Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
- Price
- $199
- Score
- 8.4/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Creality Ender 3 V3 KE vs Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
- The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE wins, 8.4 vs 8 out of 10.
- Near-same build volume (220×220×250 vs 220×220×240 mm, 1.04×).
- The Ender 3 V3 KE is faster (500 ÷ 250 = 2.0×) and costs $19 ($218 − $199) less. Easy pick.
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
- 1/5
The verdict
Buy the Ender 3 V3 KE.
8.4/10 vs Ender 3 V3 SE's 8/10, and it wins 2 of 5 categories. The V3 KE is the best $199 printer when WiFi and Klipper matter to you. The Bambu A1 Mini is the alternative at the same price; pick Bambu for polish, pick this for Klipper access and community customization.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Ender 3 V3 KECreality · FDM
vsEnder 3 V3 SECreality · FDM
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| $199 (wins) | Price | $218 |
| 11.6 L | Build volume | 12.1 L (wins) |
| 500 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 250 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 8 kg | Weight | 7.8 kg |
Features
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Feature | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Klipper firmware | No |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | Yes |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | PEI build plate | Yes |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Color screen | No |
| No | Direct drive extruder | Yes |
Value math
$199 ÷ 11.6 L and $218 ÷ 12.1 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| $17.13 (wins) | $ per liter | $18.02 |
| $0.40 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.87 |
Scores out of 10
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Value | 10 |
| 8 | Beginner Friendliness | 9 (wins) |
| 8 (wins) | Print Quality | 7 |
| 8 (wins) | Speed | 6 |
| 8 | Reliability | 8 |
| 8.4 (wins) | Overall | 8 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 220 × 220 × 240 mm
- 220 × 220 × 250 mm
What owners say
Klipper and WiFi for $199? Creality is not playing around anymore.
Ender 3 V3 KE owner, r/CrealityThe KE is what the Ender 3 should have been years ago. Solid printer.
Ender 3 V3 KE owner, 3DPrintBeginner (YouTube)The 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
Ender 3 V3 KE
- +Klipper with WiFi at $199: normally this combination costs $299+
- +Direct drive comes standard, not as a $40 upgrade
- +500mm/s is real and achievable with the pre-installed Klipper profiles
- −Open frame makes ABS printing inconsistent
- −220mm bed is smaller than some $199 competitors
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 Creality Ender 3 V3 KE better than the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
By the numbers, the Creality Ender 3 V3 KE scores higher (8.4/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE may be the smarter buy if you need beginners.
Which is better for beginners, Creality Ender 3 V3 KE or Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE is more beginner-friendly (9/10 vs 8/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE worth $19 more than the Creality Ender 3 V3 KE?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE actually scores higher (8.4/10) despite costing $19 less. The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE only makes sense if you specifically need beginners.
What's the main difference between Creality Ender 3 V3 KE and Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
Build volume (220x220x240mm vs 220x220x250mm) and print speed (500 vs 250 mm/s). The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE is best for budget; the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE targets beginners.