Creality CR-M4
- Speed
- 200 mm/s
- Score
- 6/10
- Wins
- 1/5
Creality CR-M4 vs Prusa Core One
- The Prusa Core One wins, 8.2 vs 6 out of 10.
- CR-M4 prints 6.4× the volume (450×450×470 ÷ 250×220×270 = 6.41) and costs less.
- Prusa Core One is faster, 500 vs 200 mm/s.
- Pick the Prusa Core One if your prints fit in 27 cm.
Specs from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Prusa Core One
- Speed
- 500 mm/s
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 4/5
The verdict
Buy the Prusa Core One.
8.2/10 vs CR-M4's 6/10, and it wins 4 of 5 categories. Outstanding print quality and the best support in the business. The price premium is real, though. If you don't care about the Prusa ecosystem specifically, there are better deals. If you do, it's worth every krona.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
CR-M4Creality · FDM
vsPrusa Core OnePrusa Research · FDM
| CR-M4 | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| 95.2 L (wins) | Build volume | 14.8 L |
| 200 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s (wins) |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 38 kg | Weight | 22.5 kg |
Features
| CR-M4 | Feature | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 450x450x470mm build volume | No |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | Dual Z motors | No |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | Filament runout sensor | No |
| No | Enclosed CoreXY with active chamber heating (55C) | Yes |
| No | Nextruder direct drive (10:1 planetary) | Yes |
| No | 360-degree cooling duct | Yes |
| No | Ethernet + WiFi + NFC | Yes |
| No | MMU3 multi-material compatible | Yes |
| No | Open-source firmware (PrusaSlicer) | Yes |
Scores out of 10
| CR-M4 | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| 8 (wins) | Value | 6 |
| 4 | Beginner Friendliness | 7 (wins) |
| 7 | Print Quality | 10 (wins) |
| 4 | Speed | 8 (wins) |
| 7 | Reliability | 10 (wins) |
| 6 | Overall | 8.2 (wins) |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 450 × 450 × 470 mm
- 250 × 220 × 270 mm
What owners say
Printed a life-size Iron Man helmet plus chest in two runs. Nothing else at this price does that.
CR-M4 owner, r/3DprintingIf you're doing cosplay at scale, the CR-M4 changes the game entirely.
CR-M4 owner, Prop Maker (YouTube)Finally, Prusa takes on Bambu! The Core One is better in a box.
Prusa Core One owner, Tom's HardwareRail smoothness holds up well after months of hard use, minimal belt wear, and consistent chamber heat stability.
Prusa Core One owner, Prusa ForumIf you value open source and lifetime support, Prusa is still the gold standard. Just bring your wallet.
Prusa Core One owner, r/3Dprinting
Pros & Cons
CR-M4
- +450mm build volume: print a torso, a chest plate, a full helmet in one run
- +Dual Z axis keeps a bed this large from sagging mid-print
- +Relatively affordable for the volume: comparable machines cost $1,500+
- −200mm/s is the slowest print speed on the list by a wide margin: large prints take days
- −38kg: this printer lives where you put it, forever
Prusa Core One
- +Prusa reliability is not marketing. It's earned over years.
- +55C active chamber heating handles demanding materials
- +Fully open-source, no vendor lock-in anywhere
- −The assembled price is hard to justify against the Bambu alternatives
- −Build volume is smaller than what you'd expect at this price
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 Creality CR-M4 better than the Prusa Core One?
By the numbers, the Prusa Core One scores higher (8.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Creality CR-M4 may be the smarter buy if you need large-prints.
Which is better for beginners, Creality CR-M4 or Prusa Core One?
The Prusa Core One is more beginner-friendly (7/10 vs 4/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Prusa Core One worth paying more for over the Creality CR-M4?
The Prusa Core One scores higher overall (8.2/10 vs 6/10). The extra money gets you prusa reliability is not marketing. it's earned over years..
What's the main difference between Creality CR-M4 and Prusa Core One?
Build volume (450x450x470mm vs 250x220x270mm) and print speed (200 vs 500 mm/s). The Creality CR-M4 is best for large-prints; the Prusa Core One targets precision.