[3D Printing] Ultimaker 3D Printer Comparison: S5/S7/S8/Factor 4

Which one is the best?
It all depends on your needs.
Each of these four UltiMaker 3D printers caters to specific applications and budgets.

If you need to use high-temperature engineering filaments, choose the Factor 4.
This is because it has a stronger thermal control capability, which prevents parts from warping.

If your material requirements are closer to the carbon fiber nylon category, choose the S8. The S8 has a speed advantage over the Factor 4.
But if your budget is limited and you can't afford the S8, choose the S7 or S5.
Since they have a lot in common, you won't be disappointed with either the S7 or the S5.

Speed and Efficiency
With a speed of 500 mm/hour, the S8 is the company's fastest 3D printer, comparable to the Bambu Lab X1C.
The increased speed is thanks to a new technology called Cheetah in the printer's motion control, along with other advanced technologies working together to increase speed without sacrificing quality.

Materials
UltiMaker S-series 3D printers (S5, S7, S8) support the same range (over 300 types) of filaments, including:
PLA - Easy to print, suitable for general use.
ABS - Strong and heat-resistant, requires an enclosed build chamber.
PETG - Durable, chemical-resistant, slightly flexible.
Nylon - Flexible, wear-resistant, hygroscopic.
CPE - Similar to PETG but more chemically resistant.
CPE+ - More heat resistant than standard CPE.
TPU 95A - Flexible and rubber-like.
Polycarbonate - High strength, high heat resistance.
PP - Lightweight, fatigue resistant.
PVA - Water-soluble support material.
Breakaway support material - Can replace PVA, easy to remove.

Third-party and experimental materials:
UltiMaker printers also support third-party filaments, including metals (like stainless steel) and advanced composites (like carbon fiber reinforced filaments, wood-filled PLA, and specialized engineering-grade materials).
Together, UltiMaker's materials plus third-party materials with available print profiles give you one of the longest material menus in any FDM printer.

The Factor 4 focuses on engineering-grade materials, so you won't have access to the full 300+ S-series range, but conversely, you can use high-temperature materials like PPS-CF and PEKK.

Metal Filaments
The S5 and S7 can print stainless steel parts using the optional UltiMaker Metal Expansion Kit.
It is currently unclear if the S8 is compatible with the Metal Expansion Kit.
The Factor 4 can natively print with stainless steel filament without any expansion kit.

UltiMaker Material Station
While material stations are now ubiquitous in FDM 3D printing, the UltiMaker Material Station was one of the first material changers.
The UltiMaker Material Station is a filament management system for the S5, S7, and S8 3D printers.
All three printers use the same unit, and it is an optional accessory.

The Factor 4 has a different type of material station, and it is built into the machine.

One of the main features of the Material Station is its ability to hold up to six filament spools at once.
It enables automatic filament detection, loading, and switching, eliminating manual intervention.
When one spool runs out, the system automatically switches to another.

Humidity control is another important advantage of the Material Station.
It maintains a controlled environment with humidity below 40% RH, helping to protect moisture-sensitive materials like PVA and nylon from absorbing water.

The Material Station integrates with UltiMaker Cura software and supports UltiMaker certified and third-party filaments.

Technical Specifications
All in all, on paper, the S-series printers are very similar.
The S7 enhances reliability and productivity for advanced users; the S8 expands on this with faster speed and higher accuracy.
The S5's performance, while slightly behind, offers better value for money.
The Factor 4 stands in a class of its own, emphasizing industrial manufacturing applications with a robust steel and aluminum chassis, an actively heated chamber with temperatures up to 70ºC, a triple-insulated build volume, direct-drive extruders with larger motors, and nozzles that reach 340ºC for engineering-grade materials.

It's worth noting that the S5 does not have any air filtration unless you purchase the optional air filter located on top.

	Factor 4	S8	S7	S5
Build Volume	330 x 240 x 300 mm	330 x 240 x 300 mm	330 x 240 x 300 mm	330 x 240 x 300 mm
Weight	120 kg (265 lbs)	29.1 kg (64.2 lbs)	29.1 kg (64.2 lbs)	29.1 kg (64.2 lbs)
Minimum Layer Height	60 microns	20 microns	20 microns	20 microns
XYZ Resolution	6.25, 7.8, 2.5 microns	6.9, 6.9, 2.5 microns	6.9, 6.9, 2.5 microns	6.9, 6.9, 2.5 microns
Print Bed	PEI Coated Flexible Steel	PEI Coated Flexible Steel	PEI Coated Flexible Steel	Glass
Max Nozzle Temperature	340 °C	340 °C	280 °C	280 °C
Nozzle Diameter	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm
Chamber	Fully enclosed, actively heated chamber, up to 70ºC	Fully enclosed, passively heated	Fully enclosed, passively heated	Partially enclosed, passively heated

Air Filter HEPA filter Replaceable EPA filter Replaceable EPA filter Air filter needs to be purchased separately File Transfer Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Ethernet, USB Wi-Fi 2.4 & 5 GHz: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac LAN: Ethernet USB: 2.0 Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Ethernet, USB Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Ethernet, USB
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