Creality Ender 3 V3
- Price
- $289
- Score
- 8.4/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Creality Ender 3 V3 vs Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
- The Creality Ender 3 V3 wins, 8.4 vs 8 out of 10.
- Same build volume (220×220×250 mm).
- The Ender 3 V3 is faster (600 ÷ 250 = 2.4×) for $71 ($289 − $218) more.
- Pick the Ender 3 V3 SE 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.
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
- Price
- $218
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 1/5
The verdict
Buy the Ender 3 V3.
8.4/10 vs Ender 3 V3 SE's 8/10, and it wins 2 of 5 categories. If you want real speed on a real budget and you're not precious about WiFi or a camera, this is the answer. It's a meaningful step up from the V3 SE and doesn't cost much more.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Ender 3 V3Creality · FDM
vsEnder 3 V3 SECreality · FDM
| Ender 3 V3 | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| $289 | Price | $218 (wins) |
| 12.1 L | Build volume | 12.1 L |
| 600 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 250 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 8.6 kg | Weight | 7.8 kg |
Features
| Ender 3 V3 | Feature | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | CoreXZ | No |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | Yes |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | PEI build plate | Yes |
| Yes | Klipper firmware | No |
| No | Direct drive extruder | Yes |
Value math
$289 ÷ 12.1 L and $218 ÷ 12.1 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Ender 3 V3 | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| $23.88 | $ per liter | $18.02 (wins) |
| $0.48 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.87 |
Scores out of 10
| Ender 3 V3 | Spec | Ender 3 V3 SE |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 9 | Beginner Friendliness | 9 |
| 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 × 250 mm
- 220 × 220 × 250 mm
What owners say
Klipper at this price point is a game changer. This is what the Ender 3 should have always been.
Ender 3 V3 owner, Modbot (YouTube)Huge upgrade from my V3 SE. Speed difference alone is worth it.
Ender 3 V3 owner, r/CrealityThe 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
- +CoreXZ architecture at $289 is genuinely absurd value
- +Klipper comes pre-installed, no flashing required
- +600mm/s keeps up with machines twice the price
- −No WiFi means you're walking to the printer with a USB stick
- −No enclosure: ABS will warp, ABS will warp, ABS will warp
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.
Read the full breakdown
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Creality Ender 3 V3 better than the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
By the numbers, the Creality Ender 3 V3 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 or Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
Both score 9/10 for beginners. Go with the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE to save $71.
Is the Creality Ender 3 V3 worth $71 more than the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 scores higher overall (8.4/10 vs 8/10). The extra $71 gets you corexz architecture at $289 is genuinely absurd value.
What's the main difference between Creality Ender 3 V3 and Creality Ender 3 V3 SE?
Build volume (220x220x250mm vs 220x220x250mm) and print speed (600 vs 250 mm/s). The Creality Ender 3 V3 is best for beginners; the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE targets beginners.