Anycubic Kobra X vs Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
Researched by Riley Hart · prices checked Nov 4, 2026
As of Nov 4, 2026, the Anycubic Kobra X costs $299 and the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra costs $284, so the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra is $15 cheaper. The Anycubic Kobra X has a published review score and ranks #1 in our 3D printers ranking; the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra is not scored yet. Pick the Anycubic Kobra X for beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints. Pick the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra for tabletop gamers and beginners printing miniatures. The Anycubic Kobra X wins 2 of 3 points we can measure.
Who wins, point by point
The Anycubic Kobra X wins 2 of 3 points we can measure. Built from today's prices, the specs and independent tests for these two robots.
| Kobra X | Mars 5 Ultra | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price today | $299 | $284 | Mars 5 Ultra |
| Build volume | 260 x 260 x 260 mm | 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm | Kobra X |
| Release year | 2026 | 2024 | Kobra X |
- You care most about build volume (260 x 260 x 260 mm vs 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm)
- You want the newer model (2026 vs 2024)
- Best for beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints
- You want to spend less (saves $15)
- Best for tabletop gamers and beginners printing miniatures
- Build volume
- 260 x 260 x 260 mm
- Max speed
- Up to 600 mm/s
- Multicolor
- Native 4 colors from
- Enclosure
- No
Budget 4 color printer with fast swaps and no external box
Full Anycubic Kobra X review, pros and cons →- Build volume
- 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm
- Max speed
- Up to 150 mm/h
- Multicolor
- No
- Enclosure
- Yes
Compact 9K resin printer for miniatures with a built in AI camera
Full Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra review, pros and cons →Side by side
| Anycubic Kobra X | Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $284 |
| 3 year cost | $299 | $284 |
| Our score | 9.1/10 | Not scored yet |
| Rank in 3D printers | #1 | #31 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 1 year on 3D printers, 14 day no reason return (Anycubic store) | Not checked |
| Build volume | 260 x 260 x 260 mm (Anycubic) | 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm (The Gadgeteer, Elegoo spec) |
| Print speed | Up to 600 mm/s, 300 mm/s recommended; up to 20,000 mm/s2 acceleration (Anycubic). TechRadar printed a stock Benchy in about 33 minutes | Up to 150 mm/h (Elegoo); Tom's Hardware printed a Rocket Bust in 2 h 27 min |
| Multi color | Native 4 colors from the ACE Gen 2 in the toolhead, up to 19 with ACE 2 Pro units (Anycubic). Swaps took about 35 s versus 90 s or more on a Bambu Lab A1 (Tom's Hardware) | No, resin printer prints one resin at a time |
| Enclosure | No, open frame | Yes, lift off UV blocking cover with no hinge (The Gadgeteer) |
| Auto leveling | Yes, LeviQ 3.0 auto leveling with automatic Z offset (Anycubic) | Yes, factory leveled with auto leveling before each print (Tom's Hardware) |
| Max nozzle temp | 300 C, 0.4 mm hardened steel nozzle, tool free swap (Anycubic, Tom's Hardware) | Not applicable, resin (MSLA) printer with no nozzle |
| Heated bed | Yes, up to 100 C with PEI spring steel plate (Anycubic); TechRadar listed 110 C | No |
| Filament types | PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, PLA-CF, PETG-CF, ASA; ABS for single material prints (Anycubic) | Not applicable, uses 405 nm resin (The Gadgeteer) |
| Connectivity | Dual band Wi-Fi, app, cloud, LAN and USB (Anycubic, Tom's Hardware) | USB and Wi-Fi (Tom's Hardware) |
| Camera | Yes, 720p with privacy cover and AI spaghetti detection (Tom's Hardware, TechRadar) | Yes, AI camera for failed print detection and timelapse; detection only works once the model rises above the vat edge (Tom's Hardware) |
| Noise | 48 dB or less (Anycubic claim); Tom's Hardware found it quiet but its unit had a squeak | n/a |
| Assembly | About 5 minutes to assemble plus about 30 minutes of calibration (TechRadar) | Practically plug and play (Tom's Hardware) |
| Weight | About 9.5 kg; 455.4 x 445.3 x 461.3 mm (Anycubic) | 8.8 kg; 260 x 268 x 451.5 mm (Tom's Hardware) |
| Resolution | n/a | 7 inch 9K mono LCD, 8520 x 4320, 18 x 18 micron XY; layers 0.01 to 0.2 mm (The Gadgeteer) |
| Best for | beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints | tabletop gamers and beginners printing miniatures |
| Skip if | you need an enclosed printer for ABS or ASA parts | you need large resin parts or cannot ventilate the room |
Specs are maker claims unless a reviewer is named. Prices from the stores we link, checked daily.
What reviewers found
Anycubic Kobra X
- Tom's Hardware: Editor's Choice. Color swaps averaged about 35 s versus 90 s or more on a Bambu Lab A1. A four color castle took 13 h 10 min with 150 g of purge, versus 23 h 8 min and 229 g on the A1. Source
- TechRadar (4.5/5): Scored 25.5 of 28 in print tests with 0.144 mm average XY error. About 4 kg of filament ran reliably even at around 10 C in a workshop. Purge waste was only slightly lower than on the Kobra 3. Source
Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
- Tom's Hardware: Editor's Choice. A Rocket Bust printed in 2 h 27 min, 46 min faster than the Saturn 4 Ultra. Fine chain mail detail on miniatures. The laser etched plate held prints so tightly the reviewer had to cut first layer exposure. Source
- The Gadgeteer: A support free test model printed well. The printer froze a few times mid print but resumed after a power cycle with no visible defect. Strong chemical smell; the Mars Mate purifier mostly removed it. Source
Questions buyers ask
Which is better, the Anycubic Kobra X or the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
The Anycubic Kobra X has a published review score and ranks #1 in our 3D printers ranking; the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra is not scored yet. Pick the Anycubic Kobra X for beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints. Pick the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra for tabletop gamers and beginners printing miniatures.
Which is cheaper?
The Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra at $284, versus $299 for the Anycubic Kobra X, checked Nov 4, 2026.
What is the difference between the Kobra X and the Mars 5 Ultra?
Build volume: 260 x 260 x 260 mm (Anycubic) on the Kobra X, 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm (The Gadgeteer, Elegoo spec) on the Mars 5 Ultra. Print speed: Up to 600 mm/s, 300 mm/s recommended; up to 20,000 mm/s2 acceleration (Anycubic)… on the Kobra X, Up to 150 mm/h (Elegoo); Tom's Hardware printed a Rocket Bust in 2 h 27 min on the Mars 5 Ultra. Multi color: Native 4 colors from the ACE Gen 2 in the toolhead, up to 19 with ACE 2 Pro units… on the Kobra X, No, resin printer prints one resin at a time on the Mars 5 Ultra.
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