3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
Positron V3.2 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 Positron V3.2 comparisonsMore Rat Rig V-Core 4 comparisons
| Property | Positron V3.2COREXY | Rat Rig V-Core 4COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | Positron3D | Rat Rig |
| Class | COREXY | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | LDO Positron v3.2 3D Printer Kit, revision v3.2 Rev A[1] | Rat Rig V-Core 4, sold in the US as "RatRig V-Core 4 3D Printer Kit"[2] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | Not documented | $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[2][3] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | The defining trait is the inverted geometry: the print head is below the bed and the machine prints upside down. Sold as a self-assembly kit; the complete printed-parts set is a separate purchase. A hard storage case is included[1] | 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 Superseded by the V-Core 4.1.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[2][3] |
| Market position: superseded?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 | Not documented | Superseded by the V-Core 4.1, which adds a steel X gantry, a full-metal toolhead, improved part cooling, 8 mm beds on the 400 and 500 sizes and pre-made cables.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[3] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 180 x 180 x 165 mm[1] | 300 x 300 x 300, 400 x 400 x 400 or 500 x 500 x 500 mm. Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[2][3] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 200 x 200 x 70 mm folded, 200 x 200 x 270 mm unfolded[1] | Not documented |
| Net weight (kg) | 3 kg net; 5.5 kg with the hard case[1] | Not documented |
| Frame construction & material | Folding frame designed to fit in a filament box; supplied with a black hard case[1] | 30-series aluminium extrusion with printed ABS structural parts[2][3] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Open frame[1] | Open by default; enclosure panels sold separately[2] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | CoreXY, inverted — the machine prints upside down[1] | CoreXY, or Hybrid CoreXY, or Hybrid CoreXY IDEX depending on the configuration ordered[2] |
| Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?) | Not documented | TMC2209[2] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | 250 mm/s maximum print speed (manufacturer claim)[1] | Not documented |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | 8,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[1] | Not documented |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Bowden-style, single extrusion[1] | LDO Orbiter 2.0 direct-drive extruder[2] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | PS plated-copper nozzle, 0.4 mm[1] | Phaetus Rapido 2.0 UHF[2] |
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | 260 °C maximum (manufacturer claim)[1] | Not documented |
| Stock nozzle material (brass / hardened steel / plated copper / composite tip) | Plated copper[1] | Not documented |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | 85 °C maximum bed temperature — the lowest in this group, and the reason the material list stops at PETG[1] | Not documented |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Heated removable ITO glass bed[1] | Keenovo silicone bed heater[2] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Not documented | Beacon eddy-current probe[2] |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Nidec 4028 part-cooling fan[2] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist) | LDO Positron mainboard[1] | BigTreeTech Octopus[2] |
| PSU (brand, wattage, rail voltage) | DC 24 V, 200 W[1] | Not documented |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Klipper[1] | RatOS, Rat Rig's Klipper distribution[3] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen[1] | Not documented |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet[1] | Not documented |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Self-assembly kit, manufactured in China[1] | Self-assembly kit; Raspberry Pi and enclosure panels sourced separately[2] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | PLA and PETG only, per the manufacturer[1] | 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
- LDO Positron v3.2 3D Printer Kit matterhackers.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