QIDI 3D Printers and PLA

QIDI's focus

QIDI Tech's printer pages put engineering filaments up front. All three models covered here use CoreXY motion, list nozzle temperatures of 350°C or higher and a 120°C bed, and describe chamber heating. The X-Max 3 page goes further and lists PAHT-CF, PET-CF and PA12-CF as its recommended materials, with PLA under compatible. QIDI also states on its own pages that the Q1 Pro has been replaced by the Q2 and the X-Max 3 by the Max4. Our research does not yet include QIDI's newer models, so they are not covered here.

Is a QIDI printer worth it for PLA?

For a PLA-only buyer, much of what QIDI emphasizes goes unused: heated chambers, 350°C hot ends and hardened parts exist for ABS, ASA, nylon and fiber-filled grades. PLA softens at far lower temperatures than those materials, so a heated chamber is not something PLA needs. Where QIDI does make sense is the buyer who prints PLA most days but wants a machine already set up for tougher materials, without buying an enclosure or a hardened nozzle later.

• Mixed PLA and ABS or ASA in a smaller footprint: Q1 Pro.
• A 305mm bed, the hottest nozzle in the range and optional color via the QIDI Box: Plus4.
• Carbon-filled nylon and the largest bed: X-Max 3.

Q1 Pro

QIDI's Q1 Pro page (opens in a new tab) lists a 245 x 245 x 240mm print size, a 350°C print head, a 120°C bed and 600mm/s maximum tool head speed. It uses a direct extruder with hardened steel gears and a 0.4mm bimetal nozzle, has 60°C independent chamber heating, a camera and Wi-Fi. QIDI recommends PLA, ABS, ASA and PETG, and lists TPU, PA, PC and fiber-reinforced grades as compatible.

Plus4

The Plus4 tech specs (opens in a new tab) describe an enclosed printer with a 305 x 305 x 280mm volume, a 370°C print head, a 120°C bed and a chamber heater rated to 65°C. Top tool head speed is 600mm/s. It has a bimetal nozzle, a direct extruder, a camera, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and QIDI states it is compatible with the QIDI Box for multi-color printing. The material list runs from PLA and PETG through ABS, ASA, PA and PC to carbon and glass fiber grades.

X-Max 3

The X-Max 3 page (opens in a new tab) lists a 325 x 325 x 315mm build, a 350°C extruder, a 120°C bed, 600mm/s and 65°C chamber heating with a carbon filter fan. QIDI lists two 0.4mm nozzle types for it: copper alloy for common filaments and hardened steel for abrasive ones. PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU and PC sit on its compatible list.

Plus4 and its siblings side by side

The three share the 120°C bed and 600mm/s tool head maximum, so size, nozzle ceiling and the QIDI Box are what separate them. The Plus4 is the only one of the three that QIDI pairs with a color system.

Competing brands

• Creality: the K2 Plus (opens in a new tab) also pairs a 350°C nozzle, a heated chamber and a color feeder.
• Prusa: the Core One has an enclosed CoreXY frame with a chamber Prusa rates to 55°C (opens in a new tab).
• Bambu Lab: the H2D lists PPA-CF and PPS on an enclosed, hardened-nozzle platform.
• Sovol: the SV08 offers a large CoreXY bed for buyers who mainly print PLA and do not need chamber heat.

Running PLA on a QIDI

QIDI does not sell a PLA line in our research, so any 1.75mm spool whose published nozzle range fits will do; every QIDI here takes 1.75mm filament. Most PLA makers publish ranges well under these printers' limits: Prusament PLA is listed at 200 to 220°C (opens in a new tab), for instance. Check your spool's own maximum speed as well, since a 600mm/s tool head is far above what many standard PLA lines are rated for.

Per-printer spool checks are on the Q1 Pro filament list, the Plus4 filament list and the X-Max 3 filament list. If you buy filament in volume for a large-bed QIDI, the bulk PLA page compares big listings on price per kilogram of net filament.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the chamber heater for PLA?

No. Chamber heating on QIDI printers is there for materials such as ABS, ASA and nylon. PLA softens at much lower temperatures, so follow QIDI's own guidance for PLA chamber and door settings.

Which QIDI printer supports multi-color printing?

Of the three here, QIDI lists QIDI Box compatibility only for the Plus4. The Q1 Pro and X-Max 3 pages do not state any color system.

Are the Q1 Pro and X-Max 3 discontinued?

QIDI's own pages say the Q1 Pro has been replaced by the Q2 and the X-Max 3 by the Max4. Existing stock may still appear in the offer grid.

Which nozzle does the X-Max 3 use?

QIDI lists both a copper alloy nozzle for common filaments and a hardened steel nozzle for abrasive ones, each 0.4mm.