3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K S vs Rat Rig V-Core 4
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K S comparisonsMore Rat Rig V-Core 4 comparisons
| Property | Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K SRESIN | Rat Rig V-Core 4COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | Phrozen | Rat Rig |
| Class | RESIN | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K S 7.1" LCD 3D Printer. Manufacturer number 51010040501102[1][2][3] | Rat Rig V-Core 4, sold in the US as "RatRig V-Core 4 3D Printer Kit"[4] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $270.00 on us.phrozen3d.com, backordered with an end-of-September ETA, checked Aug 2026. The collection page rendered it as unavailable on the same day[3][2] | $2,319.99 at Fabreeko for the fully-specified US kit (price includes shipping and duty in the continental USA), Batch 4, checked Aug 2026. 300 mm ABS-parts variant in stock, 400 mm down to one unit. Rat Rig's own base kit is priced separately in EUR[4][5] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Phrozen's 7.1-inch line is easy to confuse: the Sonic Mini 8K S ($270) sits beside the older Sonic Mini 8K ($340, sold out) and the 5.5-inch Sonic Mini ($129.99). The 10.1-inch Sonic Mighty family is a different size class entirely. The 8K S is the only one of the group with a single linear rail and a lead screw rather than a ball screw[2][1][3][6] | Three sizes (300, 400, 500 mm cubes) and three motion configurations: Standard CoreXY, Hybrid CoreXY (+$149.99, adds two motors to Y), and IDEX with two independent toolheads (+$450.00). Superseded by the V-Core 4.1. Raspberry Pi and enclosure panels are not included[4][5] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Not documented | Superseded by the V-Core 4.1, which adds a steel X gantry, a full-metal toolhead, improved part cooling, 8 mm beds on the 400 and 500 sizes and pre-made cables. Rat Rig sells a 4.1 upgrade kit for existing V-Core 4 owners[5] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 165 x 72 x 170 mm[1][3] | 300 x 300 x 300, 400 x 400 x 400 or 500 x 500 x 500 mm. Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[4][5] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 290 x 290 x 430 mm[1][3] | Not documented |
| Net weight (kg) | 10 kg[1][3] | Not documented |
| Frame construction & material | Black textured housing with a neon-green plastic cover[1] | 30-series aluminium extrusion with printed ABS structural parts[4][5] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Open-frame MSLA with a UV-blocking plastic cover[1] | Open by default; enclosure panels sold separately[4] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | MSLA, single Z axis on one linear rail with a lead screw, straight-lift peel[1][3] | CoreXY, or Hybrid CoreXY, or Hybrid CoreXY IDEX depending on the configuration ordered[4] |
| X-axis guide type (rods / linear rails / V-wheels; size) | One linear rail; lead screw (not a ball screw)[1][3] | Not documented |
| Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?) | Not documented | TMC2209[4] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Not documented | LDO Orbiter 2.0 direct-drive extruder[4] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Not documented | Phaetus Rapido 2.0 UHF[4] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Not documented | Keenovo silicone bed heater[4] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Not documented | Beacon eddy-current probe[4] |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Nidec 4028 part-cooling fan[4] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist) | Not documented | BigTreeTech Octopus[4] |
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | 24 V DC, 2 A[3] | Not documented |
| Total rated power draw | 48 W maximum system power[3] | Not documented |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Not named by Phrozen. Native file format .PRZ; compatible slicers CHITUBOX, Lychee and VoxelDance Tango[1][3] | RatOS, Rat Rig's Klipper distribution[5] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 3.5-inch touch panel (control panel — not the masking LCD, see W1)[3] | Not documented |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB only[1][3] | Not documented |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Not documented | Self-assembly kit; Raspberry Pi and enclosure panels sourced separately[4] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | 405 nm photopolymer resin; no closed compatibility list published[1] | Not documented |
| Resin & MSLA | ||
| Masking LCD | 7.1-inch 8K monochrome masking LCD, XY pixel pitch 22 um. Phrozen does not publish the pixel count for this model[1][3] | Not documented |
| Light source | Linear projection LED module. Wavelength not published for this model[1][3] | Not documented |
| Vertical print speedmm/h | Max 80 mm/h (manufacturer claim). Phrozen does not state the layer height or resin type the figure assumes[3] | Not documented |
| Layer height range | 0.01-0.30 mm[3] | Not documented |
| Release film | FEP film — note this is plain FEP, whereas the Sonic Mighty Revo 14K ships nFEP. No rated life published[3][6] | Not documented |
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
- Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K S technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Phrozen US 3D printer collection (live prices and stock) us.phrozen3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K S 7.1" LCD 3D Printer product page us.phrozen3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- RatRig V-Core 4 kit (US distributor listing) fabreeko.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 product page ratrig.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Phrozen Sonic Mighty Revo 14K 10.1" LCD 3D Printer product page us.phrozen3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor