Anycubic Kobra 3Discontinued
- Price
- $299
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 3/5
Last recorded price. Replaced by the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo at $499.
Anycubic Kobra 3 vs Elegoo Neptune 4 Max
- Buy the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max at $469.
- The Anycubic Kobra 3 scores higher, 8.2 vs 7 out of 10, but it is discontinued.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Elegoo Neptune 4 Max
- Price
- $469
- Score
- 7/10
- Wins
- 0/5
The verdict
Buy the Neptune 4 Max.
The Kobra 3 scores higher but is discontinued. The Neptune 4 Max wins on value for large-format Klipper printing. The Artillery Sidewinder X4 is the competitor at $349; the extra $120 buys you better software support and a slightly larger build volume.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Kobra 3Anycubic · FDM
vsNeptune 4 MaxElegoo · FDM
| Kobra 3 | Spec | Neptune 4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| $299 (wins) | Price | $469 |
| 16.3 L | Build volume | 84.7 L (wins) |
| 600 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 9 kg | Weight | 22 kg |
Features
| Kobra 3 | Feature | Neptune 4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | CoreXY | No |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | Yes |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Direct drive | Yes |
| No | Klipper firmware | Yes |
| No | PEI build plate | Yes |
| No | 420x420x480mm build | Yes |
Value math
$299 ÷ 16.3 L and $469 ÷ 84.7 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Kobra 3 | Spec | Neptune 4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| $18.40 | $ per liter | $5.54 (wins) |
| $0.50 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.94 |
Scores out of 10
| Kobra 3 | Spec | Neptune 4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 9 |
| 8 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 5 |
| 8 (wins) | Print Quality | 7 |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 7 |
| 7 | Reliability | 7 |
| 8.2 (wins) | Overall | 7 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 250 × 250 × 260 mm
- 420 × 420 × 480 mm
What owners say
600mm/s CoreXY for $299 is wild. Anycubic has really stepped up their game.
Kobra 3 owner, r/3DprintingSolid standalone machine. Add the ACE Pro later if you want multi-color.
Kobra 3 owner, Teaching Tech (YouTube)420mm Klipper for $469. Elegoo just won the large format budget race.
Neptune 4 Max owner, r/3DprintingPrinted a full cosplay breastplate in one go. Absolutely remarkable value.
Neptune 4 Max owner, r/cosplay
Pros & Cons
Kobra 3
- +CoreXY at 600mm/s for $299 is Bambu A1 territory
- +WiFi and camera come standard without paying extra
- +Add the ACE Pro multi-color system later if you want it
- −Anycubic's slicer software is behind Bambu Studio in polish and usability
- −No multi-color out of the box: the A1 Combo at $399 already includes it
Neptune 4 Max
- +420x420x480mm with Klipper for $469: the price-to-volume ratio is hard to beat
- +Direct drive on a bed this large is unusual and useful for flexible materials
- +Klipper gives you full control to tune speed and acceleration for the mass of this bed
- −Open frame at this scale means ABS warping will ruin prints without serious prep
- −The sheer footprint means a dedicated table minimum; don't try to share desk space
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 3 better than the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max?
By the numbers, the Anycubic Kobra 3 scores higher (8.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max may be the smarter buy if you need large-prints.
Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Kobra 3 or Elegoo Neptune 4 Max?
The Anycubic Kobra 3 is more beginner-friendly (8/10 vs 5/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max worth $170 more than the Anycubic Kobra 3?
The Anycubic Kobra 3 actually scores higher (8.2/10) despite costing $170 less. The Elegoo Neptune 4 Max only makes sense if you specifically need large-prints.
What's the main difference between Anycubic Kobra 3 and Elegoo Neptune 4 Max?
Build volume (250x250x260mm vs 420x420x480mm) and print speed (600 vs 500 mm/s). The Anycubic Kobra 3 is best for speed; the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max targets large-prints.