The Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro and Snapmaker U1 are both prosumer-tier printers, but the U1 costs 3.5× as much — so the question is what the extra money buys. Both are open-frame printers with a 500 mm/s rated top speed and automatic calibration. The U1 costs $639 more and gets you 47% more build volume and 4-slot multicolor; the Neptune 4 Pro answers with extra engineering materials (ABS and ASA).
Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who want a capable bed-slinger with Klipper firmware for customization — without Bambu's closed ecosystem or Prusa's premium pricing.
Full details →First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Multicolor and multi-material hobbyists who want a true tool changer (four separate hotends, soluble supports, TPU and PLA in one print) for well under $1,000, and tinkerers who value Klipper-based firmware they can inspect and modify.
Full details →| Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro | Snapmaker U1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $260 | $899 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Prosumer | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 225 × 225 × 265 mm | ★ 270 × 270 × 270 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ★ ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Jul 15, 2023 | Apr 10, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~450 days | — |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The Neptune 4 Pro was released on Jul 15, 2023, 1,216 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 450 days; it is now 766 days past that point and no successor has been announced.
The U1 was released on Apr 10, 2026, 216 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
On timing alone, the U1 is the safer buy right now — it launched only 216 days ago, while the Neptune 4 Pro is 766 days past its ~450-day cycle with no successor announced.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Neptune 4 Pro lists at $260 and the U1 at $899 — $639 apart, so the U1 costs 246% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $19 for the Neptune 4 Pro versus $46 for the U1 — the Neptune 4 Pro is the better value per litre as well.
With both in sale windows until Dec 5, 2026, this is a good moment to buy either — compare the live sale prices before you decide.
Our pick for most buyers is the U1, for 47% more build volume and 4-slot multicolor, plus a higher editor score (8.4 vs 7.7) and better buy-now timing. Go for the Neptune 4 Pro instead if you want to spend less — it is $639 cheaper ($260 vs $899).
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The Neptune 4 Pro ships with Klipper pre-installed — enabling advanced input shaping, pressure advance, and configuration flexibility without modding.
A 500 mm/s rated speed at a price significantly below Bambu and Prusa alternatives.
Full automatic bed leveling reduces setup time and calibration friction.
Each filament has its own preheated hotend, and swaps take about 5 seconds. Multicolor prints skip the purge tower and filament waste of single-nozzle switching systems.
Separate hotends mean PLA with PVA or breakaway supports, or rigid PLA with TPU, in one print. Single-nozzle multicolor systems handle these combinations poorly.
Snapmaker has published its Klipper, Moonraker and Fluidd forks on GitHub, and Snapmaker Orca is built on Orca Slicer. There is already an active community firmware project. RFID filament recognition stays proprietary.