inclusion of an onboard CAN Bus port is a huge advantage for users with more advanced setups, as it simplifies wiring for toolhead boards and reduces the number of cables running to the extruder.

Software and User Experience

The user experience is where the philosophical differences become most apparent.

• The Initial Setup: The Sonic Pad excels with its on-screen, step-by-step setup. For a supported Creality printer, you simply select your model from a list, and the pad guides you through every step, including flashing the printer's mainboard. It's the most beginner-friendly Klipper onboarding experience available. The BTT Pad 7 setup is more traditional for Klipper. While it comes with the OS pre-installed, you typically need to connect to it from a PC's web browser to access the Mainsail or Fluidd interface and manually configure your printer.cfg file. It assumes a basic level of familiarity with the Klipper system.

• The User Interface (UI): The Sonic Pad runs "Creality OS," a custom, simplified touch interface. It's clean, easy to navigate with large icons, and feels like a mobile app. However, it intentionally hides many of Klipper's advanced settings and the full web dashboard to maintain simplicity. The BTT Pad 7, by contrast, runs a standard KlipperScreen interface. This is a direct, data-rich touchscreen frontend for Klipper, showing you the full console, temperature graphs, and machine controls. It's less "polished" but far more powerful, mirroring the experience of the full desktop web interface.

• The "Walled Garden" vs. "Open Field": This is the most critical software distinction. The Sonic Pad runs a locked-down, proprietary version of Klipper. You do not have "root" or administrative access to the underlying operating system. You cannot SSH into the device to install other programs or manually update Klipper components. All updates are checked and pushed by Creality. This provides a stable, predictable environment but severely limits customization. The BTT Pad 7 is the polar opposite. It provides full root access out of the box. You are the administrator. You can SSH into it, install any compatible Linux software (like Obico for remote access), update Klipper, Moonraker, and Mainsail/Fluidd components individually, and tweak the system to your heart's content. This offers ultimate flexibility but places the responsibility for system stability and maintenance squarely on the user.

Printer Compatibility

How each pad handles different printers is a direct result of their software approach.

• For Creality Printer Owners: The Sonic Pad offers a significant advantage. It comes with pre-built, tested, and optimized configuration files for dozens of Creality printers. The automated setup for an Ender-3 S1, for example, is remarkably fast and straightforward. This plug-and-play nature is its primary selling point.

• For Non-Creality Printer Owners: The experience becomes more equal. On the Sonic Pad, you must use the "Other Models" configuration option. This is a more generic, manual process that is much closer to the standard Klipper setup. You will need to find or create a printer.cfg file and configure it yourself. For the BTT Pad 7, the process is the same for all printers: it's the standard Klipper process. You find or create a printer.cfg file. Here, the BTT Pad 7's open nature and the vast community support for standard Klipper can be an advantage, as you can easily use configurations shared online without worrying about compatibility with a custom OS.

• Firmware Flashing: Both devices guide you through compiling the Klipper firmware for your printer's mainboard. The Sonic Pad automates this as part of its setup process, placing the correct file on a USB drive for you. The BTT Pad 7 requires a more manual approach, typically involving a few commands within the Klipper interface to compile the firmware, which you then transfer to an SD card for flashing.

Which Path is Yours?

The best choice is not universal. It depends on your profile as a 3D printing user.

Choose the Sonic Pad if...

• ...You own a supported Creality printer and want the fastest, most "plug-and-play" Klipper experience possible.
• ...You are new to Klipper and would feel more comfortable with a guided, step-by-step setup that helps you through it.
• ...You value a polished, appliance-like experience and have no desire to tinker with the underlying operating system.
• ...You see the Klipper Pad as a tool to get a job done, not as a hobby project in itself.

Choose the BTT Pad 7 if...

• ...You are a tinkerer at heart who wants full root access and the ability to customize every aspect of your system.
• ...You are running a non-Creality printer, a heavily modified machine, or a custom-built Voron or Rat Rig.
• ...You are already familiar with the Klipper system (Mainsail/Fluidd) and want that full, powerful experience on a dedicated screen.
• ...You see the upgrade to Klipper as a learning opportunity and enjoy having complete control over your hardware and software.

The DIY Klipper Host

Is the original DIY route still relevant in 2025? For a certain type of user, yes. Using a Raspberry Pi (or an alternative Single Board Computer like an Orange Pi) and a separate touchscreen remains a viable path.

• Pros: It offers the ultimate flexibility in hardware choice. You can use a powerful Raspberry Pi 5 for multi-printer setups, choose your preferred screen size, and have absolute control over the OS. For many, there is deep satisfaction in building it yourself.
• Cons: Component sourcing can still be a challenge. It requires the most technical knowledge and the largest time investment by a wide margin. There is no single vendor for support; when things go wrong, you are on your own, relying on community forums and your own troubleshooting skills.

For dedicated hobbyists and Klipper experts, the DIY route will always have its place. But for the vast majority of users looking to upgrade from Marlin, the all-in-one pads offer a compelling balance of value, convenience, and power.

Your Upgrade, Your Choice

The decision between the Creality Sonic Pad and the BigTreeTech Pad 7 is not about which is "better," but which approach aligns with your goals. It is a clear choice between Simplicity & Integration (Sonic Pad) and Flexibility & Openness (BTT Pad 7).

Both are excellent tools that have successfully lowered the barrier to entry for Klipper, making high-speed, high-quality printing more accessible than ever before. The "right" decision depends entirely on your printer, your technical comfort level, and what you want to achieve with this powerful upgrade.

Whichever you choose, you are about to unlock a new level of performance for your 3D printer. Welcome to the world of Klipper.