3D Printing Info

Printer comparison

FlashForge Guider 3 vs UltiMaker S8

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

2 selected · all documented properties

FlashForge Guider 3 vs UltiMaker S8 — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlashForge Guider 3INDUSTRIALUltiMaker S8INDUSTRIAL
Identity
BrandFlashForgeUltiMaker
ClassINDUSTRIALINDUSTRIAL
Identity & Market
Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first)FlashForge Guider 3[1]UltiMaker S8 3D Printer[2][3]
Release date (announcement and actual shipping)Not documentedLaunched March 2025; the technical-specification and pricing announcement is dated 14 March 2025[3]
Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry)Not documentedStarting at $8,999 at MatterHackers, in stock, checked Aug 2026. The launch announcement quoted approximately $9,000[2][3]
Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk)Base of a three-model series: Guider 3 (300x250x340), Guider 3 Plus (350x350x600, 250 mm/s, <50 dB, twin sealed 1 kg filament chambers) and Guider 3 Ultra (330x330x600 single-head / 300x330x600 dual-head, two extruders, 350 °C, 7-inch screen, 70 kg). Volumes and extruder counts differ across all three, so series-level spec boxes are unreliable[1][4][5]Sold as printer-only or as a Pro Bundle. The bundle is not a trim level but a different machine footprint and weight: 495 x 500 x 1210.5 mm and 47.7 kg with the 6-spool Material Station, versus 495 x 585 x 800.5 mm and 30 kg for the printer alone. Print cores AA+ 0.40 x2 are included; BB, CC+ and DD 0.40 are separate purchases[2][3]
Market position: superseded? successor announced?3DJake shows it sold out and no longer stocked; the current FlashForge store carries the Guider 3 Ultra[1][5]Not documented
Physical & Frame
Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable300 x 250 x 340 mm advertised[1]330 x 240 x 300 mm[2][3]
Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang)Not documented495 x 585 x 800.5 mm printer only; 495 x 500 x 1210.5 mm as the Pro Bundle[2][3]
Net weight (kg)Not documented30 kg printer only; 47.7 kg as the Pro Bundle[2][3]
Frame construction & materialFully assembled professional chassis[1]Fully assembled, made in Europe[2]
Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lidEnclosed with a heated chamber; 3DJake's table records "Heated chamber: Yes". Chamber temperature not published for this model[1]Enclosed, with an Air Manager UltiMaker says removes up to 95% of ultrafine particles[2][3]
Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred)Not documentedBuild-volume temperature under 50 °C with open-loop control (manufacturer figure)[2][3]
Kinematics & Motion Hardware
Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other)Not documentedDual-extrusion print head with auto nozzle-lifting, flood detection and inductive probing. UltiMaker's Cheetah motion planner uses third-order continuous motion with corner blending[2][3]
Speed & Acceleration
Max print speed (claimed, mm/s)Not documentedUp to 500 mm/s in XY (manufacturer claim)[2][3]
Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²)Not documentedUp to 50,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[2][3]
Jerk / square-corner-velocity setting (exact value)Not documentedJerk up to 100,000,000 mm/s3 (manufacturer claim)[2][3]
Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s)Not documentedUp to 35 mm3/s extrusion flow (manufacturer claim)[2][3]
Extruder
Type (direct drive / bowden) & design nameDirect-drive extruder, single[1]Dual gripper feeder with tension adjustment, release function and filament feed-rate control[2][3]
Filament diameterNot documented2.85 mm[2][3]
Hotend & Nozzle
Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?)Not documentedSwappable print cores; AA+ 0.40 x2 included, BB 0.40 / CC+ 0.40 / DD 0.40 sold separately[2][3]
Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values)Not documentedUp to 340 °C (manufacturer claim)[2][3]
Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles available[1]Not documented
Heated Bed & Surface
Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limitNot documentedUp to 120 °C on a flexible PEI plate (manufacturer claim)[2][3]
Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sidedNot documentedFlexible PEI plate[2][3]
Leveling & Z-Offset
Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe)Not documentedInductive probing, integrated into the print head[2][3]
Filament Handling & Detection
Spool holder location & max spool size; drybox compatibilityNot documentedDual spool holder with NFC recognition on the printer; the Pro Bundle substitutes a 6-spool Material Station with NFC and a dual-geared abrasion-resistant feeder[2][3]
Cooling & Air Handling
Chamber/exhaust fan & filtration (activated carbon / HEPA)Not documentedAir Manager, which UltiMaker says removes up to 95% of ultrafine particles[2][3]
Firmware & Openness
Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary)Not documentedNot published; print preparation is UltiMaker Cura 5.10 or newer, fleet management via UltiMaker Digital Factory[2][3]
Connectivity, UI & Camera
WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-driveUSB, Wi-Fi, LAN[1]Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0[2][3]
Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps)Not documentedFull HD HDR camera[2][3]
Materials Support
Officially supported filament list1.75 mm filament; 3DJake does not publish a per-material list for the base Guider 3[1]UltiMaker cites 301+ compatible materials including its own PLA, PETG, ABS, CPE, CPE+, PC, TPU and PET-CF, plus third-party grades[2]
Noise & Power Consumption
Noise: claimed dB and independently measured dB (distance/method)Not documentedUnder 50 dBA operating sound, manufacturer figure. No independent measurement; distance and method not stated[2][3]
Reliability, Support & Ecosystem
Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes)Not documented12 months, extendable to 5 years with an UltiMakerCare plan[2][3]
Independently Measured Performance
Dimensional accuracy measurements (third-party, with numbers)Not documentedDimensional accuracy +/-0.15 mm +/-0.15% of feature nominal length (manufacturer specification, not an independent measurement)[2][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 Guider 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. UltiMaker S8 3D Printer listing matterhackers.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. New UltiMaker S8 high-speed 3D printer: technical specifications and pricing 3dprintingindustry.com · 2026-08 · review
  4. FlashForge Guider 3 Plus technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Flashforge Guider 3 Ultra product page (refurbished listing) flashforge.com · 2026-08 · vendor