Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
- Price
- $218
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE vs Prusa Core One
- The Prusa Core One wins, 8.2 vs 8 out of 10.
- Prusa Core One prints 1.2× the volume (250×220×270 ÷ 220×220×250 = 1.23) for $981 ($1,199 − $218) more.
- Prusa Core One 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.
Prusa Core One
- Price
- $1,199
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 3/5
The verdict
Buy the Prusa Core One.
8.2/10 vs Ender 3 V3 SE's 8/10, and it wins 3 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.
Ender 3 V3 SECreality · FDM
vsPrusa Core OnePrusa Research · FDM
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| $218 (wins) | Price | $1,199 |
| 12.1 L | Build volume | 14.8 L (wins) |
| 250 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s (wins) |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 7.8 kg | Weight | 22.5 kg |
Features
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Feature | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | Direct drive extruder | No |
| Yes | PEI build plate | 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 |
Value math
$218 ÷ 12.1 L and $1,199 ÷ 14.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| $18.02 (wins) | $ per liter | $80.74 |
| $0.87 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $2.40 |
Scores out of 10
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (wins) | Value | 6 |
| 9 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 7 | Print Quality | 10 (wins) |
| 6 | Speed | 8 (wins) |
| 8 | Reliability | 10 (wins) |
| 8 | Overall | 8.2 (wins) |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 220 × 220 × 250 mm
- 250 × 220 × 270 mm
What owners say
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/ender3Finally, 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
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
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
- −$1,199 assembled 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 Ender 3 V3 SE 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 Ender 3 V3 SE may be the smarter buy if you need beginners.
Which is better for beginners, Creality Ender 3 V3 SE or Prusa Core One?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE is more beginner-friendly (9/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Prusa Core One worth $981 more than the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
The Prusa Core One scores higher overall (8.2/10 vs 8/10). The extra $981 gets you prusa reliability is not marketing. it's earned over years..
What's the main difference between Creality Ender 3 V3 SE and Prusa Core One?
Build volume (220x220x250mm vs 250x220x270mm) and print speed (250 vs 500 mm/s). The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE is best for beginners; the Prusa Core One targets precision.