3D Printing Info

Printer comparison

FlashForge AD5X vs QIDI X-Max 3

Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.

2 selected · all documented properties

FlashForge AD5X vs QIDI X-Max 3 — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlashForge AD5XCOREXYQIDI X-Max 3COREXY
Identity
BrandFlashForgeQIDI
ClassCOREXYCOREXY
Identity & Market
Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first)Flashforge AD5X, sold as "AD5X - Multicolor 3D Printer for High-Speed, Full-Color Printing"[1][2]QIDI X-Max 3, listed by QIDI as "Qidi Tech X-Max 3 3D Printer" and in navigation as X-Max3[3][4]
Release date (announcement and actual shipping)Not documentedNot published by QIDI; the product page carries a discontinuation notice rather than a launch date (checked Aug 2026)[3]
Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry)$399.00 sale against a $549.00 compare-at price on flashforge.com, in stock, with a further $50 off at checkout, checked Aug 2026. A refurbished AD5X is listed at $315.00[1][2]$899.00 (from a $999.00 sale reference) on us.qidi3d.com but marked Sold Out and discontinued, checked Aug 2026. 3D Printers Online Store lists $1,099 USD, also out of stock[3][5]
Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk)Shares the 220 mm Adventurer chassis with the 5M and 5M Pro but differs on the points that matter: 300 °C nozzle (vs 280 °C), 4-colour IFS unit, NO air filtration, NO auto shutdown, and a 300 mm/s print speed against a 600 mm/s travel speed. 3DJake and eolasprints both describe it as open-frame[1][6][7][8]Same-generation siblings X-Plus 3 (280x280x270, 500 mm/s, 800 W) and X-Smart 3 (175x180x170, no chamber heating, 300 °C, 350 W). All three share the Cortex-A53 1.5 GHz / 1 GB DDR3 / 8 GB eMMC control board, so shared-board specs are not evidence of shared print specs. Replaced by the Max4[4][9][10][11]
Market position: superseded? successor announced?Not documentedDiscontinued and out of production; QIDI directs buyers to the Max4[3]
Physical & Frame
Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable220 x 220 x 220 mm advertised[1][6]325 x 325 x 315 mm advertised[3][4][5]
Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang)Not documented553 x 553 x 601 mm[4][5]
Net weight (kg)Not documented30.2 kg net[4][5]
Frame construction & materialNot documentedEnclosed CoreXY chassis, fully assembled from the factory. QIDI does not publish a frame-material breakdown[4]
Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lidOpen frame, no enclosure and no air filtration — FlashForge's own table records "Air Filtration: No". Chamber lighting and remote monitoring are listed as expandable options rather than fitted[1][7]Fully enclosed, with a chamber circulation blower and activated-carbon air filter[4]
Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred)Not documented65 °C maximum, independent chamber heating (manufacturer claim)[3][4]
Kinematics & Motion Hardware
Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other)CoreXY[7]CoreXY[4]
X-axis guide type (rods / linear rails / V-wheels; size)Not documentedLinear optical axis (polished steel rod) of high-strength steel[4]
Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlashNot documentedDouble Z axis[4]
Speed & Acceleration
Max print speed (claimed, mm/s)FlashForge publishes two separate figures: max travel speed 600 mm/s and max print speed 300 mm/s. The 300 mm/s print figure is the one that describes printing[1][6]<=600 mm/s (manufacturer claim)[3][4][5]
Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²)20,000 mm/s2 maximum (manufacturer claim)[1][6]20,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[3]
Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s)Not documented35 mm3/s extruder flow (manufacturer claim)[4]
Extruder
Type (direct drive / bowden) & design nameDirect drive, one extruder, fed by the 4-colour Intelligent Filament System (IFS)[1]High-flow direct-drive extruder; QIDI states a 9.5:1 gear ratio for this model[3][4]
Gear ratio & drive gear materialNot documented9.5:1[3]
Hotend & Nozzle
Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?)Not documentedCeramic heating core. Two interchangeable nozzle-head sets shipped: copper alloy for standard materials, hardened steel for abrasives. 0.4 mm stock, 0.2/0.6/0.8 mm optional[3][4]
Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values)300 °C claimed[1][6]<=350 °C claimed[3][4][5]
Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box0.4 mm default; 0.25, 0.6 and 0.8 mm optional[1][6]Not documented
Heated Bed & Surface
Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit110 °C claimed[1][6]<=120 °C claimed[4][5]
Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sidedPEI flexible spring-steel sheet[1][6]Double-sided flexible magnetic plate (QIDI's "HF" plate)[3][4]
Leveling & Z-Offset
Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe)Automatic levelling; probe technology not named[1][6]Automatic levelling via Klipper adaptive meshing; probe technology not named by QIDI[3]
Filament Handling & Detection
Filament runout sensor (type, location)Filament detection fitted; type and location not published[1][6]Filament detection fitted; type and location not published[4]
Multi-material/multi-color capability or official upgrade pathFour-colour printing via the integrated Intelligent Filament System (IFS), which handles filament switching[1]Not documented
Cooling & Air Handling
Auxiliary part-cooling fan?Not documentedAdditional (auxiliary) cooling fan fitted[4]
Chamber/exhaust fan & filtration (activated carbon / HEPA)Not documentedChamber circulation blower with activated-carbon air filter[4]
Electronics & Power
Host computer (SoC, RAM, storage) if firmware runs on embedded LinuxNot documentedCortex-A53 64-bit at 1.5 GHz, 1 GB DDR3, 8 GB eMMC[3][4]
Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto)Not documented100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz[4]
Total rated power drawNot documented900 W rated[4][5]
Firmware & Openness
Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary)Not named by FlashForge; the supported slicers are Orca-Flashforge and OrcaSlicer[1]Klipper with the Fluidd web console. Fork and version not published[3]
Connectivity, UI & Camera
Display: size, type, touch?Not documented5-inch touchscreen, 800 x 480[4]
WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-driveUSB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi[1][6]Wi-Fi (QIDI states 150M 2.4G), Ethernet, USB flash drive[4]
Power-Loss & Interruption Recovery
Power-loss recovery: mechanism (how is state saved? capacitor / eeprom / file on shutdown?)Power-outage recovery supported; mechanism not published[1][6]Not documented
Materials Support
Officially supported filament listPETG, PLA, TPU95A, TPU64D-75D, PLA-CF, PETG-CF[1][6]ABS, PLA, PETG, TPU, nylon, carbon fibre, PC[5]
Reliability, Support & Ecosystem
Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes)Not documented1-year coverage[3]

Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Flashforge AD5X multicolour 3D printer product page flashforge.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. Flashforge store product feed (live prices and stock) flashforge.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. QIDI X-Max 3 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. QIDI Tech X-Max 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Qidi Tech X-Max 3 FDM 3D Printer listing 3dprintersonlinestore.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. FlashForge AD5X technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Flashforge printer buyer's guide, 5M to Creator 5 eolasprints.com · 2026-08 · review
  8. Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro product page flashforge.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. QIDI Tech X-Plus 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. QIDI Tech X-Smart 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. QIDI Max4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor