3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
FlashForge Guider 3 Plus vs Original Prusa MINI+
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore FlashForge Guider 3 Plus comparisonsMore Original Prusa MINI+ comparisons
| Property | FlashForge Guider 3 PlusINDUSTRIAL | Original Prusa MINI+BEDSLINGER |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | FlashForge | Prusa Research |
| Class | INDUSTRIAL | BEDSLINGER |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | FlashForge Guider 3 Plus[1] | Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer[2] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | Not documented | $508.33 on prusa3d.com, Aug 2026[3] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Larger sibling of the Guider 3 (300x250x340) and distinct from the Guider 3 Ultra, which is dual-extruder, 330x330x600 and 350 °C. Guider 3 Plus is single-extruder and quoted at 250 mm/s[1][4][5] | Sold semi-assembled and, historically, as a kit; also offered in an Enclosure Bundle. Distinguish from the larger i3-family machines - the MINI+ is Bowden-fed with 2209 drivers, a 280 C nozzle ceiling and a 100 C bed, all lower than the MK3S+/MK4S. Note that Prusa's own MINI+ page carries an "Awards & Press Reviews" paragraph that is entirely about the MK3S, not the MINI+[2][6] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | 3DJake shows it sold out and no longer stocked[1] | Not documented |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 350 x 350 x 600 mm advertised[1] | 180 x 180 x 180 mm (manufacturer figure)[2] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | Not documented | 380 x 330 x 380 mm (X x Y x Z), stated without the spool holder and external PSU - the external PSU brick needs additional desk space[2] |
| Net weight (kg) | Not documented | 4.5 kg without spool holder and external PSU[2] |
| Frame construction & material | Fully assembled professional chassis. Z axis runs on 16 mm guides with 16 mm TBI ball screws on both sides; the platform is rated to carry 30 kg[1] | Not documented |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Enclosed, with HEPA 13 air filtration and two sealed filament chambers of 1 kg each[1] | Open frame; sold with an optional Enclosure bundle[2] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Double Z-axis ball screw, 16 mm TBI on both sides, on 16 mm guides[1] | Not documented |
| Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?) | Not documented | Trinamic 2209 silent stepper drivers, with sensorless homing on the X and Y axes[2] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | 250 mm/s maximum (manufacturer claim)[1] | Not documented |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Direct-drive extruder, single[1] | Bowden extruder with 3:1 gearing - the only current Prusa FFF machine that is not direct drive[2] |
| Gear ratio & drive gear material | Not documented | 3:1 extruder gearing[2] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Not documented | 280 C claimed max nozzle temperature - lower than the 290-300 C of the i3-family machines[2] |
| Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box | 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles available[1] | Not documented |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | 100 C max heatbed temperature[2] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Not documented | Removable magnetic steel sheets in several surface finishes; heatbed with cold-corner compensation[2] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Not documented | SuperPINDA inductive probe with no temperature drift, driving automatic mesh bed levelling[2] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Spool holder location & max spool size; drybox compatibility | Two sealed filament chambers, 1 kg per chamber[1] | Not documented |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Chamber/exhaust fan & filtration (activated carbon / HEPA) | HEPA 13 filtration[1] | Not documented |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist) | Not documented | Custom 32-bit board of Prusa's Buddy family; the MINI/MINI+ is covered by the same Prusa-Firmware-Buddy source tree as the MK4, XL and CORE One. The exact board revision is not given on the product page[2][7] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Not documented | Open-source Prusa Buddy firmware. The source tree (prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy on GitHub) explicitly covers the Original Prusa MINI/MINI+, MK4, XL and CORE One and was last pushed to in August 2026. Updates are applied from a USB drive, through Prusa Connect or through the Prusa mobile app[7][8] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | Not documented | 2.8-inch 65k-colour graphic screen with G-code preview[2] |
| On-device UI capabilities (model preview, per-object controls, etc.) | Not documented | On-device colour UI with G-code preview; remote print management through Prusa Connect[2] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB, Wi-Fi, LAN[1] | USB port, RJ-45 Ethernet, optional ESP Wi-Fi module (sold separately); compatible with Prusa Connect[2] |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Not documented | Semi-assembled: Prusa ships it in a small number of pre-built sections; also historically sold as a full kit[2] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | PLA, ABS, HIPS, nylon, PETG, PC, ASA, and glass/carbon-fibre reinforced grades[1] | PLA, PETG, ASA, ABS, PC, CPE, PVA/BVOH, PVB, HIPS, PP, Flex, nGen, Nylon, Woodfill and other filled materials (Prusa's own list; the 100 C bed and open frame are the practical limit for ABS/ASA)[2] |
| Safety | ||
| Thermal runaway protection (verify in firmware source if at all possible) | Not documented | Three thermistors and fan RPM sensors are fitted, and the firmware is open-source and auditable (Prusa-Firmware-Buddy); Prusa does not describe the thermal-runaway implementation on the product page[2][7] |
| Noise & Power Consumption | ||
| Noise: claimed dB and independently measured dB (distance/method) | Less than 50 dB claimed by the manufacturer. No independent measurement; distance and method not stated[1] | Not documented |
| Reliability, Support & Ecosystem | ||
| Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes) | Not documented | 2-year warranty for consumers in the EU, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland; 1 year for EU enterprises and 1 year for the rest of the world, which includes the United States. A printer bought from a reseller or privately carries 1 year from the original delivery date and is handled by the reseller. Prusa advertises 24/7 chat and e-mail support in seven languages[9][8] |
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
- FlashForge Guider 3 Plus technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List, January 2025 Edition) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa 3D printers category listing with live e-shop prices, Aug 2026 prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- FlashForge Guider 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Flashforge Guider 3 Ultra product page (refurbished listing) flashforge.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 10th Anniversary Edition product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- GitHub - prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy (firmware for MINI, MK4, XL and CORE One) github.com · 2026-08 · doc
- Original Prusa MK4S 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + CORE One+/MK4S/XL comparison table) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa Knowledge Base - Warranty help.prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · doc