Prusa Core One: Innovating or Catching Up?

Disclosure: The Core One was provided to me by Prusa free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not received any other compensation. All opinions expressed are my own, and Prusa has had no influence on the content of this review.

The Prusa Core One is the eagerly awaited ‘next-gen’ CoreXY 3D printer from Prusa. Building on the reliable MK4, it offers an upgrade path with an enclosure and components to create a CoreXY. This printer delivers impressive speed and precision, catering to both hobbyists and professionals. Its modular design ensures easy maintenance and future upgrades.

Unboxing 

Packaging Quality

As I have come to expect from Prusa, the packaging is top notch, with easy to remove handles and plenty of foam and cardboard to fully secure the Core One. It, of course, came with Haribo gummy bears (the best part of unboxing a Prusa).

Assembly/Build Quality

At first, I thought the Prusa came with panel gaps in the steel frame, but I have learned that these are intentional and are actually very consistent. After realizing this, I can confidently say that the Prusa Core One is built like a tank. Everything is snug and tight with no wiggling, vibrating components, or any play in any of the systems.

First Print and Impressions

The startup and initial print was a seamless process. Turning on the Core One, you are greeted with a self explanatory walkthrough of the setup and initial calibration. My first print was the 3dBenchy, printed in ASA.

Hardware and Specs

Based on the MK4, the Core One upgrades the build volume from 250x210x220 to 250x220x270 using essentially the same components. The frame is laser cut and powder coated steel. The internal printed components are Prusament PC-CF. These printed parts are a welcome upgrade over the traditionally PETG printed parts from Prusa printers. One of the standout features is the cutouts on the left and right sides of the printer to house an integrated spool holder and accessories. For me, the defining feature of these cutouts is that the internal air volume is heavily reduced. This means the build plate needs to heat up less air volume, making it more consistent when printing higher temperature materials like ASA, Nylon, and PC.

Software and UI

Software is where Prusa dominates the consumer market (and even some industrial printers). Prusaslicer, built on the open-source Sli3r, is the base for many other slicers, from Bambu Studio to Orca slicer, and even many skinned variations from other companies. Prusa has long been a leader in the development of these slicers and feature additions. As for the UI on the printer, I think the small scroll wheel-driven screen is user-friendly and easy to understand, but is a little lacking when compared to the competition that uses touchscreens with a more modern UI.

Test Prints and Performance

Time-lapses and Camera

Unfortunately my unit didn’t come with a camera, but one is available for purchase, though at this time, it’s only utilized for quick snapshot views for overall print status indication. There is no way to do a video live feed, or make a timelapse, since it only sends one frame per second.

Print Examples

Actual Print Speed

While this is not the fastest printer I have overall, it is very consistent and is my fastest TPU printer. With the travel speed maxing out at 320mm/s, this is still quite a fast printer, but there is an emphasis on quality over speed. The Core One can reach 600mm/s for travel speed, but I do prefer the slower print speeds for better quality.

Actual Material Capabilities

The Core One comes with a standard brass nozzle. This limits some of its capabilities with reinforced filaments. I was only able to test “pure” polymers with no additives. I was able to successfully print PLA, PETG, TPU (95a, 92a, and 90a, though it has been a nightmare trying to dry the 92a TPU), and ASA/ABS. I did try PA6, but it warped too much during the printing. I think it’s a real miss on Prusa’s part to not include a hardened nozzle from the factory, and that the days of plain brass nozzles are long gone in favor of so many more capabilities. I did want to test reinforced filaments, but the Diamondback Nextruder nozzle I ordered is still delayed from arriving past the point of this review. I have full faith in the Core One’s ability to print all the above mentioned materials with reinforcement once the nozzle is hardened.

Noise Level

The Prusa Core One is one of the quietest CoreXY printers I have seen in a long time. With minor peaks around 60db and valleys around 40db, I am averaging ~48db. I am totally comfortable having the Core One running right next to me—I can hardly tell it’s running. When I crank up the speed, I am seeing a higher average, much closer to the 60db peaks, but it’s still on the quieter side, especially compared to competitors like Flashforge and Bambu Labs.

Reliability and Maintenance

I had one issue on the Core One: a print failure in ASA that resulted in a buildup around the whole hotend. In trying to clear this up, the Nextruder nozzle that came with my machine was damaged and I needed a replacement. The nozzles are fairly priced and ship quickly from Prusa. I do want to note that I reached out to my contact at Prusa and they expeditiously fixed my issue. Upon further discussion with the Prusa team, I have come to realize that everything is fixable on the Core One. Contrary to many of the other closed-off competitors, Prusa has printable replacement parts and offers every single component in their shop to fix and replace as you need. There is no locking down any part of the Core One. From the ground up, the Core One continues Prusa’s affinity for user repairability and upgradability.

Cost and Value

The Core One has both kit and assembled versions. The kit is priced at $949, while the assembled printer costs $1,199. These prices reflect the higher end of the consumer CoreXY price range. With the ease of repairability and upgradeability, and no need to be attached to the cloud, I think these prices are worth it. Prusa is leading the way with user repairability and open-source software development with Prusa slicer. The Core One offers so much more in terms of capabilities and stability over the Mk4s. I personally think the Core One is far worth its price tag.

Pros

• Repairability
• Low operating noise
• Open-source slicer
• Quality of components
• Ease of use
• Offline usability
• 90a TPU capability

Cons

• Premium price
• Brass nozzle comes standard
• Onboard UI is dated

Summary

The Prusa Core One, a next-generation CoreXY 3D printer based on the MK4, offers an enclosed design, upgraded components, and a larger 250x220x270mm build volume, delivering impressive speed, precision, and modularity for hobbyists and professionals. Its robust steel frame, high-quality Prusament PC-CF parts, and innovative side cutouts for spool holders ensure consistent high-temperature printing, though the standard brass nozzle limits reinforced filament use.

PrusaSlicer leads in open-source slicer development, but the printer’s scroll-wheel UI feels dated compared to more modern touchscreens. With reliable performance, accurate prints, and strong TPU capabilities, it achieves print speeds up to 320mm/s, prioritizing quality. The Core One is notably quiet, averaging ~48dB, and maintains Prusa’s commitment to repairability, with affordable, accessible parts resolving rare issues like an ASA print failure. Priced at $949 (kit) or $1,199 (assembled), the premium cost is justified by its offline usability, open-source ethos, and durability. Overall, the Core One is a top-tier choice for those valuing quality, repairability, and user-friendly design, despite minor drawbacks like the dated UI.