Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
- Price
- $218
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 5/5
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE vs Voxelab Aquila X2
- The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE wins, 8 vs 6.6 out of 10.
- Same build volume (220×220×250 mm).
- The Ender 3 V3 SE is faster (250 ÷ 180 = 1.4×) for $39 ($218 − $179) more.
- Pick the Aquila X2 unless print time is your bottleneck.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Voxelab Aquila X2
- Price
- $179
- Score
- 6.6/10
- Wins
- 0/5
The verdict
Buy the Ender 3 V3 SE.
8/10 vs Aquila X2's 6.6/10, and it wins 5 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.
Ender 3 V3 SECreality · FDM
vsAquila X2Voxelab · FDM
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Spec | Aquila X2 |
|---|---|---|
| $218 | Price | $179 (wins) |
| 12.1 L | Build volume | 12.1 L |
| 250 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 180 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 7.8 kg | Weight | 7.8 kg |
Features
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Feature | Aquila X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | Direct drive extruder | No |
| Yes | PEI build plate | No |
| No | Resume printing | Yes |
| No | Filament runout sensor | Yes |
| No | Glass build plate | Yes |
| No | Silent stepper drivers | Yes |
Value math
$218 ÷ 12.1 L and $179 ÷ 12.1 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Spec | Aquila X2 |
|---|---|---|
| $18.02 | $ per liter | $14.79 (wins) |
| $0.87 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.99 |
Scores out of 10
| Ender 3 V3 SE | Spec | Aquila X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (wins) | Value | 9 |
| 9 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 7 (wins) | Print Quality | 6 |
| 6 (wins) | Speed | 4 |
| 8 (wins) | Reliability | 7 |
| 8 (wins) | Overall | 6.6 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 220 × 220 × 250 mm
- 220 × 220 × 250 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/ender3Solid starter printer. Not flashy, but it works and teaches you the fundamentals.
Aquila X2 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
Aquila X2
- +Silent stepper drivers mean it runs without disturbing the room
- +Manual leveling teaches you what auto-leveling actually does
- +Ender 3-compatible mods are everywhere and cheap
- −Manual bed leveling is a chore you'll do every few prints until you upgrade it
- −Bowden extruder makes TPU printing a frustrating exercise
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 Voxelab Aquila X2?
By the numbers, the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE scores higher (8/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Voxelab Aquila X2 may be the smarter buy if you need budget.
Which is better for beginners, Creality Ender 3 V3 SE or Voxelab Aquila X2?
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 Creality Ender 3 V3 SE worth $39 more than the Voxelab Aquila X2?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE scores higher overall (8/10 vs 6.6/10). The extra $39 gets you auto-leveling that works on the first try, not the fourth.
What's the main difference between Creality Ender 3 V3 SE and Voxelab Aquila X2?
Build volume (220x220x250mm vs 220x220x250mm) and print speed (250 vs 180 mm/s). The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE is best for beginners; the Voxelab Aquila X2 targets budget.