Creality Ender 3 V3 Review

 9/10

With the explosion of affordable, flagship quality enclosed CoreXY printers like the Creality K1 and the Bambu Lab P1S, many consumers wondered if manufacturers had abandoned the less flashy cartesian FDM market in favor of these newer machines. And for a while, it certainly seemed that way, with many companies releasing only iterative, half-baked, and cheap Cartesian 3D printers for a very long time. However, Creality has decided to revitalize this segment with the latest variant of its popular Ender 3 series, the Ender 3 V3.

The Ender 3 V3 incorporates some of the best features of Creality’s current flagship (the K1C): automatic bed leveling with z offset, Klipper firmware, a great color touchscreen with an easy-to-use UI, and high-speed printing. All these features come packaged with an MSRP of $389, making the Ender 3 V3 an excellent choice for people looking for flagship features at an affordable price.

Still, we found that Creality got 90% of the way there with the Ender 3 V3, but a few quirks keep it from completely dominating the medium-format Cartesian FDM 3D printer market. First, the Creality Print app is still a terrible piece of software that should be avoided. Second, its focus on print speed means the Ender 3 V3 sacrifices some print quality for speed. Fortunately, both of these issues can be mitigated by not using the mobile app or slowing down the printer a bit.

Overall, we found the Ender 3 V3 to be a great FDM 3D printer. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable, easy-to-use, high-quality FDM printer in 2024.

 9/10

Manufacturer: Creality

The Pros

Great print quality
Extremely quick and often 2-3x faster than previous generation machines
Well-documented quick start guide and automated set up
Automatic bed leveling
PEI coated spring steel print surface
Creality Print makes wireless file transfer easy
Quality of life features such as automatic bed leveling and z offset make printing a breeze
Open-source firmware can now be integrated into community favorite software

The Cons

Quite loud at 60db when operating at full speed
Creality Print and Creality Cloud are nowhere near as good as Bambu Studio and Bambu Handy
Vibration compensation is good but as good Bambulab’s X1 or P1S
High overall speed reduces print quality. Slowing printing speeds improves print quality

Paul Chow

Co-Founder & CTO

Published on September 15, 2024

Amazon.com Disclosure: As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Creality’s Ender 3 series of FDM 3D printers launched years ago and quickly gained praise for both the V1 and V2 models as reliable workhorse printers. However, Creality, high on its success, made few improvements to the design over the years.

With the rise of Bambu Lab and its successful A1 Mini launch, which significantly impacted the consumer 3D printer market, Creality was compelled to release next-generation 3D printers to avoid becoming a relic of the industry.

2022 marked the year when consumer FDM 3D printers started transitioning over from hobby toys into consumer appliances. Many printers began shipping either fully assembled or nearly assembled, ready to use straight out of the box. The old monochrome screens with click wheels were replaced by easy-to-use color touch screens. Rickety aluminum frames with exposed wiring were upgraded to sleek sheet metal construction with neatly packed wires.

Outdated slicer software with terrible user interfaces was also replaced, making the printing process much smoother.

Fast forward to 2023, Creality finally got its wake-up call and released the Ender 3 V3, a true successor to its Ender 3 V2 printer. Unlike many of Creality’s iterative designs, the Ender 3 V3 is a massive departure from its older sibling, with the only similarity being the overall shape of the machine has gotten

At first glance, it’s clear that Creality was really shaken up by its competitors and put some serious thoughts into the design of the Ender 3 V3. This new model features an entirely redesigned die-cast aluminum shell for both the base and gantry, enhancing its appearance and facilitating better cable management within the frame.

The Ender 3 V3 also adopts the tool head from its cousin, the K1C, which brings several advantages: automatic bed leveling using the nozzle, a quick-change nozzle with built-in heatbreak, and input shaping capabilities. In fact, many of the internals of the Ender 3 V3 seem to be shared with Creality K1C, as it enables wireless connectivity to Creality Print software for seamless slicing and uploading to the printer.

The most interesting feature of the Ender 3 V3 is its Core XZ motion system. At first glance, it resembles a traditional cartesian FDM 3D printer, where each axis (X, Y, and Z) is independently controlled by stepper motors. However, in a Core XZ motion system, axes are interconnected using belts. This configuration offers several advantages, such as keeping the X axis aligned with the Z axis consistently and enabling rapid movement of the Z axis.

Creality claims that the Ender 3 V3 is capable of printing “12 times faster,” although they did not elaborate on what it is 12 times faster than. We are eager to put that claim to the test.

With a price tag of $389, the Creality Ender 3 V3 aims to compete in the premium consumer cartesian 3D printer market (major competitors in this segment include the Bambu Lab A1 and Prusa MK4). However, at the time of writing, the Bambulabs A1 faced a recall due to heatbed cable durability issues, giving Creality a pricing advantage.

Despite this, Creality must overcome its reputation for inconsistent quality assurance.

On the lower end of the market, the Anycubic Kobra 2 and Elegoo Neptune 4 present themselves as affordable alternatives to Creality.

Does the Creality Ender 3 V3 have what it takes to reestablish Creality as a leader in affordable consumer FDM 3D printers? Or will it be just another FDM printer lost in the crowd? Read this in-depth review, where we spent hundreds of hours deep-diving into the pros and cons of this 3D printer.

Key Features To Look For In A Great 3D Printer

Medium format cartesian FDM 3D printers are a dime a dozen and feature a wide range of features and price points. You can get a sub $200 budget printer from the likes of Creality, Anycubic, and Elegoo or get a nearly $1,000 full assembled machine from the likes of Prusa. This wide range of printers gives consumers a wide range of choices to fit their exact needs. The Creality Ender 3 V3 sits in the middle of this price range with an MSRP of $389.

To ensure you select the right FDM 3D printer that suits your needs, it’s important to consider a number of key factors before making your purchase.

First and foremost, look at the machine’s print quality, which we rated the Creality K1 a 9/10 for. This is attributed to its ability to produce top-quality prints with precise extrusion and high dimensional accuracy. Additionally, its CoreXZ motion system ensures perfect Z alignment for excellent layer stacking.

Users should also consider the assembly process and overall print experience of the machine they’re buying. We rated the Creality K1 a 10/10 in both areas. The Ender 3 V3, with its easy automated setup process, was among the easiest Cartesian printers to assemble and get ready for printing.

Preparing prints using the Creality Print slicer was a generally smooth experience in our tests. Just avoid using its mobile app at all costs.

Users should also keep in mind the assembly process and overall print experience of the machine they’re buying. We rated the Creality K1 10/10 in both. The Ender 3 V3 was among the easiest Cartesian printers to assemble and get ready to print. Preparing prints using the Creality Print slicer was a generally smooth experience in our tests. However, users should avoid using its mobile app at all costs.

Last but not least, replacing parts should be a matter of “when,” not “if.” Creality has leveraged its well-established supply chain to ensure replacements are available for the Ender 3 V3 when needed. Despite being a new printer, it shares many common toolhead components with the established K1 series of FDM 3D printers, making it extremely easy to find parts in varying retailers and marketplaces.

90

Overall Score

Learn more about our 3D printer review methodology.

How We Researched Creality Ender 3 V3

The Creality Ender 3 V3 belongs to the popular medium format cartesian FDM 3D printer segment. These printers focus on affordability, print quality, and ease of use to differentiate from one and another. As the most popular 3D printer segment, The Ender 3 V3 finds itself in an extremely crowded market with competitors like the Anycubic Kobra 2, Elegoo Neptune 4, Bambu Lab A1, and even other Creality Ender 3 models.

To thoroughly assess the capabilities of the Creality Ender 3 V3, we subjected it to a gauntlet of grueling test prints. We also extensively scoured the internet to get a gauge of what kind of community this machine has. We then compared everything about it to its closest competitor, the Bambu Lab A1.

The Creality Ender 3 V3 features many of the trappings of a top tier modern FDM 3D printer: automatic bed leveling, vibration compensation, high speed, WiFi connectivity and app support. This combination promises next generation 3D printing performance while enhancing the overall user experience, allowing users to focus more on printing and less on tinkering or troubleshooting.

Creality Ender 3 V3 Setup

Unboxing and Assembly

Throughout the last year, 3D printer manufacturers were shipping extremely large boxes to accommodate their plug-and-play printers. While we loved how accessible these latest-generation printers are, we almost missed how small a flat packed 3D printer actually is.

The shipping box of the Creality Ender 3 V3 was very small in comparison to many of its CoreXY rivals like the Creality K1 or the Bambulabs X1C and it was quite easy for one person in our office to carry the box around. Inside the box, the mostly assembled Ender 3 V3 was densely packed in layers of shipping foam and protective plastic.

One of the many things the latest generation of FDM 3D printers have done to leapfrog the previous generation is the unboxing presentation and documentation. Creality did a great job of organizing the various components and included detailed assembly instructions. As this is a 3D printer that requires some assembly, this is greatly appreciated.

Like many bed slinger 3D printers, the Ender 3 V3 has a base and a top frame that needs to be bolted on to complete the assembly. Many printers in the past required the printer to be flipped over to tighten the bolts. However, the Ender 3 V3 uses side-mounted bolts, which makes it much more convenient to put together. Users only need to connect the color touchscreen and spool holder to finish the physical assembly.

Once powered on, the Ender 3 V3 goes through a lengthy automatic calibration process that tests the mechanics and electronics and tunes itself vibration compensation. This process took around 19 minutes to complete.

Overall, we spent around 1 hour to fully unpack, assemble, plug in, and run the automated calibration tests. The Creality Ender 3 V3 may not be the quickest printer to set up, but it is one of the among the easiest to get up and running.

Connecting to WiFi

As with many of the modern generation FDM 3D printers powered by Klipper firmware, the Ender 3 V3 needs to be connected to a WiFi network (at least 2.4GHz) when doing its initial setup. Users with larger fingers might also find the 4.3” a bit small and cramped to type in the WiFi password, but fortunately, it is a once-and-done deal.

Once connected, users can download both the Creality Print and the Creality Cloud mobile apps. If the computer or mobile device is on the same WiFi network, it will automatically detect the printer and prompt the user to connect to it. However, do note we did not use the Creality Cloud mobile app as we faced the same significant issues as our previous Creality K1 review. Without delving too deeply into past details, the Creality mobile app posed security risks on Android devices, and we strongly advise against using it.

The Creality Print desktop app, on the other hand, doesn’t carry the same security and usability concerns as its mobile counterpart, and Creality does not require users to create an account with their cloud service. Instead, you can connect wirelessly, send prints, and control the printer like the K1 over a LAN connection without exposing any information to the internet. This is a distinct advantage over the likes of the Bambu Lab ecosystem, as those require a cloud account to access its wireless features.

Print Quality of Ender 3 V3

In 2024, the bar for print quality and speed was set high by models like the Bambulabs P1S and Creality’s own K1. The Ender 3 V3 promises substantial improvements in these areas. We will put it through a series of rigorous test prints to see how it measures up.

How we tested the machine

We tested the Creality Ender 3 V3 in four major areas: the ability to resolve details, dimensional accuracy, z-layer alignment, and print repeatability. For the tests, we used stock 0.2mm layer height and speeds for the Creality Hyper PLA that shipped with Creality Print.

We tested the Ender 3 V3 with a variety of models that many users are likely to print. These included common benchmarks like the benchy, calibration cube, and tall z-banding tower. We also printed more detailed figures and models, such as a Mandalorian figure and a low-poly Pikachu.

Results

The new common benchy model is a benchmark used to test layer alignment, extrusion consistency, ringing, and cooling. While it used to be a challenging print to perfect, just about every modern FDM 3D printer can handle it with ease, and the Creality Ender 3 V3 was no exception.

However, the latest generation of FDM 3D printers focuses on speed as well as print quality.

In the past years, typical 3D printers took about 1.5 hours to complete a benchy, but the Ender 3 V3 managed it in just 30 minutes. While this is plenty fast, CoreXY printers like the Bambulabs P1S and Creality’s K1 can complete the same print in under 20 minutes due to their different printing mechanism, which doesn’t require moving a heavy heated bed back and forth. The Ender 3 V3’s heavy heated bed contributes to increased ringing compared to CoreXY models, and its lack of an auxiliary cooling fan can cause minor drooping in overhangs.

So, while the overall print quality is good, the Ender 3 V3 shows its limits when pushed to print at its highest speeds.

The Creality Ender 3 V3 performed well in printing XYZ calibration cubes, demonstrating good print quality and speed. We ran a test with five calibration cubes to assess dimensional accuracy and print consistency. The cubes showed sharp corners and consistent layer stacking, highlighting the printer’s capability.

However, we did notice some ringing on the X axis and more noticeable ringing on the Y axis letters of the calibration cube. This is likely because the printer’s vibration compensation can only compensate for the moving heated bed so much.

The Ender 3 V3’s dimensional accuracy was great though, with the 20mm calibration cubes measuring 20.2mm x 20.2mm.

Next, we tested the Creality Ender 3 V3 with popular model prints like the highly detailed Mandalorian figure and the simpler low-poly Pikachu. The Mandalorian figure completed in approximately 3 hours, which is more than 2 times faster than the usual 7-hour print time for this model. The quality was quite great, too, despite some ringing on the sharper edges of the model.

Similarly, the low-poly Pikachu also turned out well, showcasing high-quality prints with minor ringing issues on edges.

An important aspect of any 3D printer is its z-axis construction, which must be stiff, robust, and properly aligned to avoid z-layer artifacts. The Creality Ender 3 V3 stands out among consumer FDM 3D printers because it uses a CoreXY motion system for both the X and Z axes instead of traditional lead screws. This eliminates the need for a lead screw and should remove any instance of z wobbling or lead screw-related artifacts.

To test the Ender 3 V3’s z-layer consistency, we printed a 200mm tall tube in vase mode. Tall and smooth objects like this highlight any z-axis inconsistencies. The Ender 3 V3 produced a flawless vase mode print with no z artifacts whatsoever. As we printed slower than its advertised blistering speeds, we were able to avoid ringing artifacts as well.

We found that the printing ability of the Creality Ender 3 V3 to be very good. However, in our testing we found that the Ender 3 V3’s stock speeds were a bit too aggressive and found that the print quality suffered as a result. Simply turning down the speed a notch would put the Ender 3 V3 in the same class as its fancier sibling the K1.

The Creality Ender 3 V3 performs very well in terms of printing quality. The one fault we’d bring up is how the default printing speeds of the Ender 3 V3 were too aggressive, which negatively affected print quality. Dialing down the speed slightly would bring the Ender 3 V3 closer to the performance level of its higher-end counterpart, the K1.

During our testing, we observed that the default printing speeds of the Ender 3 V3 were too aggressive, which negatively affected print quality. Dialing down the speed slightly would bring the Ender 3 V3 closer to the performance level of its higher-end counterpart, the K1.

Print Experience

As one of the newest generation FDM 3D printers on the market, the Creality Ender 3 V3 can compete with the top models in the consumer FDM 3D printer market. However, these days, it takes much more than just great print quality to set a FDM 3D printer apart. Usability and quality of life features are just as important.

Creality Cloud

App or web browser integration is one of the hallmarks of a next generation 3D printer. Creality’s answer to this is their Creality Cloud app. We previously reviewed an earlier version with the Ender 3 S1 Pro and its flagship, the K1, uncovering multiple security issues that rendered it unusable. Despite having at least a year to address the vulnerabilities and usability complaints, not much has changed.

While the app no longer prompts security warnings, it was replaced by an annoyingly large number of ads that popped up during start-up and throughout the app. Many of them are not safe for work either, and there is no way to filter the content.

Creality has also implemented a premium currency system, which restricts access to many models on the app behind a paywall. Free users often encounter prompts to subscribe to the premium version of the app.

Creality has promised to tone down the amount of gamification it has on the app, but we have to ask: why is it even present in the first place?

In short: do not install the Creality Cloud mobile app. Stick with its desktop app and web interface.

Extruder and Hotend Issues

First-generation hardware will always have issues that are only discovered through mass adoption. Creality is not alone in this—even the well-received Bambu Lab X1 Carbon required multiple revisions to its hardware before it was considered stable.

The Ender 3 V3 borrows its entire toolhead from Creality’s flagship printers, the K1 and K1 Max. However, both the K1 and K1 Max suffered many teething issues with their initial sets of extruders and hotends.

For example, our K1 review sample suffered from a self-destructing hotend, which needed a complete replacement. Meanwhile, our K1 Max had an overheating extruder that significantly heated and softened PLA filaments, causing jams because of insufficient cooling of the enclosure. These issues tarnished the reputation of the K1 series, which could have otherwise been a strong competitor to the highly regarded Bambulabs X1/P1 series of 3D printers.

The Ender 3 V3 appears to have the latest revision of its extruder and hotend, which solves many of the reliability issues earlier models had. The lack of an enclosure also helps with cooling the toolhead.

Plus, while the toolhead became warm after long use, we did not experience any reliability issues during our tests.

Going Open Source

When Creality first released its K1 FDM 3D printer, it used a heavily restricted and modified version of the open-source Klipper firmware. Klipper is an open-source firmware that the 3D printing community loves and did not take kindly to seeing it restricted and locked down in an established 3D printer manufacturer’s product.

Eventually, Creality responded to community pressure by releasing their fork of the Klipper firmware and providing root access for users who wanted to experiment with it. The community responded well to this change and promptly integrated the K1 into the increasingly popular OrcaSlicer. This carries over to the Creality Ender 3 V3 whereas our review unit received an update to let it be unlocked for use outside of Creality’s control.

Do note that users need to be sufficiently advanced in running scripts and editing config files to take full advantage of the potential of the unlocked firmware. However, the 3DGearZone team, being avid users of Klipper firmware on multiple machines, welcomes this news. We even expect the community to realize the potential of Ender 3 V3’s printing capabilities soon!

Hardware

The only resemblance the Creality Ender 3 V3 has to its older siblings is its general shape of a bed-slinger FDM 3D printer. The toolhead sports the same molded gray cover that protects and hides its electronics, and most of the cabling is neatly tucked away into the frame. This gives the Ender 3 V3 a very clean and professional aesthetic.

As of the time of writing, it’s arguably Creality’s best-looking cartesian FDM 3D printer to date.

The die-cast aluminum frame also gives the Creality Ender 3 V3 an air of robustness and weight. Clocking in at 8kg and measuring 358mm (L) x 374mm (W) x 498mm (H), the Creality Ender 3 V3 is quite a bit larger and heavier than its outgoing models. With its side-mounted spool holder and moving bed, it requires a total operating space of 358mm (L) x 550mm (W) x 498mm (H).

In comparison, Creality’s K1C printer, which uses a CoreXY motion system, is more space-efficient. Despite its size, the Ender 3 V3 remains a desktop machine that can accommodate a variety of tables and desks. Click here to read our list of top tables for 3D printing.

In a bid to improve speed, reliability, and print accuracy, Creality has done away with its v-wheels for motion on its x and y axis and utilized hardened steel smooth rods. While in the past we never had any issues with the inexpensive v-wheels in past machines, they are known to wear out over time. Smooth rods are known for their long-term reliability.

We are extremely pleased with the hardware and design of the Ender 3 V3 and commend Creality for their efforts in completely revamping the Ender 3 line of printers.

Safety Highlights

Thermal Runaway Protection

One of the biggest concerns in 3D printing is the heater potentially losing control and catching fire. Fortunately, just like all modern 3D printers, the Creality Ender 3 V3 has thermal runaway protection. With it, it is able to constantly monitor its temperature against the output temperature.

If the temperatures do not match or if it detects it’s not heating up fast enough, the printer shuts itself down to stop any fire risks.

With the inclusion of Klipper firmware, Creality was even able to take this one step further by having different error messages that will notify users of what tripped its thermal runaway protection. This is a great step up from past models, where it simply shuts itself off.

Cable Relief and Cable Management

All FDM 3D printers have multiple moving parts that need to be connected for communication and power, such as the tool head and heated bed. The Creality Ender 3 V3 is no exception.

In the past, machines had large bundles of cables connecting the tool head components to the motherboard. However, many of the latest FDM 3D printers, including the Ender 3 V3, now feature a CANBUS connection. This system dramatically reduces the number of wires running between the tool head and motherboard, providing a ton of safety advantages. The clean wiring also reduces wire breakage risks and is routed through a cable chain to prevent snagging.

The Ender 3 V3 inherits this CANBUS system from Creality’s flagship K1 series, resulting in an extremely clean and professional look.

Furthermore, the wires connected to the control board and PSU are properly terminated in ferrules and connectors. In the past, many 3D printer manufacturers, including Creality, tinned their connections to save costs. This practice was widely—and rightfully—criticized because tinned wires can melt and catch fire. As such, we are really pleased to see that Creality has learned from this feedback and now uses connectors and ferrules throughout the Ender 3 V3, enhancing safety and reliability!

Overall, we were very impressed with the cable management of the Creality Ender 3 V3.

Maintenance

Finding Replacement Parts

Creality has one of the most established supply chains in the consumer 3D printing market, making it easy to find replacement parts for their printers, including new models like the K1 and Ender 3 V3. Major 3D retailers such as Matterhackers and Digitmakers carry Creality parts, and marketplaces like Amazon even offer next-day delivery. This convenience allows users to maintain a healthy supply of replacement parts.

Accessing the Control Board

Most 3D printers enclose their electronics to protect them from dust, filament debris, and curious fingers. Typically, these components are housed in an enclosure at the bottom of the printer for safety and a professional appearance. The Ender 3 V3 is no different in this regard.

To access its control board, you need to tip the printer over and remove a few screws to take off the bottom panel. This setup provides users with plenty of space to navigate around the control board for any necessary servicing or replacements.

Its direct competitor, the Bambu Lab’s A1, features a very similar layout and is on par with just about every 3D printer manufacturer on the market.

Features & Upgrades

High Speed CoreXZ Motion System

The Ender 3 V3 takes a large departure from the traditional cartesian motion system in favor of the more specialized CoreXY motion system. This setup uses belts to control the X and Z axes, eliminating the need for lead screws for the Z axis, enhancing X and Z speeds and reducing Z artifacts caused by belts or misaligned lead screws.

Again, Creality claims this motion system can achieve 12 times faster printing speeds compared to previous generations. We will definitely be putting this to the test.

Automatic Bed-Leveling With Strain Gauge

Automatic bed leveling is now a standard feature of nearly all modern FDM 3D printers. It improves first-layer adhesion and overall print reliability.

Typically, printers use a dedicated sensor (like a physical switch or inductive probe) to measure the bed’s surface, requiring users to measure the distance from the sensor to the nozzle. The Ender 3 V3 has done away with all this by integrating a strain gauge into the toolhead to use the nozzle itself as a probe. This eliminates the need for additional measurements, making the leveling process fully automatic and requiring no user input

Magnetic Spring Steel Textured PEI Bed Sheet

One of the many quality-of-life features on most current 3D printers is the magnetic spring steel sheet. It offers excellent print adhesion and easy print removal. When a print has been completed, users can simply remove the build plate and flex the sheet to pop off the print.

There are many variants of PEI sheets available for 3D printers and Creality has included a textured PEI sheet with its Ender 3 V3. We typically appreciate this version the most as it strikes a great balance of all-round print adhesion, ease of use, and durability.

Automatic Resonance Compensation

One of the difficulties users face when printing at high speeds is the vibrations generated by the toolhead, which often translates into printing artifacts (known as “ringing” and “ghosting”). FDM 3D printers were capable of moving extremely quickly for several years but were held back due to the violent movements of high-speed printing. As such, the majority of last-generation machines typically print at 100mm/s or slower.

The Creality Ender 3 V3 addresses this issue with Klipper firmware, which includes an algorithm called “resonance compensation.” When the Ender 3 V3 completes its first boot sequence, the algorithm runs through a series of automated tests to calculate what the printer needs to do and is automatically inputted into each print.

In theory, this should allow the Ender 3 V3 to print at blistering speeds while maintaining its fantastic print quality. We’ll be testing that later.

Wireless Print Management with Creality Print and Creality Cloud App

Creality has revamped its in-house slicer, Creality Print, with significant updates and features. The new version now supports wireless file uploading and management for their new generation of FDM 3D printers, including the Ender 3 V3. This means users can directly send print files from their computers, eliminating the need for SD cards or USB sticks to start printing manually on the printer.

Creality has also updated its mobile app to support the wireless features of the Ender 3 V3 printer. This allows users to conveniently manage their printers using iOS or Android devices.

Community Support

Due to the success of its insanely popular Ender 3 and CR-10 series of FDM 3D printers, Creality has one of the largest consumer communities in the 3D printing market. While the Ender 3 V3 is relatively new, we expect its community to continue to grow.

If users have questions or concerns about their Ender 3 V3, they can find support in places like these:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ender3ender3procreality/
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ender3/

Final Verdict

The cartesian FDM 3D printer market has been stagnant for several years and, recently, even more overshadowed by the release of high-quality, affordable CoreXY machines like the Creality K1 and the Bambu Lab P1S. However, manufacturers are finally paying attention to this neglected segment with the release of impressive next-generation cartesian FDM 3D printers. The Creality Ender 3 V3 is one of these notable new releases.

Creality has clearly been spooked by the likes of Bambu Lab with their X1 Carbon, P1S, and affordable A1 series. As a result, the latest Ender 3 V3 is a major departure from the traditional Ender 3 design. It features a sleek aluminum aesthetic, a high-speed CoreXZ motion system, and numerous quality-of-life upgrades. Coupled with its updated software stack on paper, the Ender 3 V3 is poised to be the ultimate affordable, cartesian FDM 3D printer.

Throughout our testing, we found that the Ender 3 V3 produced very good to great quality 3D prints. Its ease of setup and use was impressive, borrowing many components and features from its flagship K1 sibling. Thanks to a year of revisions, the overall hardware and software of the Ender 3 V3 proved reliable.

However, the mobile app remains terrible, and the desktop app is slightly behind class leaders like Bambu Studio in terms of usability and stability. Creality still has some work to do on that front.

Additionally, we found the Ender 3 V3 a bit too ambitious with its speed, which affected print quality. Fortunately, this can be easily fixed by simply slowing down the print speed.

Overall, in the testing of this product, we were very happy with the overall package of the Creality Ender 3 V3 and found it to be a great contender against current market leaders such as the Bambu Lab A1. Priced at $389, it is slightly cheaper than the Bambu Lab A1 but more expensive than budget options like the Anycubic Kobra 2 or the Elegoo Neptune 4. However, the fit and finish of the Creality Ender 3 V3 make it significantly more desirable than those budget alternatives.

We are quite happy to recommend the Creality Ender 3 V3 to consumers looking for a high-quality FDM 3D printer. It offers print quality comparable to flagship CoreXY printers without the premium price tag.

Technical Specifications

Build volume: 220mm (l) x 220mm (w) x 250mm (h)
Printer size: 358mm (l) x 374mm (w) x 498mm (h)
Weight: 8kg
Enclosed print area: No
Display: color touchscreen
Drive type: FDM direct drive
Filament capability: PLA, PETG, TPU
Connectivity: USB and WiFi
Drivers: TMC silent stepper driver
Build Surface: Textured PEI spring steel sheet
Heated Bed: Yes
Bed Leveling: automatic
Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm
Maximum hotend temperature: 300 °C
Maximum movement speed: 600mm per second
Maximum XY accuracy: 0.1mm
Minimum Z height: 0.1mm
Number of extruder(s): 1
Filament diameter: 1.75mm
Supported materials: PLA, PETG, TPU, 3rd party filament support: yes
Operating System: Windows, MacOS, Linux
Supported Slicers: CURA, Simplify3D, PrusaSlicer, Creality Print, OrcaSlicer
Supported File Types: STL, OBJ, M3F

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