3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
Rat Rig V-Core 4 vs Snapmaker Artisan
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Rat Rig V-Core 4 comparisonsMore Snapmaker Artisan comparisons
| Property | Rat Rig V-Core 4COREXY | Snapmaker ArtisanIDEX |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | Rat Rig | Snapmaker |
| Class | COREXY | IDEX |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | Rat Rig V-Core 4, sold in the US as "RatRig V-Core 4 3D Printer Kit"[1] | Snapmaker Artisan 3-in-1 (3D printing, laser, CNC)[2] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $2,319.99 at Fabreeko for the fully-specified US kit (price includes shipping and duty in the continental USA), Batch 4, checked Aug 2026. 300 mm ABS-parts variant in stock, 400 mm down to one unit. Rat Rig's own base kit is priced separately in EUR[1][3] | $2,996.00 against a $5,046.00 compare-at price on us.snapmaker.com, but marked Unavailable, checked Aug 2026[2] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Three sizes (300, 400, 500 mm cubes) and three motion configurations: Standard CoreXY, Hybrid CoreXY (+$149.99, adds two motors to Y), and IDEX with two independent toolheads (+$450.00). Superseded by the V-Core 4.1. Raspberry Pi and enclosure panels are not included[1][3] | The 3D-printing work area depends on which nozzle is used: 350 x 400 x 400 mm in dual-nozzle mode, 375 x 400 x 400 with the left nozzle only, 400 x 400 x 400 with the right nozzle only. The bed is also zoned: a 260 x 260 mm inner zone reaches 110 °C while the outer zone stops at 80 °C. A quoted "400x400x400 / 110 °C" therefore describes no single real configuration. Laser module is 10 W or 40 W[2] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Superseded by the V-Core 4.1, which adds a steel X gantry, a full-metal toolhead, improved part cooling, 8 mm beds on the 400 and 500 sizes and pre-made cables. Rat Rig sells a 4.1 upgrade kit for existing V-Core 4 owners[3] | Not documented |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 300 x 300 x 300, 400 x 400 x 400 or 500 x 500 x 500 mm. Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[1][3] | 350 x 400 x 400 mm in dual-nozzle mode (400 x 400 x 400 with the right nozzle alone)[2] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | Not documented | 580 x 620 x 634 mm bare; 665 x 943 x 705 mm with the enclosure[2] |
| Net weight (kg) | Not documented | Snapmaker publishes package weights rather than a net weight: 37.3 kg (package A) plus 25.2 kg (package B); the premium bundle splits as 37.3 + 19.5 + 1.91 kg[2] |
| Frame construction & material | 30-series aluminium extrusion with printed ABS structural parts[1][3] | Not documented |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Open by default; enclosure panels sold separately[1] | Enclosure available; the enclosed footprint is quoted separately at 665 x 943 x 705 mm[2] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | CoreXY, or Hybrid CoreXY, or Hybrid CoreXY IDEX depending on the configuration ordered[1] | IDEX — two independently driven print heads[2] |
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Not documented | Z-axis lead 8 mm; X and Y leads 40 mm[2] |
| Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?) | TMC2209[1] | TMC2209[2] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | Not documented | 180 mm/s maximum recommended print speed (manufacturer figure — a recommendation, not a peak claim)[2] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | LDO Orbiter 2.0 direct-drive extruder[1] | Not documented |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Phaetus Rapido 2.0 UHF[1] | Not documented |
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Not documented | 300 °C maximum (manufacturer claim)[2] |
| Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box | Not documented | 0.4 mm standard; 0.2, 0.6 and 0.8 mm optional[2] |
| Stock nozzle material (brass / hardened steel / plated copper / composite tip) | Not documented | Brass standard, hardened steel optional[2] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | 110 °C in the 260 x 260 mm inner zone; 80 °C in the outer zone[2] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Keenovo silicone bed heater[1] | Dual-sided textured PEI sheet[2] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Beacon eddy-current probe[1] | Not documented |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Nidec 4028 part-cooling fan[1] | Not documented |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist) | BigTreeTech Octopus[1] | Not documented |
| Total rated power draw | Not documented | Integrated controller rated 300 W + 450 W[2] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | RatOS, Rat Rig's Klipper distribution[3] | Not named by Snapmaker; the controller runs Android and the supplied software is Snapmaker Luban, with third-party software supported[2] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | Not documented | 7-inch touchscreen[2] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | Not documented | Wi-Fi, USB cable, USB flash drive[2] |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Self-assembly kit; Raspberry Pi and enclosure panels sourced separately[1] | Not documented |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | Not documented | PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU (>=90 Shore A), breakaway support, PVA, HIPS, nylon, and carbon/glass-fibre reinforced variants[2] |
| Independently Measured Performance | ||
| Dimensional accuracy measurements (third-party, with numbers) | Not documented | Repeatability +/-0.05 mm (manufacturer specification, not an independent measurement)[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
- RatRig V-Core 4 kit (US distributor listing) fabreeko.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Snapmaker Artisan 3-in-1 product page us.snapmaker.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 product page ratrig.com · 2026-08 · vendor