3D Printing Info

Printer comparison

Original Prusa MINI+ vs QIDI Plus4

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

2 selected · all documented properties

Original Prusa MINI+ vs QIDI Plus4 — documented properties and sources
PropertyOriginal Prusa MINI+BEDSLINGERQIDI Plus4COREXY
Identity
BrandPrusa ResearchQIDI
ClassBEDSLINGERCOREXY
Identity & Market
Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first)Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer[1]QIDI Plus4, sold as "Plus4 3D Printer". QIDI's own wiki files it under X-Plus4[2][3]
Release date (announcement and actual shipping)Not documentedAnnounced September 2024; QIDI ran launch promotional pricing in the week of 20-27 September 2024 (secondary reporting, not a QIDI press release)[4]
Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry)$508.33 on prusa3d.com, Aug 2026[5]$649.00 on us.qidi3d.com for the Plus4 + 1 filament variant against a $799.00 compare-at price; $699.00 on qidi3d.com against $799.00. Checked Aug 2026[2][3]
Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk)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+[1][6]Two purchasable variants: Plus4 + Filament x1 at $649 and Plus4 Combo + Filament x1 at $799 (Combo adds the QIDI Box multi-material unit). Distinct from the older X-Plus 3 (280x280x270, 350 °C) and from the newer Plus5 (320x320x300)[3][2]
Market position: superseded? successor announced?Not documentedSuperseded at the top of the large-format line by the Plus5, launched 5 August 2026 with 18% more build volume; Plus4 still listed and in stock Aug 2026[7][8]
Physical & Frame
Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable180 x 180 x 180 mm (manufacturer figure)[1]305 x 305 x 280 mm advertised. No independently measured usable envelope found[2][4]
Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang)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[1]505 x 487 x 550 mm[4]
Net weight (kg)4.5 kg without spool holder and external PSU[1]32 kg gross (3DJake). QIDI does not publish a net weight on the product page[4]
Frame construction & materialNot documentedEnclosed CoreXY chassis with double-layer chamber insulation; QIDI does not publish a frame material breakdown[2]
Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lidOpen frame; sold with an optional Enclosure bundle[1]Fully enclosed, double-layer insulated chamber with second-generation active heating to 65 °C[2][4]
Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred)Not documented65 °C, actively heated by a 400 W heater which QIDI says reaches setpoint in about 8 minutes (manufacturer claim)[2][4]
Kinematics & Motion Hardware
Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other)Not documentedCoreXY[4]
Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlashNot documentedDual independent Z motors on 10 mm linear shafts and screws[2]
Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?)Trinamic 2209 silent stepper drivers, with sensorless homing on the X and Y axes[1]Not documented
Speed & Acceleration
Max print speed (claimed, mm/s)Not documented600 mm/s (manufacturer claim, tool-head maximum)[4]
Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²)Not documented<=20,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[4]
Extruder
Type (direct drive / bowden) & design nameBowden extruder with 3:1 gearing - the only current Prusa FFF machine that is not direct drive[1]Direct drive with hardened steel dual gears, 1.75 mm filament[2][4]
Gear ratio & drive gear material3:1 extruder gearing[1]Not documented
Hotend & Nozzle
Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?)Not documentedSecond-generation 80 W bimetal hotend with a multi-metal composite hardened-tip nozzle; 0.4 mm standard, 0.2/0.5/0.8 mm optional[2][4]
Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values)280 C claimed max nozzle temperature - lower than the 290-300 C of the i3-family machines[1]<=370 °C claimed. No firmware max_temp verified for this model[2][4]
Heater cartridge power (W)Not documented80 W hotend heater (manufacturer figure)[2]
Heated Bed & Surface
Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit100 C max heatbed temperature[1]Conflicting manufacturer figures: QIDI's own Plus4 page states a 100 °C bed temperature, 3DJake's spec table states <=120 °C. Not resolved; the lower vendor-published figure is used as the sortable value[2][4]
Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sidedRemovable magnetic steel sheets in several surface finishes; heatbed with cold-corner compensation[1]6 mm aluminium-substrate heated bed with a double-sided textured PEI plate[2][4]
Leveling & Z-Offset
Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe)SuperPINDA inductive probe with no temperature drift, driving automatic mesh bed levelling[1]Full-auto calibration; QIDI markets "hands-free automatic" levelling and does not name the probe technology on the product page[2][4]
Filament Handling & Detection
Filament runout sensor (type, location)Not documentedFilament run-out sensor, plus a filament cutter and filament tangle detection (tangle mechanism not described)[4]
Multi-material/multi-color capability or official upgrade pathNot documentedQIDI Box multi-material unit supported; sold bundled as the Plus4 Combo[2][3]
Cooling & Air Handling
Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting designNot documentedAuxiliary part-cooling fan plus a chamber circulation fan; fan sizes and duct design not published[4]
Electronics & Power
Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist)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[1][9]Not documented
Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto)Not documented100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz[4]
Total rated power drawNot documented450 W plus 400 W for chamber heating (rated)[4]
Firmware & Openness
Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary)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[9][10]Klipper v0.12, described by QIDI as open source. Fork details and current release not published on the product page[2]
Connectivity, UI & Camera
Display: size, type, touch?2.8-inch 65k-colour graphic screen with G-code preview[1]5-inch touchscreen, 800 x 480[2][4]
On-device UI capabilities (model preview, per-object controls, etc.)On-device colour UI with G-code preview; remote print management through Prusa Connect[1]Not documented
WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-driveUSB port, RJ-45 Ethernet, optional ESP Wi-Fi module (sold separately); compatible with Prusa Connect[1]Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Ethernet, USB[2][4]
Cloud service & phone app; LAN-only mode possible?Not documentedMobile and computer control, remote cloud or LAN-only operation[2]
Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps)Not documentedBuilt-in low-frame-rate camera, up to 1080p, timelapse supported[2][4]
Calibration Routines & QoL
Assembly level & time from unbox to first printSemi-assembled: Prusa ships it in a small number of pre-built sections; also historically sold as a full kit[1]QIDI claims about 10 minutes from unbox to printing[2]
Power-Loss & Interruption Recovery
Power-loss recovery: mechanism (how is state saved? capacitor / eeprom / file on shutdown?)Not documentedPower-loss recovery listed; mechanism not published[4]
Materials Support
Officially supported filament listPLA, 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)[1]PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU, PA, PC, PA-CF/GF, PET-CF/GF, PPA-CF/GF, PPS-CF and other CF/GF-filled polymers[2][4]
Safety
Thermal runaway protection (verify in firmware source if at all possible)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[1][9]Not documented
Reliability, Support & Ecosystem
Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes)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[11][10]1-year coverage, 14-day no-reason return, 30-day price protection[2]

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. Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List, January 2025 Edition) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. QIDI Plus4 product page (global store) qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. QIDI Plus4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. QIDI Tech Plus4 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Prusa 3D printers category listing with live e-shop prices, Aug 2026 prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 10th Anniversary Edition product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. QIDI Plus5 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. QIDI Plus5 launch write-up 3dprintbeginner.com · 2026-08 · review
  9. GitHub - prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy (firmware for MINI, MK4, XL and CORE One) github.com · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Original Prusa MK4S 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + CORE One+/MK4S/XL comparison table) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Prusa Knowledge Base - Warranty help.prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · doc