🖨 3D Printer Radar

Prusa Research Mini+vsQidi Tech Plus4

💰Prusa Research Mini+ is $240 cheaper (52% less)
📐Qidi Tech Plus4 has 347% more build volume
⚡Qidi Tech Plus4 tops out at 600 mm/s vs 200 mm/s
🏠Only Qidi Tech Plus4 has an enclosure — required for ABS, ASA, PA engineering filaments
Cross-ecosystem comparison: These printers use different software ecosystems. Accessories, filament profiles, and community support are not interchangeable between brands. Consider the total ecosystem cost, not just the printer price.
Prusa Research Mini+
Buy/Wait:Wait

Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest

Best for: Beginners who prioritize open-source hardware, community support, and long-term reliability over speed — and don't mind a slower, more deliberate printing experience.

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Qidi Tech Plus4
Buy/Wait:Superseded

This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Plus5.

Best for: Makers and small businesses who need a large enclosed build volume for engineering materials at a prosumer price — particularly those printing PA-CF, ABS, and PC at scale. Look for clearance deals — the Plus5 is the current model.

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Prusa Research Mini+Qidi Tech Plus4
Pricing
Starting Price★ $459$699
Print Specs
TierEntryProsumer
MotionBedSlingerCoreXY
Build Volume180 × 180 × 180 mm★ 305 × 305 × 280 mm
Max Speed200 mm/s★ 600 mm/s
Multicolor❌ No★ ✅ 4 slots
Enclosure❌★ ✅
Auto Calibration✅✅
Open Source★ ✅❌
Upgrade Kit——
Buy Timing
ReleasedApr 25, 2021Sep 20, 2024
Cycle length~730 days~408 days
Cycle adviceWaitSuperseded
Deals adviceBuyClearance
Next model——

Quick Winner

💰
Budget pick
Prusa Research Mini+
$459 starting
📐
Large prints
Qidi Tech Plus4
305×305×280 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Qidi Tech Plus4
600 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Prusa Research Mini+
Open source

Bottom Line

💰Prusa Research Mini+ saves you $240 — choose it if budget is your primary constraint
🏠Qidi Tech Plus4 is the only choice if you print ABS, ASA, PA, or PC — those materials require an enclosure
🎨Qidi Tech Plus4 is the pick if multicolor printing is important to you
🔓Prusa Research Mini+ is the pick for open firmware, community mods, and long-term repairability

Materials

Prusa Research Mini+ only
—
Both
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative — outdoor parts, needs enclosure
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
Qidi Tech Plus4 only
ABSHeat and impact resistant — needs enclosure
PANylon — strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon — very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate — extremely tough, challenging to print
PPS-CFExtreme temperature and chemical resistance

Why buy each?

Prusa Research Mini+

Proven reliability over 5+ years

The Mini+ has been on the market since 2021 and has proven its durability with thousands of community print-hours logged.

Fully open source and repairable

Prusa stocks replacement parts for all Mini+ components. Community guides cover every repair scenario.

Affordable Prusa entry point

The lowest-cost way to enter the Prusa ecosystem with a fully supported printer.

Qidi Tech Plus4

305×305×280 mm build volume

One of the largest build volumes in the prosumer enclosed category — 40% more printable area than the Bambu X1C at a lower price point.

Active 65°C chamber heating

The second-generation active heating delivers consistent chamber temperatures for PA, PA-CF, ABS, ASA, and PC with minimal warping across the full build plate.

370°C bimetal hotend

Handles high-performance engineering composites including PA-CF, PET-CF, and PPS-CF without requiring a separate hotend upgrade.