3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
Original Prusa MINI+ vs QIDI X-Smart 3
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Original Prusa MINI+ comparisonsMore QIDI X-Smart 3 comparisons
| Property | Original Prusa MINI+BEDSLINGER | QIDI X-Smart 3COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | Prusa Research | QIDI |
| Class | BEDSLINGER | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer[1] | QIDI X-Smart 3, listed in QIDI navigation as X-Smart3[2][3] |
| Release date (announcement and actual shipping) | Not documented | Not published by QIDI on the pages checked (Aug 2026)[2][3] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $508.33 on prusa3d.com, Aug 2026[4] | $399 on QIDI's official US page, which routes purchases to its AliExpress and Amazon stores; checked Aug 2026[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][5] | Entry model of the 3-series. Unlike the X-Plus 3 and X-Max 3 it has no heated chamber, a 300 °C rather than 350 °C hotend, a brass rather than copper-alloy/hardened-steel nozzle head, and no Ethernet. It shares the Cortex-A53 board with them, so control-board specs must not be read as shared print specs[2][6][7] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 180 x 180 x 180 mm (manufacturer figure)[1] | 175 x 180 x 170 mm advertised[2][3] |
| 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] | 370 x 362 x 397 mm[2] |
| Net weight (kg) | 4.5 kg without spool holder and external PSU[1] | 10.5 kg[2] |
| Frame construction & material | Not documented | QIDI publishes no frame-material breakdown for this model[2] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Open frame; sold with an optional Enclosure bundle[1] | No heated chamber. 3DJake's table records "Heated chamber: No"; QIDI does not describe an enclosure for this model[2] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | Not documented | CoreXY[2][3] |
| 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 documented | <=500 mm/s (manufacturer claim)[2][3] |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | 20,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s) | Not documented | 30 mm3/s extruder flow (manufacturer claim)[2][3] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Bowden extruder with 3:1 gearing - the only current Prusa FFF machine that is not direct drive[1] | Direct-drive extruder, single, 1.75 mm filament[2][3] |
| Gear ratio & drive gear material | 3:1 extruder gearing[1] | Not documented |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Not documented | Brass nozzle head. 0.4 mm stock, 0.2/0.6/0.8 mm optional[2][3] |
| 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] | <=300 °C claimed[2][3] |
| Stock nozzle material (brass / hardened steel / plated copper / composite tip) | Not documented | Brass[2] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | 100 C max heatbed temperature[1] | <=120 °C claimed[2][3] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Removable magnetic steel sheets in several surface finishes; heatbed with cold-corner compensation[1] | Double-sided flexible magnetic RF plate[2] |
| 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] | 16-point automatic bed levelling per QIDI's US page; probe technology not named[3] |
| Mesh grid size (probe point count — firmware evidence) | Not documented | 16 points (QIDI's US page). Not verified against firmware[3] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Filament runout sensor (type, location) | Not documented | Filament detection fitted; type and location not published[2] |
| 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][8] | Not documented |
| Host computer (SoC, RAM, storage) if firmware runs on embedded Linux | Not documented | Cortex-A53 64-bit at 1.5 GHz, 1 GB DDR3, 8 GB eMMC[2] |
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | Not documented | 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz[2] |
| Total rated power draw | Not documented | 350 W rated[2] |
| 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[8][9] | Klipper[3] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 2.8-inch 65k-colour graphic screen with G-code preview[1] | 4.3-inch touchscreen[3] |
| 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-drive | USB port, RJ-45 Ethernet, optional ESP Wi-Fi module (sold separately); compatible with Prusa Connect[1] | Wi-Fi and USB. No Ethernet listed for this model[2][3] |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Semi-assembled: Prusa ships it in a small number of pre-built sections; also historically sold as a full kit[1] | Not documented |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | 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)[1] | Not documented |
| 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][8] | 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[10][9] | 1-year coverage (QIDI standard store terms)[11] |
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
- Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List, January 2025 Edition) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech X-Smart 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI X-Smart 3 official US page qidiusa.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa 3D printers category listing with live e-shop prices, Aug 2026 prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 10th Anniversary Edition product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech X-Plus 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech X-Max 3 technical data table 3djake.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
- QIDI Max4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor