3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
QIDI i-Fast vs Snapmaker U1
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore QIDI i-Fast comparisonsMore Snapmaker U1 comparisons
| Property | QIDI i-FastIDEX | Snapmaker U1TOOLCHANGER |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | QIDI | Snapmaker |
| Class | IDEX | TOOLCHANGER |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | QIDI Tech i-Fast, also written iFast and "I-Fast"[1][2] | Snapmaker U1 3D Printer[3] |
| Release date (announcement and actual shipping) | Not published on the listings checked (Aug 2026)[1][2] | Not documented |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $1,899.00 at Top 3D Shop, listed as discontinued with a 5-10 business-day lead time, checked Aug 2026. 3DJake no longer sells it[2][1] | $849.00 against a $999.00 compare-at price on us.snapmaker.com, but the listing is marked Unavailable, checked Aug 2026[3] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Ships with two interchangeable dual-extruder assemblies — a standard dual head and a high-temperature dual head rated to 350 °C. Specifications quoted for one head do not apply to the other. Not to be confused with QIDI's i-Mate or the X-CF Pro[2][1] | An optional top cover changes what the machine can print: without it PLA/PETG/TPU/PVA/PCTG; with it ABS, ASA, PA, PC and PET are added; with the top cover AND a hardened-steel nozzle, carbon- and glass-fibre grades. A stated material list for the U1 is therefore meaningless without saying which configuration it refers to[3] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Discontinued; QIDI's current line is the Q, Plus and Max series[2][4] | Not documented |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 330 x 250 x 320 mm advertised[1][2] | 270 x 270 x 270 mm[3] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 710 x 510 x 670 mm[2] | 584 x 499 x 730 mm[3] |
| Net weight (kg) | 33 kg net[2] | 18.2 kg[3] |
| Frame construction & material | Fully assembled enclosed metal-frame machine[1] | Not documented |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Fully enclosed with a heated chamber[1][2] | Open as sold; a top cover is an optional accessory that raises the supported material range[3] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | Dual independent extruders in an enclosed Cartesian gantry[1][2] | Four independent toolheads on a changer; Snapmaker quotes a 5-second swap[3] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | 30-150 mm/s print speed range (manufacturer figure — a working range, not a peak marketing number)[2] | 500 mm/s maximum toolhead speed (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | 20,000 mm/s2 maximum (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s) | Not documented | 32 mm3/s maximum hotend flow (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| Vibration Compensation / Input Shaping | ||
| Input shaping supported? Implementation (Klipper IS / Marlin ZV / proprietary) | Not documented | Input shaping with an accelerometer, run as a calibration routine[3] |
| Extrusion Pressure Control | ||
| Pressure advance (Klipper) / linear advance (Marlin) supported? | Not documented | Pressure advance, with automatic flow compensation calibration[3] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Direct-drive, two extruders. MK10-style nozzle[1][2] | Not documented |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | 350 °C on the high-temperature extruder assembly[1][2] | 300 °C maximum (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box | 0.4 mm nozzle diameter[2] | Not documented |
| Stock nozzle material (brass / hardened steel / plated copper / composite tip) | Not documented | Stainless steel as standard; hardened steel needed for fibre-filled grades[3] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | 100 °C maximum (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Not documented | Flexible steel sheet with a PEI surface[3] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Not documented | Mesh bed levelling. Automatic toolhead offset calibration is done by coordinate measuring[3] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Filament runout sensor (type, location) | Not documented | Filament run-out detection, plus air-printing detection and RFID filament recognition[3] |
| Multi-material/multi-color capability or official upgrade path | Not documented | Four toolheads with auto-feed and a backup mode; toolhead swap error detection, build-plate presence and obstruction detection[3] |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Main plus auxiliary part-cooling fans[3] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | 110-220 V[2] | Not documented |
| Total rated power draw | 700 W rated[2] | Maximum input power 1150 W at 220-240 V, 400 W at 100-120 V; maximum input current 6 A / 4 A respectively[3] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Not documented | Klipper[3] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | Not documented | 3.5-inch, 320 x 480 touchscreen[3] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | Wi-Fi, LAN, USB flash drive[1][2] | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz (802.11b/g/n) and USB flash drive. No Ethernet listed[3] |
| Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps) | Not documented | 2 MP built-in chamber camera for live view[3] |
| Power-Loss & Interruption Recovery | ||
| Power-loss recovery: mechanism (how is state saved? capacitor / eeprom / file on shutdown?) | Not documented | Power-loss recovery supported; mechanism not published[3] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | Carbon fibre, nylon, PETG, TPU, PC, ABS, PLA[2] | Base: PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, PCTG. With the optional top cover: adds PET, ABS, ASA, PA, PC. With top cover and a hardened-steel nozzle: adds carbon- and glass-fibre-reinforced polymers[3] |
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
- QIDI Tech i-Fast technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech i-Fast Dual Extruder FDM 3D Printer listing top3dshop.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Snapmaker U1 product page us.snapmaker.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI US store full product collection us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor