3D Printing Info

Printer comparison

Original Prusa MK4 vs UltiMaker S7

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

2 selected · all documented properties

Original Prusa MK4 vs UltiMaker S7 — documented properties and sources
PropertyOriginal Prusa MK4BEDSLINGERUltiMaker S7INDUSTRIAL
Identity
BrandPrusa ResearchUltiMaker
ClassBEDSLINGERINDUSTRIAL
Identity & Market
Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first)Original Prusa MK4[1]UltiMaker S7[2]
Release date (announcement and actual shipping)Announced 29 March 2023 with assembled printers shipping immediately from stock; kits opened for ordering about two weeks later[1]Not documented
Launch MSRP (USD)1099 USD assembled, 799 USD as a kit, VAT included, at launch[1]Not documented
Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry)Not documented$5,999.00 for the standard model at 3D Universe, in stock, checked Aug 2026[2]
Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk)Superseded by the MK4S, which is the same machine plus a 360-degree turbine part-cooling fan, a high-flow CHT nozzle and firmware/profile work; Prusa sold a 99 USD MK4-to-MK4S upgrade kit and automatically converted unshipped MK4 orders to the S version. The MK3.5 and MK3.9 upgrades convert an MK3S+ to part of the MK4 electronics stack but are not an MK4[3][1]Same 330 x 240 x 300 mm envelope as the S5 and S8. The S7 is distinguished from the S5 by a PEI-coated flexible build plate (rather than glass) and dual-band Wi-Fi; from the S8 by nozzle temperature (S8 reaches 340 °C) and speed (S8 quotes 500 mm/s and 50,000 mm/s2)[2][4][5]
Market position: superseded? successor announced?Discontinued. No MK4 appears in Prusa's Aug 2026 3D-printer listing, and the MK4 product-page slugs redirect to the MK4S page, so no live first-party price could be recorded[6][3]Superseded by the S8, launched March 2025, which UltiMaker markets as four times more productive[5][7]
Physical & Frame
Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable250 x 210 x 220 mm (manufacturer figure)[1]330 x 240 x 300 mm[2]
Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang)Not documented495 x 585 x 780 mm with the spool holder[2]
Frame construction & materialDie-cast aluminium frame - Prusa replaced the MK3S+'s cut-aluminium frame for the MK4, keeping only the Y-axis profiles, some bearings, the heatbed and the power supply[1]Fully assembled professional chassis[2]
Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lidOpen frame; the Original Prusa Enclosure is an optional add-on[1]Not documented
Kinematics & Motion Hardware
Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other)Cartesian bed-slinger of the Prusa i3 family - Prusa's MK4 announcement records that the MK3S+ Y-axis profiles and heatbed were carried over[1]Dual-extrusion gantry with auto nozzle-lifting and swappable print cores; kinematic layout not published[2]
Stepper motors (frame size, step angle, brand if known)400-step (0.9 degree) stepper motors, stated by Prusa to prevent vertical fine artefacts[1]Not documented
Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?)Trinamic TMC2130-LA silent stepper drivers on the xBuddy board[1]Not documented
Speed & Acceleration
Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s)Not documentedBuild speed under 24 mm3/s (manufacturer figure)[2]
Extruder
Type (direct drive / bowden) & design nameNextruder direct drive with a planetary gear system, 1:10 gearbox ratio; aluminium heatsink, all-metal hotend, no PTFE tube in the filament path[1]Dual extrusion with swappable print cores[2]
Gear ratio & drive gear material1:10 planetary gearbox[1]Not documented
Filament diameterNot documented2.85 mm[2]
Hotend & Nozzle
Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?)Quick-swap nozzle system, 0.4 mm default, other diameters supported[1]Not documented
Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values)300 C claimed max hotend temperature in Prusa's MK4 announcement table - note the MK4S product page publishes 290 C for the same hotend family[1][8]Not documented
Stock nozzle size & sizes included in boxNot documented0.4 mm standard; 0.25, 0.6 and 0.8 mm available separately[2]
Heated Bed & Surface
Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit120 C max heatbed temperature[1]PEI-coated flexible build plate, 20-140 °C[2]
Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sidedMagnetic heatbed with removable PEI spring-steel sheets; compatible with the MK3 sheets (smooth PEI, satin, textured PEI, PA nylon)[1]PEI-coated flexible build plate[2]
Leveling & Z-Offset
Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe)Load-cell sensor: fully automatic first-layer calibration with the nozzle as the probe, plus automatic mesh bed levelling over the print area[1]Not documented
Filament Handling & Detection
Filament runout sensor (type, location)Built-in Hall-effect filament sensor supporting automatic filament loading[1]Not documented
Electronics & Power
Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist)Custom 32-bit xBuddy board with STM32, designed and built in-house, with a separate extruder breakout board[1]Not documented
PSU (brand, wattage, rail voltage)240 W Delta PSU with hardware power panic[1]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[9][8]Not documented
Connectivity, UI & Camera
Display: size, type, touch?3.5-inch 65k-colour graphic screen[1]Not documented
On-device UI capabilities (model preview, per-object controls, etc.)On-device colour UI with one-click printing and status LEDs; Prusa Link is integrated and Prusa Connect adds remote printing[1]Not documented
WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-driveEthernet built in, optional ESP Wi-Fi module delivered with the printer, USB drive; print files can also arrive over LAN or the internet via Prusa Connect[1]Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, LAN, USB[2]
Materials Support
Officially supported filament listPrusa's launch table says "any thermoplastic including Nylon and Polycarbonate"; the enclosure is still needed in practice for ABS/ASA-class materials[1]Not documented
Safety
Thermal runaway protection (verify in firmware source if at all possible)xBuddy hardware overcurrent protection disconnects heater and heatbed power when total current exceeds 15 A; firmware is open-source and auditable[1][9]Not documented
Noise & Power Consumption
Noise: claimed dB and independently measured dB (distance/method)Not documentedUnder 50 dBA operating sound, manufacturer figure. No independent measurement[2]
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][8]Not documented
Independently Measured Performance
Dimensional accuracy measurements (third-party, with numbers)Not documentedXYZ resolution 6.9 / 6.9 / 2.5 micron (manufacturer specification)[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. Prusa blog - Original Prusa MK4 is here (published 29 March 2023), including the MK4 specification table and launch prices blog.prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · doc
  2. UltiMaker S7 product listing shop3duniverse.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Prusa blog - The Original Prusa MK4S is Here! (published 12 August 2024) blog.prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · doc
  4. UltiMaker S5 3D Printer listing matterhackers.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. UltiMaker S8 3D Printer listing matterhackers.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Prusa 3D printers category listing with live e-shop prices, Aug 2026 prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. New UltiMaker S8 high-speed 3D printer: technical specifications and pricing 3dprintingindustry.com · 2026-08 · review
  8. Original Prusa MK4S 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + CORE One+/MK4S/XL comparison table) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. GitHub - prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy (firmware for MINI, MK4, XL and CORE One) github.com · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Prusa Knowledge Base - Warranty help.prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · doc