Printer comparison
Rat Rig V-Core 4 vs Snapmaker J1s
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 J1s comparisons
| Property | Rat Rig V-Core 4COREXY | Snapmaker J1sIDEX |
|---|---|---|
| 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 J1S High Speed IDEX 3D Printer[2][3] |
| 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][4] | $1,399.00 at MatterHackers, listed as currently unavailable with a pre-order option quoting roughly 5 weeks, 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 Superseded by the V-Core 4.1.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][4] | The J1s differs from the original J1 by an additional part-cooling fan. Usable volume depends on the print mode: 300 x 200 x 200 mm in default and backup modes, 160 x 200 x 200 in copy mode, 150 x 200 x 200 in mirror mode[2][3] |
| Market position: superseded?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 | Superseded by the V-Core 4.1, which adds a steel X gantry, a full-metal toolhead, improved part cooling, 8 mm beds on the 400 and 500 sizes and pre-made cables.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[4] | 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][4] | 300 x 200 x 200 mm in default and backup modes[2] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | Not documented | 539 x 401 x 464 mm[2] |
| Net weight (kg) | Not documented | 25 kg net[2] |
| Frame construction & material | 30-series aluminium extrusion with printed ABS structural parts[1][4] | Aluminium-alloy frame with one-piece die casting and linear rails; Snapmaker quotes rail repeatability of +/-0.03 mm in X/Y and +/-0.02 mm in Z[3] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Open by default; enclosure panels sold separately[1] | Not documented |
| 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 extruders[2][3] |
| X-axis guide type (rods / linear rails / V-wheels; size) | Not documented | Linear rails[3] |
| Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?) | TMC2209[1] | Not documented |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | Not documented | 350 mm/s maximum (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | 10,000 mm/s2 maximum (manufacturer claim)[3] |
| 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][3] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | 100 °C maximum (manufacturer claim)[2] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Keenovo silicone bed heater[1] | Custom dual-sided PEI glass plate: glossy glass on one face, PEI coating on the other[2][3] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Beacon eddy-current probe[1] | 3-point bed levelling, which Snapmaker contrasts with 9-16 point systems; assisted calibration quoted at about 10 minutes[3] |
| 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 |
| Host computer (SoC, RAM, storage) if firmware runs on embedded Linux | Not documented | 1 GB RAM, 8 GB eMMC; the 5-inch display runs Android[2] |
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | Not documented | AC 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz, 4.4 A max input; DC 24 V, 400 W max output[2] |
| Total rated power draw | Not documented | 400 W maximum output[2] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | RatOS, Rat Rig's Klipper distribution[4] | Not named by Snapmaker; the supplied slicer is Luban, with third-party software supported[2] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | Not documented | 5-inch Android display, 1280 x 720[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, HIPS, PC, TPU, TPE, PETG, ASA, PP, PVA, PA, PA-GF, PA-CF[2] |
| Noise & Power Consumption | ||
| Noise: claimed dB and independently measured dB (distance/method) | Not documented | Less than 50 dBA claimed by the manufacturer. No independent measurement; distance and method not stated[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 J1S High Speed IDEX 3D Printer listing matterhackers.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Snapmaker J1s product page snapmaker.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 product page ratrig.com · 2026-08 · vendor