Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer Review: The New Benchmark for Hobbyist Speed?

I still remember the hum of my first 3D printer, a machine that felt like pure magic. But that magic came with a price: time. A simple Dungeons & Dragons miniature could take six hours. A functional prototype for a project? A full day, maybe more. For years, the world of hobbyist 3D printing has been a trade-off. You could have affordability, or you could have speed, but you rarely got both. This slow pace can be a creativity killer, turning an exciting idea into a multi-day slog. The frustration of a 12-hour print failing at the 90% mark is something every veteran maker knows intimately. We’ve yearned for a machine that could keep up with our ideas, one that bridges the gap between budget-friendly workhorses and expensive, high-speed industrial printers. The search has always been for that perfect blend of rapid production, high-quality results, and a user experience that doesn’t require an engineering degree.

What to Consider Before Buying a High-Speed 3D Printer

A 3D printer is more than just a gadget; it’s a key solution for rapid prototyping, custom part creation, artistic expression, and personalized manufacturing. For hobbyists, it’s a gateway to bringing digital creations into the physical world, from tabletop game pieces to custom household fixes. For engineers and designers, it’s an indispensable tool for iterating on designs quickly and cheaply. The main benefit is the sheer power of on-demand creation, cutting out long lead times and expensive third-party services. A high-speed printer amplifies this benefit tenfold, transforming what was once an overnight process into a task that can be completed in a lunch break. This acceleration doesn’t just save time; it fundamentally changes the creative workflow, encouraging more experimentation and refinement.

The ideal customer for a product like the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer is the “pro-hobbyist” or the ambitious beginner. This is someone who has perhaps used an older, slower printer and is ready for a significant upgrade without breaking the bank. It’s also perfect for the technically inclined newcomer who values performance and is willing to engage in a bit of learning and fine-tuning. One user review aptly described this as a printer for the “tinkerer.” However, it might not be the best fit for someone seeking a completely hands-off, appliance-like experience akin to a standard paper printer. Those users might be better served by fully enclosed, pre-calibrated machines at a higher price point. Similarly, it’s not designed for industrial-scale production, where consistency across dozens of machines and specialized materials are paramount.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The printer’s footprint of 17.32″ x 17.32″ x 18.31″ is manageable for a desk or workbench, but you must account for more than just the frame. The build plate moves back and forth along the Y-axis, requiring several inches of clearance at the front and back. You also need space for the filament spool, typically mounted on top, adding to the overall height. Ensure you have a stable, level surface with enough surrounding room for movement and maintenance.
• Capacity/Performance: The key specs here are the build volume (8.66″ x 8.66″ x 9.44″) and the print speed. The build volume is generous for most hobbyist projects. The advertised max speed of 500 mm/s and acceleration of 8000 mm/s² are the headline features. While you may not print everything at top speed, this high ceiling means even “normal” speed prints are significantly faster than older models, drastically reducing wait times.
• Materials & Durability: The Ender 3 V3 KE’s ability to handle PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, and ASA is a direct result of its 300°C “Sprite” direct extruder with a bi-metal heatbreak. This all-metal construction is far more durable and versatile than older PTFE-lined hotends, which degrade over time and limit you to lower-temperature filaments. The aluminum frame, X-axis linear rail, and dual Z-axis lead screws provide a rigid structure essential for maintaining precision at high speeds.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Features like the CR Touch auto-leveling system are game-changers, eliminating one of the most tedious and error-prone aspects of older printers. The responsive touch screen UI is another massive quality-of-life improvement. Long-term, maintenance will involve occasional nozzle cleaning or replacement, checking belt tension, and keeping the linear rails lubricated, all of which are standard for this class of machine.

This printer represents a new wave of accessible, high-performance machines that are democratizing rapid 3D printing for everyone.

While the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing the Ender 3 V3 KE: A Glimpse into the Future of Hobbyist Printing

Upon opening the box for the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer, we were immediately struck by how streamlined the experience has become. Creality and Comgrow have clearly learned from years of feedback. Gone are the days of intimidating bags of countless nuts and bolts. The printer arrives semi-assembled, with the entire gantry and base as two main components. The packaging is robust, with foam cutouts precisely protecting every part. The look and feel are a significant step up from the classic Ender 3. The frame is clean, the wiring is managed more effectively, and the inclusion of a sleek touch screen interface instead of the old knob-and-LCD immediately signals that this is a modern machine. The most impressive component, right out of the box, is the X-axis gantry. Seeing a proper steel linear rail with ball bearings at this price point is genuinely exciting; it’s a feature typically reserved for more expensive printers and promises a level of rigidity and smoothness that V-wheel systems struggle to match, especially at speed.

Performance Under the Microscope: A Detailed Analysis of the Ender 3 V3 KE

A spec sheet can only tell you so much. To truly understand a printer, you have to build it, run it, and push it to its limits. We spent weeks with the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer, throwing everything from quick functional parts to detailed aesthetic models at it. Our goal was to see if its real-world performance lived up to the impressive marketing claims. We focused on the entire user journey, from the moment the box is opened to the satisfaction of pulling a perfect high-speed print off the bed.

From Box to Benchy: The Assembly and Calibration Experience

The assembly process for the Ender 3 V3 KE is a refined and largely pleasant experience, especially for anyone who has built an older kit printer. The major components are pre-assembled, so the task boils down to attaching the gantry to the base, mounting the screen and spool holder, and connecting a few clearly labeled wires. The included instructions are clear, but we echo the sentiment of many users: supplementing them with a quick online video tutorial can help ensure every bolt is tightened correctly and every frame component is perfectly square. This is crucial; any misalignment during this stage will compromise print quality later on. One first-time user noted it took them around 4 to 4.5 hours of meticulous work to get from box to first print, which is a realistic timeframe for someone prioritizing care over speed. Once assembled, the magic begins. The printer boots up and guides you through the initial setup, which includes the automated leveling sequence. The CR Touch probe taps the build plate in a 16-point grid, creating a digital mesh of the surface. It then automatically calculates and applies a Z-offset. This single feature eliminates the most frustrating part of manual bed leveling—the endless cycle of adjusting knobs with a piece of paper. In our testing, the system worked flawlessly, producing a perfect, squished first layer on the very first try. This is a monumental improvement and makes the printer far more accessible than its predecessors.

Need for Speed: How the 500mm/s and Linear Rail Change the Game

The headline feature of the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer is undoubtedly its speed, and we can confirm it is breathtakingly fast. Watching it lay down filament at 500 mm/s is mesmerizing and completely redefines expectations for a printer in this category. A standard 3DBenchy boat, a benchmark print that used to take us nearly two hours on an original Ender 3, was completed in under 20 minutes with a tuned profile. This is made possible by a symphony of well-engineered components working together. The powerful stepper motors and 8000 mm/s² acceleration get the print head moving instantly. More importantly, the rigid X-axis linear rail and sturdy dual Z-axis lead screws keep that motion precise and controlled. Without this stability, such high speeds would result in a wobbly, artifact-ridden mess. Creality’s smart algorithms for input shaping and motion advance actively work to mitigate vibrations, significantly reducing ghosting and ringing artifacts that often plague fast prints. The result is surprisingly clean prints, even at incredible velocities. While you’ll still get the absolute best surface finish at more moderate speeds (around 200-300 mm/s), the ability to rapidly prototype a functional part in a fraction of the time is a transformative feature that really sets it apart.

Beyond PLA: The Power of the 300°C Sprite Direct Extruder

Speed is useless if you’re limited to a single material. The inclusion of the “Sprite” direct extruder is what elevates the Ender 3 V3 KE from a fast toy to a versatile tool. Its direct drive design, where the motor that pushes the filament is mounted directly on the print head, gives it superior control over filament flow. This is especially critical for flexible materials like TPU. We tested it with several TPU filaments of varying hardness and were able to print flexible phone cases and gaskets with no clogs or jams, a task that is notoriously difficult for older Bowden-style extruders. The real power, however, comes from the hotend. It features a 60W ceramic heater that gets up to temperature quickly and a bi-metal (copper and titanium alloy) heatbreak. This combination allows the nozzle to safely reach 300°C. This opens the door to printing with high-performance materials like ABS, ASA, and even some Nylons or carbon-fiber composites (with a hardened steel nozzle upgrade). We successfully printed several parts in PETG and ASA, achieving strong, temperature-resistant models that would be impossible on a standard PLA-only printer. This versatility makes the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer a truly capable machine for creating functional, end-use parts, not just decorative models.

Smart Control: Navigating the UI and Wireless Printing

The final piece of the modern puzzle is the user interface and connectivity. The Ender 3 V3 KE features a 4.3-inch color touch screen that is bright, responsive, and logically laid out. The menu system is intuitive, with clear tabs for movement, temperature control, and print initiation. It displays a real-time preview of the model being printed, which is a helpful touch. But the biggest quality-of-life upgrade is the built-in Wi-Fi. After connecting the printer to our local network, we were able to send files directly from the Creality Print slicer on our laptop to the printer wirelessly. No more fiddling with SD cards. Furthermore, through the Creality Cloud app on a smartphone, we could monitor print progress remotely and even start new prints when away from the workshop. This level of smart connectivity brings the Ender series firmly into the modern era, providing a level of convenience that, once you experience it, is hard to live without. It streamlines the entire workflow from slicing to printing, letting you focus more on creating and less on managing the machine.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, user feedback confirms our own positive experience, while also highlighting the machine’s intended audience. Many first-time users, like one who said they were “absolutely blown away,” have achieved fantastic results right out of the box, praising the clear instructions and included tools. This sentiment is often paired with the caveat that taking one’s time during assembly is paramount to success. Veteran printer users frequently praise specific hardware choices, with one noting the “Sprite extruder is wonderful” and was the primary reason they purchased the machine for printing flexible TPU parts. The speed is a universal point of acclaim. However, the most insightful comments recognize where the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer fits in the market. As one reviewer aptly put it, 3D printing has two camps: “plug and play” and “tinkerers.” This printer, they state, “falls squarely in the second camp,” making it a perfect learning tool that rewards effort with incredible performance for the price. On the critical side, a few users have reported issues with leveling consistency, with one mentioning they have to “constantly level it” as the bed seems to shift after one or two prints. This suggests that while the auto-leveling system is excellent, manufacturing tolerances can still vary, and some users may need to perform additional checks or minor modifications to achieve perfect long-term reliability.

How Does the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE Compare to the Competition?

The Ender 3 V3 KE doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The high-speed printing market is heating up, and several compelling alternatives cater to different needs and budgets. Here’s how it stacks up against some of the top contenders.

1. FLASHFORGE AD5X Multi-Color High Speed 3D Printer

The FLASHFORGE AD5X is a compelling alternative for users who want to move beyond single-color printing. Its standout feature is the included multi-color printing system (IFS), allowing for up to four colors in a single model. It operates on a CoreXY motion system, which is known for stability at high speeds, and matches the Ender’s high-temp extruder capabilities. While it offers similar speeds and a fully-auto leveling system, its primary advantage is the native multi-color functionality. If your primary goal is creating vibrant, multi-material models without complex manual filament swaps, the extra investment for the FLASHFORGE AD5X could be well worth it.

2. Sovol SV08 Core-XY 3D Printer High Speed

The Sovol SV08 is aimed squarely at the serious enthusiast who needs sheer size and performance. Its most significant advantage is its massive build volume of 13.8 x 13.8 x 13.6 inches, which dwarfs the Ender 3 V3 KE’s. Based on the open-source Voron 2.4 design, it’s a CoreXY printer built for extreme speed (up to 700mm/s) and precision, featuring four independent Z motors for perfect bed leveling. The SV08 is less of a direct competitor and more of a significant step up. It’s the right choice for users who need to print very large objects, like full-size helmet props or large mechanical parts, and are comfortable with the complexity and cost of a prosumer-grade machine.

3. Creality K1 MAX 3D Printer 600mm/s High-Temp Nozzle

For those who want to stay within the Creality ecosystem but demand the best, the K1 MAX is the ultimate upgrade. It’s the big brother to the Ender 3 V3 KE, offering a faster top speed (600mm/s), a larger build volume (11.8″ cubed), and a fully enclosed frame. The enclosure is key, as it provides a stable temperature environment that is essential for printing large parts with warp-prone materials like ABS and ASA. It’s more of an “appliance” experience, with AI-powered features and a more hands-off operation. The K1 MAX is for the user who wants maximum performance and material compatibility with minimal tinkering, and is willing to pay a premium for that polished, fully-featured experience.

The Final Verdict: Is the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer Right for You?

After extensive testing, we can confidently say that the Comgrow Ender 3 V3 KE 3D Printer is a landmark product in the hobbyist 3D printing space. It successfully packages features once reserved for expensive, prosumer machines—blistering speed, a versatile direct-drive extruder, and a rigid linear rail system—into an affordable and accessible package. It masterfully demolishes the old compromise between speed and price. This is the perfect printer for an enthusiast looking to upgrade from an older, slower machine, or for a determined beginner who is excited to learn the ropes on a truly capable piece of hardware. While it may require a little more initial care and attention than a sealed-box appliance, the performance it delivers for the investment is simply unmatched. It empowers you to create more, iterate faster, and bring your ideas to life in hours, not days. If you’re ready to make the leap into high-speed 3D printing without emptying your wallet, this is the printer we wholeheartedly recommend. You can check the latest price and see its full feature set online and start your journey into the fast lane of creation.