The best Prusa MK3S 3D printer alternative? [test, compare, review] 

Thank you for the side by side comparison of the two printers.

Many thanks! Perfect testing setup. Your results fits to our experiences with Prusa clones in our Maker space.

Mad assembly skills there. Well, editing skills.

I already have a resin printer but also wanted a FDM for larger prints and was thinking about the Prusa until I found this video. Thank you! I will be ordering it as soon as I have time to build it!

Thanks for this. This might be the thing that tips me over the edge.

Watching your content is very enjoyable, your profromance is outstanding

Very professional test and nice editing! Thanks

Excellent job on the video. Organized perfectly

I have this clone and its awesome.

And to think just the other day I was thinking about getting another Prusa...but now I might two or three of these!! Tyvm. Sub’d.

Thanks for taking the time to make this available to the community.

Suspect the faste fan makes the temp sensor have an offset on the clone. That would explain a lot of the things seen together with the voltage levels. Would be cool to see the voltage measured by a separate instrument.

Nice explanation between the 2 printers, at home I have a MK3S and a mk2.5s printer. I was looking for some info of the fysect version but I couldn't get some clear answers until I stumbled upon this video ^^ good job!

Cool review, thanks!

can not decide which one to buy, so tempting!

Glad to see your good results with your Fysetc clone, definitely a testamant to just how polished the MK3S is as a design. I own two clones, one from Trianglelab and another from Blurolls, as well as a genuine kit from Prusa Research. I am planning on adding at least a Fysetc one as well as a colored Sealand/Blurolls frame kit to my farm. Long as you understand that you may have to replace some parts on your own they'll assemble just fine. That said, if I hadn't bought my genuine Prusa first, I would've never known what to check for on my clones to make sure everything was being assembled correctly. Run Sunon fans if you can from the start and definitely just print the PETG parts yourself as even Prusa's own farm parts leave a bit to be desired. And if you can, do Paul's silicone bed mod to ensure a super flat bed, genuine or clone. It's basically the nylock mod but better. Also stock up on those POM/Delrin leadscrew nuts and linear bearings, especially the leadscrew nuts if you're prone to destroying them like me. In my experience I ended up liking my clones better just cause I knew what parts I was throwing into them and the fact support was on me. I also had a pretty bad experience with Prusa Support that led to me lone wolfing my genuine MK3S. My Trianglelab clone has more hours printing than even my genuine MK3S and I had the genuine one the longest so make of that what you will. I did hear the Fysetc clone ships with a PTFE 4.1 bore hotend which if that's the case is just plain stupid. I am running Trianglelab's pre assembled V6 clone specifically for the MK3S on all my kits and as far as I know they are all metal from factory. For those saying the clones rip off Prusa Research, well the design is open source and the license specifically allows clones like these to be sold legally. Overall, great video and I am interested to see if you'll be reviewing the Bear frame clones or other vendor's clone kits such as Trianglelab and Blurolls/Sealand in the future!

superb comparisons, very well produced.

Excellent work. Very thorough and informative. Would have liked to hear your conclusions on print quality a bit more in depth.

Outstanding video. I wish it had existed when I originally purchased a clone from Fysetc. I later bought an MK3s kit from Prusa. The clone has worked fine, but the assembly was challenging. Too many of some screws and nuts, not enough of others, no 3mm filament for the extruder cable support, a few other things that I have long since forgotten about. Both of my printers get used a lot. If I prorate the additional cost of the Prusa against the savings for the clone - especially after the E3D hotend and fan upgrade, the savings in price is negligible. I completely agree. If this is your first build and you can afford it, buy a Prusa. You won't 2nd guess your decision later.

Since then I have just found out that there is a hidden easter-egg "Experimental" menu in the new Prusa 3.9.1 Firmware where you can set up an "ALTFAN" (alternative fan option, because of the Noctua supply shortage the original Prusa had to deliver 3D printers with other fans also) which slows down the nozzle fan RPM and at the same time it makes the 3D printer more quiet. I will make a short video about it, but you can also try it out when you go under Settings -> HW setup and roll down to the bottom and push the knob around 3s. After it the new menu will pop up at the very bottom. Could be that it wont make any change first just after you restarted the printer. Tell me if you managed it.

Looks very similar. Very good test!

Great video. I have ordered the clone mini and it’s fantastic. Prusa mini original will arrive in December. Prusa mk3s bear clone will arrive next week.

Really this was an awesome video thank you so much Bro

Great Video!! 👏🏻

thank you, well done .

Great comparison

The quality of this video is excellent, it's exactly the comparison I was looking for but I did not expect one so well made. It is clear, goes in depth, no annoying/unnecessary parts and a great chapter system. I will for sure check out the rest of your channel, keep making great video :) !

That's great job thank you

These videos are excellent. They are concise and focus on the things that matter. I'm disappointed you haven't followed up as you mentioned, such as with the results of replacing the bearings. I'm going to try a FYSETC clone and the main thing I'm concerned with is which components I should replace at the start. I'd also be interested in knowing if the FYSETC kits have changed over the last year or two.

Really interesting, thanks for taking the time to go into so much detail on the comparison of the two printers. Would you set up separate printing profiles for a clone printer, given the different nozzle temperatures?

I don't mind paying for more for an original prusa. But man their lead times are horrible. If you want to pay more you expect great service but also decent shipping times. Your review makes it tempting to go for such a clone.

Very professional!

Thank you.

You have deserved a like I RESPECT RU-vidRS WHO PURCHASE THE ITEMS THEMSELF just one thing i do not understand what this item is different from the others concerning price i much higher then the other options 3d printers

merci pour la vidéo , au top !!!!!!!

This is awesome video. Well done. Being a year later, I got to ask. Have you kept using both printers? If so how have they both held up? I am strongly considering getting the clone to add to my collection.

Thanks for this video, i buy today clone from Fysetc - MK3S Bear Kit 🤪.

Hi, what firmware version are you running? I updated to the latest MK3S firmware and the filament sensor has stopped working. If I use a different firmware (like the one for the MK3) it recognises the sensor and works ok but at the same time it's not the correct firmware. Thanks

I bought this clone in november from Spain. Bearings were fine, didnt need to adjust eSteps, Temps were fine too. LCD cables were also the right way around. The only problem i had was that the Z-Motor cables seemed to be wired wrong, so that when plugged in the only way they go, the motors turned the wrong way so that the z axis would move in different directions. I needed to cut the clip of one of the motor plugs, turn it 180 degrees and connect it back. But be aware that it is now possible that both motors spin down when they are supposed to go up, in this case you need to flip both cables. Otherwise this clone is perfect and i didnt notice any difference to my original prusa mk3s.

I bought one of these instead of the trianglelabs one thanks to this video.I just finished the assembly today with my own printed parts in PLA exept for the extruder and the board case wich are PETG. Definitelly buy your own M3 *8mm screws, this is NOT OPTIONAL. I almost ruin the Z motors because of that. The bearings I got were fine but you might get bad ones. It worked perfectly once assembled, didnt even got that weird upside down LCD cable problems. I didnt even needed to calibrate ther machine, not even the ESteps. I already have an Original prusa mini and print quality is identical. Honestly, its a great machine, I didnt expect it to work so well. Also is my first printer kit and it was super fun to build.

I came to the same result as you. I did the following changes to the clone: 1. original PRUSA fans 2. Original PRUSA Hotend (E3D V6) 3. Original steel sheets (smooth/coated) everything else remained untouched. Print results are equal as you mentioned. But for unknown reason, if I need something, I always start the original PRUSA, I don't know why, but I do :-)

I jumped to conclusion 🤪

Something that would be interesting, is if you would be willing to try to exchange just, oh, the fan and the hotend? It kindof looks a lot like they have the wrong thermistor values, and that the rpm sensor for the hotend cooling fan is missing. It's pretty cheap, and would be an interesting topic. I am waiting for my own clone (already own one original mk3) from another brand, so I am pretty excited to see just what I need to replace to get it to that point. Hats of to Prusa for making all the plans available and the design robust enough for a clone to be viable even with suboptimal parts! :)

teach me the "clap" assembling :) hehe

Good job

@dombi3d First of all, thanks for your awesome Video! One question: can you tell me if the print after power loss feature is working on your clone?

thk for your video ;)

Hi, many thanks for your work. Your video helps very well. Unfortunatly the coupon code ist not runnig :-(

Very nice Video, wich filament did you use for the blue parts?

How does the fytec texture build plate compare to the genuine? Is the thickness the same?

Where may I find a detailed step by step video on wiring and connecting the clone einsy motherboard?

Agent Smith of 3D printers? You remind me of Hugo Weaving in 1st Matrix movie 😎

Do you have a link to the fan power measurement tool to test the pressure of the different fans?

on my fysetc clone the z frame was bend around 6mm forward, and the LCD was defekt. replacing was additional 70€. Had to get the bearframe. A solid "meh".

Awsome video Dombi, very thought trough one and highly informative as well. Might be a silly question but what type of kit did you order the "Clone MK3S kit" or the "Clone MK3S bear kit"?

Are these clones close enough that an MMU2 could be added to them?

i always thought the Prusa i3s were open source so theres no clones or fakes. i built my prusa i3 MK3s from parts i sourced from the internet no kit, and it works just as good as one built by Prusa

How much print time did you have on the Prusa before you purchased the clone and did the test? I hear issues that sound like bearing issues associated with not being lubed sufficiently on the Prusa.

Hi! Where can i find the blue PETG 3D Printed Parts for the prusa like yours?

This vid convinced me to buy the Fysetc! Great vid. Question: Where did you get the temp tester unit?

Nice video

Its an interesting video. I suppose one could argue the Prusa has better customer service and you are also paying for that or Prusa is charging for it? The nice thing about clones is that they help keep competition healthy and pricing from going through the roof if the product is good.

The only thing on my bear i3 mk3s clone that is as on the original is the BT gears I found after well over 3000h printing that my triangleab ones liked to chew through filament way too much, but still was good for the 1st few hundred hours i print only with PETG, whereas the BT gears have been shaped correctly and hardened.

Any update on your clone? Is it still working and how has it faired compared to the original since you have been using it?

What are the filament cases you are using (as in the sound test)?

Very nice comparison ! How did you get the blue color did you printed it ?

Having an issue with my Fystec. The new firmware is nonresponsive. I had to downgrade to the last firmware. Is there a fix?

I'm skeptical about those temp readings being accurate.

What is the brand of your Stepper motors? I just built the BluRoll kit and my belt tension is super high 160's and even with a very loose belt will not get to the 200's. After some searching, some mentioned it might be a voltage issue with the steppers or resistance with the bearings. This is my first printer but the bearings seem to be moving well. Any suggestions?

Gr8 video

putting the microphone on opposite sides should make quite a difference! original: away from motor and hotend fan clone: towards motor and hotend fan otherwise great overview, thank you!

What you fysetc clone mk3s einsy rambo version ?

For the clone, which manual to I use for the assembly?

One question, how is the clone performing with other more demanding filaments, like ABS/ASA, Nylon, etc. That's where the prusa normally works better than the other choices in the market...

you can install the "multi material 2s" unit on the clone ?

Eh, I see it as Prusa gives so much back to the community so I'd rather support them over a Chinese company pumping out clones with no innovation.

i have problem whit Einsy-base and heatsink of board... they collapse...what your solution?

after all this time ive only just known what that hole is for in the benchy lol

Sorry, you missed the most impotant security issue on the clone. Fysetc uses a 4.1 bore heatbreak, so the tube inside the hotend contacts the nozzle. This is extremly dangerous, as the original Prusa has an all-metal heatbreak - so Prusas firmware allows up to 295°C mozzle temp - a temperature where PTFE already degrades into toxid fumes. Simply one wrong click (preheat accidently for Polycarbonate in the menu) needed... So never ever use the heatbreak delivered with the kit. Always order an all-metal heatbreak - and use it instead of the 4.1bore one. Of course you can alternativly change the firmware (but if next upgrade from Prusa comes, do not forget modifying it again). (Same problem with the Prusa Mini Clone by Fysetc, by the way - I recommend the Bondtech heatbreak there) Of course, if you plan on adding an MMU2s / MMU2s-Clone later, you should buy an e3d heatbreak in Prusa Edition (has a special inside design for forming the filament-tip on unload) anyway. For the nozzle temperature: Thermistors have variations. You simply might change the thermistor to one bought by Prusa, as they have quality-checked the tollerance. Esp. if you have an original Prusa, you do not need different slicer settings for Original and Clone than. I like the Fysetc mk3s Clone a lot. Have two of them (and a selfmade clone and one original). Using the right e3d heatbreak and thermistor, all have same print quality on same settings. As Aliexpress has a "sale" about every 2 months, with collecting coins and coupons you can get the clone at extremly low prices. I payed 283€ for the Fysetc clone about 10 weeks ago (and 173€ for a Prusa Mini clone, by the way), using a lot of coupons. Even with buing an original e3d PE heatbreak, original thermistor, noctua fan, original PINDA (if you have problemes as I had on one of my clones), original Prusa PEI powdercoated spring steel (alltogether about 100€) and cost for the filament to print the parts you have a very low price under 400€ (including shipping and tax in Europe) compared to the about 800€ (incl. shipping) for the original Prusa mk3s - and get a clone practical identical to the original (exept for the capacitors inside the power supply). But in most cases, only the e3d PE heatbreak and thermistor (you can get them on 3djake for lower cost than directly from Prusa) and a cloned PEI powder coated sheet (from Aliexpress/Trianglelab, practicly identical in function and texture to the original) will be necassary (about 50€ altogether). In my case, only problem with cloned PINDA was auto-skrew-compensation did not work. But it is not necassary, as the mk3(s) do not need it - it was put into firmware for the mk2 with its sloppy frame. At the last sale also the bear edition was available from Fystec on Aliexpress. In Europe from European warehouse about 310€ (shipping and coupons compensated each other). With a much better frame for only 30€ more it realy a catch (normaly, the bear is an upgrade costing about 80-100€).

Does anyone know if the driver board will accept the Raspberry Pi Zero W board that Prusa is compatible with? Does it have the correct connector?

Has anyone tried this printer with the new Co Print Multi-Filament?

$100 shipping fee to Canada for the clone. Awesome.

So, if I understand correctly, the only real problem is the nozzle cooling fan. Is this responsible for the high temperatures? Could the quick fix be to replace that fan with one like in the original Prusa? What parts 'need' to be modded/replaced to make it really trouble-free? Great review by the way. I'm always a bit afraid of clone machines from China. Sometimes they cut too many corners, because the person making the clone doesn't really understand why the OEM choose certain parts. This one seems to be made with a bit more effort, judging by the results.

After three 3DBenchies, my printer has stopped completely. I suspect that the extruder is completely clogged, and I don't know what to do. I try to insert the filament, but after a little while it just stops and starts to jump on the extruder gears.

que pavada, igualmente buen video!

About 400.00 US with shipping for Clone without printed parts just an F.Y.I as of 10/5/21

all clones have 10 centigrades of difference whit the original in the hotend?

Why are the bed and extruder banging against the frame??? That cant be good right? Even if it is for calibration things will break if you keep on doing that?!

OMG is that what the hole on the back of the benchy is for!?

you didn't talk about the build... the prusa took me 8.5 hours while a fulgertech 2020 took 19 hours... the prusa took another 1-2 hours to set up and calibrate while the fulgertec took days and days ... and works but never worked anywhere near as well as the prusa. I just got my prusa but I say it is worth every penny!

You’re not supposed to do that calibration with the spring steel sheet on

u used bearings that came with clone printer? And u got those similar results as original one in printing quality?

Is it compatible with mmu2s

what we need now are mmu clones :-D

I expect that every ball bearing (motors, slides, extruder, fans) in the clone will fail very quickly. If your time is worth anything, buy the Prusa, as he uses high quality Japanese bearings.

I ve bought and assembled myself the Clone and when i first tested it it was great. But when i tried to update the Firmware i got an error and on the Printer Screen it said that the External SPI flash W25X20CL isnt responding and now the printer also resets itself when i try to heat the bed. Maybe (hopefully) someone else had similar issues and knows any solutions to try?

Well that sure stuffs it to the crazy Prusa prices eh? :-)

How you tried the mmu2s clone?

How can a clone still sport an original Prusa nameplate?

You used the original bed to calibrate the clone?