3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
Original Prusa MINI+ vs Rat Rig V-Core 4.1
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 Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 comparisons
| Property | Original Prusa MINI+BEDSLINGER | Rat Rig V-Core 4.1COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | Prusa Research | Rat Rig |
| Class | BEDSLINGER | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer[1] | Rat Rig V-Core 4.1, described by Rat Rig as a large-format open CoreXY 3D printer kit[2] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $508.33 on prusa3d.com, Aug 2026[3] | Not documented |
| 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][4] | Three sizes, all at the same base-kit price. Acceleration is the size-dependent figure and the one most often mis-quoted: 15,000 mm/s2 at 300 mm, 12,000 at 400 mm, 8,000 at 500 mm. IDEX is a configuration option and changes the usable area per toolhead (copy mode 150x150x300 at the 300 size, mirror mode 95x95x300). Base kit excludes electronics. Rat Rig prices the base kit only in EUR (EUR 873.90 on sale from EUR 971.00, Aug 2026); no USD list price is published, so no USD street price is recorded here[2] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Not documented | Current revision, replacing the V-Core 4; Rat Rig sells a 4.1 upgrade kit for existing V-Core 4 machines[2] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 180 x 180 x 180 mm (manufacturer figure)[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] |
| 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] | 623.2 x 583 x 785 mm (300); 723.2 x 683 x 885 mm (400); 823.2 x 783 x 985 mm (500). Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[2] |
| Net weight (kg) | 4.5 kg without spool holder and external PSU[1] | Kit weight 35 kg (300), 45 kg (400), 55 kg (500)[2] |
| Frame construction & material | Not documented | 30-series aluminium extrusion; the 4.1 adds a steel X-axis gantry for rigidity[2] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Open frame; sold with an optional Enclosure bundle[1] | Open frame in the base kit[2] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | Not documented | CoreXY; Hybrid CoreXY and IDEX are configuration options[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 acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | Size-dependent: 15,000 mm/s2 at 300 mm, 12,000 at 400 mm, 8,000 at 500 mm (manufacturer claims)[2] |
| 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] | Full-metal skeleton toolhead, new in the 4.1[2] |
| Gear ratio & drive gear material | 3:1 extruder gearing[1] | Not documented |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| 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] | 350 °C maximum nozzle temperature (manufacturer claim)[2] |
| Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box | Not documented | 0.4 mm hardened steel and 0.6 mm included[2] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | 100 C max heatbed temperature[1] | 120 °C maximum heatbed temperature (manufacturer claim). The 400 and 500 sizes get 8 mm thick beds in the 4.1[2] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Removable magnetic steel sheets in several surface finishes; heatbed with cold-corner compensation[1] | Not documented |
| 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] | Not documented |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Improved part cooling, listed by Rat Rig as one of the 4.1 changes[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][5] | Not documented |
| 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[5][6] | RatOS 2.1 (Rat Rig's Klipper distribution)[2] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 2.8-inch 65k-colour graphic screen with G-code preview[1] | Not documented |
| 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] | Not documented |
| 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] | Self-assembly kit; the 4.1 ships pre-made cables that need no crimping, with rewritten step-by-step build documentation[2] |
| 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] | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PET, PA, PC, PVA, PLA-CF, PETG-CF, ABS-GF, ASA-CF, PA6-CF, PA6-GF, PAHT-CF, PPA-CF, PET-CF[2] |
| 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][5] | 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[7][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
- Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List, January 2025 Edition) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 product page ratrig.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
- 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