Anycubic Kobra 2 MaxDiscontinued
- Price
- $399
- Score
- 7/10
- Wins
- 1/5
Last recorded price, not a current one.
Anycubic Kobra 2 Max vs Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
- The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE wins, 8 vs 7 out of 10.
- Kobra 2 Max prints 7.3× the volume (420×420×500 ÷ 220×220×250 = 7.29) for $181 ($399 − $218) more.
- Kobra 2 Max is faster, 500 vs 250 mm/s.
- Pick the Ender 3 V3 SE if your prints fit in 25 cm.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
- Price
- $218
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 3/5
The verdict
Buy the Ender 3 V3 SE.
8/10 vs Kobra 2 Max's 7/10, and it wins 3 of 5 categories. Under $250, this is still the safe answer. The community alone is worth something when you're learning. Creality's newer V3 is faster but costs more; the V3 SE is the baseline you graduate from.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Kobra 2 MaxAnycubic · FDM
vsEnder 3 V3 SECreality · FDM
| Kobra 2 Max | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| $399 | Price | $218 (wins) |
| 88.2 L (wins) | Build volume | 12.1 L |
| 500 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 250 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 20.5 kg | Weight | 7.8 kg |
Features
| Kobra 2 Max | Feature | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 420x420x500mm build | No |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | Yes |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | PEI build plate | Yes |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| No | Direct drive extruder | Yes |
Value math
$399 ÷ 88.2 L and $218 ÷ 12.1 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Kobra 2 Max | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| $4.52 (wins) | $ per liter | $18.02 |
| $0.80 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.87 |
Scores out of 10
| Kobra 2 Max | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 5 | Beginner Friendliness | 9 (wins) |
| 7 | Print Quality | 7 |
| 7 (wins) | Speed | 6 |
| 7 | Reliability | 8 (wins) |
| 7 | Overall | 8 (wins) |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 420 × 420 × 500 mm
- 220 × 220 × 250 mm
What owners say
420mm bed for $399. Anycubic has cracked the large-format budget code.
Kobra 2 Max owner, r/cosplayPrinted a full set of armor gauntlets in one run. These huge-bed printers change what's possible.
Kobra 2 Max owner, r/3DprintingThe V3 SE sets a new baseline for cheap 3D printing.
Ender 3 V3 SE owner, All3DPBest $200 I ever spent on a hobby. Prints great out of the box.
Ender 3 V3 SE owner, r/ender3
Pros & Cons
Kobra 2 Max
- +420x420x500mm for $399 is the largest bed you'll find at this budget
- +Direct drive at this scale handles flexible filament when needed
- +WiFi means you're not walking over with a USB stick for every job
- −Open frame on a 420mm heated bed means serious adhesion prep is mandatory
- −Full bed heating at this size takes 10+ minutes to reach temp
Ender 3 V3 SE
- +Auto-leveling that works on the first try, not the fourth
- +Direct drive means you can print TPU without fighting the extruder
- +r/ender3 has 200,000 members who've fixed every problem you'll ever have
- −250mm/s max is half what CoreXY printers do at this price in 2024
- −Open frame, no WiFi, no camera: this is a no-frills machine
Buy these with it
A printer does nothing without these. Grab them in the same order.
- ELEGOO PLA filament, 1kgThe easy filament to start on. Prints at low temperatures and warps less.
- ELEGOO PETG filament, 1kgTougher and more heat tolerant than PLA, for parts that get handled or sit in the sun.
- SUNLU filament dryer S1 PlusWet filament causes stringing and rough surfaces. A dryer fixes that before you blame the printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Anycubic Kobra 2 Max better than the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
By the numbers, the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE scores higher (8/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Anycubic Kobra 2 Max may be the smarter buy if you need large-prints.
Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Kobra 2 Max or Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE is more beginner-friendly (9/10 vs 5/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Anycubic Kobra 2 Max worth $181 more than the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE actually scores higher (8/10) despite costing $181 less. The Anycubic Kobra 2 Max only makes sense if you specifically need large-prints.
What's the main difference between Anycubic Kobra 2 Max and Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
Build volume (420x420x500mm vs 220x220x250mm) and print speed (500 vs 250 mm/s). The Anycubic Kobra 2 Max is best for large-prints; the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE targets beginners.