xTool F1 vs. F1 Ultra – Side by Side Comparison
This comparison of the xTool F1 vs. the F1 Ultra is based on my personal experiences using both. I did receive test machines to facilitate other posts, however, I was not compensated for this post, and it represents my opinions only. This post contains affiliate links.
The moment I received my second xTool machine, the F1 Ultra I knew I had to make a post comparing the xTool F1 vs F1 Ultra.
Now that it’s been around for a few months, I am ready to share everything I know. Please note: I will try to avoid getting overly technical. I plan to zoom in on the comparison itself. First, I’ll share a brief overview of each machine and then I’ll outline the differences.
Before I say a single other word: I was gifted both machines – for the original reviews (I chose to do this post on my own). I hope that you will find that it did not affect my review process. I will be sharing a factual play by play of how each machine performed in different circumstances so that you can make an informed decision based on my third party tests and your specific needs.
I also spent a lot on materials beyond what xTool sent me, to enable me to show you what it can do to the best of my abilities, and spent weeks testing, so if you do choose to purchase, please do so through my affiliate links! It doesn’t cost you any extra and helps support the work that I do here.
Xtool F1 Vs. F1 Ultra Basic Machine Specs
xTool F1 Features
You can ready my full xTool F1 review here for more details and a thorough play-by-play of all the features, material tests, etc.
This review is really just focusing on the comparable features between the two machines.
The xTool F1 is a compact laser engraver that is fabulous for small spaces, to bring from place to place, and for a large range of materials.
- 10 Watt Blue Light/Diode Laser (for materials such as wood, black acrylic and some other opaque colors, leather, PU leather, plastics, paper, and more)
- 2 Watt Infrared Laser (for marking metals)
- Work Surface: 4.5 x 4.5 inch rounded rectangle (approximate). Expandable to 15.75 x 4.5 inches with slide extension for cutting and engraving
- Footprint: 7 x 9.25 x 13 inch (approximate)
- Max Working Speed: 4000mm/s (engrave, slower with RA2 rotary or slide extension)
- Focus: Manual (semi-automatic if you measure your blank)
- Weight: Work Surface
Additional features:
- Removable work plate
xTool F1 Ultra Features
Read my full xTool F1 Ultra review here for a full rundown of features and specs, plus thorough tests on loads of materials.
- 20 Watt Blue Light/Diode Laser (for higher efficiency with materials such as wood, black acrylic and some other opaque colors, leather, PU leather, plastics, paper, and more)
- 20 Watt Fiber Laser (for engraving, embossing metals, cutting thin metals, and embossing stone)
- Work Surface: 8.6 x 8.6 inch work surface square (approximate). Expandable to 220×500 with conveyer for engraving only.
- Footprint: 10.7×14.7×19.4 inch (approximate)
- Max Working Speed: 10,000mm/s (engrave, slower with RA2 rotary or conveyer)
- Focus: Automatic or manual
- Weight: 32.4 lbs (14.7 kg)
Additional features are listed below.
Machine Functionality of the xTool F1 vs F1 Ultra
At the end of the day, while specs are nice to see, your reall question when comparing the xTool F1 vs the F1 Ultra is – what can each one do? More importantly, what can the Ultra do that the flagship F1 can’t?
Here, I break it down bit by bit.
First of all, let’s talk size. If you raise the head of the Ultra, you can literally fit the F1 inside.
I’ll share more about cutting sizes below.
What the F1 Ultra can do that the F1 can’t
Deep Engrave Metal
While the F1, when run slow enough, can scratch the surface of metal, it mostly just marks it (a nice, dark, permanent print).
While this is a fabulous feature that can allow you to create beautiful personalized jewelry, the F1 Ultra not only does this more efficiently, but more effectively.
On the Ultra, you get a real engrave.
Embossing
On that note, you can actually emboss metal! Have you ever seen those “challenge coins” – that is, those commemorative coins that people like to collect in different themes? They have these fabulous embossings in different themes.
The F1 Ultra can go quite deep. I made a beautiful wax seal stamp with my logo, using a blank brass stamping blank. I’ve also seen people do reliefs for jewelry making (see Jack Jellies’ videos on YouTube)
And while the F1‘s 2 Watt Infrared laser can do a beautiful engraving on a slate coaster, the Ultra can emboss a gorgeous, intricately detailed 3D design.
Cutting Metal
And here’s the real whammy. The xTool F1 Ultra can actually cut thin metal (something that the F1 doesn’t even consider thinking of doing). The question is really – how far can you push it, how thick can it go?
I still haven’t gone as far as I think I can and the thickest I’ve tried on sterling silver is 24 gauge. I plan to eventually try even thicker.
But it still creates some rather impressive jewelry. The stainless steel and brass I cut are thick enough for actual jewelry pieces, but take time.
Thin brass cuts quickly and efficiently, and makes beautiful inlays in wood (a process I hope to share soon).
What the F1 is capable of that the Ultra isn’t
Let’s start with one premise: if the F1 can cut or engrave it, the Ultra definitely can. It has the same baseline specs plus much more.
But there are specific feature benefits to the original F1 that you don’t get with the Ultra.
Portability
The F1 Ultra is definitely more transportable than most other lasers, however the F1 is designed to be portable. xTool even makes a (separate) case for the F1!
It can be lifted by a simple handle on top, while the Ultra pretty much needs to be hugged all around to be lifted. It weighs less than 1/3 and is much less bulky.
Not only that, but the F1 requires only a desktop air purifier to clean the air that it lets out, while the F1 Ultra requires the larger version.
So while it totally is feasible to take the F1 Ultra onsite, it’s not designed for that and will require much more effort.
Space Saving
While the F1 Ultra is once again, much smaller in footprint than many other laser engravers, it does require more space. For reference, I have my F1 on a standing desk, and my F1 Ultra requires a small folding table.
Part of this requirement is because of the conveyer – it’s LONG compared to the slide extension – and the ventilation required in the form of a larger air purifier. If you are venting outside, and don’t plan to use the extensions, the only significant difference in space is really the height.
Expanded Cutting
Possibly one of my ONLY frustrations with the F1 Ultra is the fact that there’s no extension beyond the work surface for cutting. That means that the basic work surface is the maximum for cutting.
Since the conveyer doesn’t have a cutting protection it can only be used for larger engraving.
That said, I haven’t yet cut anything larger. The F1 series isn’t designed for large format cutting project. I did make an adorable cake topper on the Ultra for my son’s birthday, and it was large enough to cut that out of the box.
That being said, while it makes it wider (13 inches to the Ultra’s 8.5-ish), it still is only 4.5 inches high. So the F1 Ultra can cut up to 8.5×8.5 while the F1 can do 13 inches wide by 4.5 high.
Removable Surface Plate
Finally, the flagship F1 has a removable surface plate – that is, the work surface. That allows you to place the entire machine on a larger item to engrave it in that one spot, through the hole. That makes it easier than balancing a large item on the base of the machine, gives you better protection with the cover in place, and allows you to more easily engrave something large in increments.
Note: the inconsistencies in the engrave is due to inconsistencies in the bamboo material and is an issue across all laser engravers. I find that doing a darker/deeper engrave to begin with does mitigate some of the issue.
And finally, working hand-in-hand with the handle and portability, that allows you to engrave very large items that can’t be brought to the space. For example, you can hold it in place to engrave on a car, engrave a house number directly on the brick of the house etc.
Once again, this is a feature I haven’t really used. It’s not so practical to bring it out, hook it up to power, and then hold it in place while it works….
More functionality perks of the F1 Ultra vs. the F1
Once again, the premium price you’re paying for the F1 Ultra comes with perks that personally, I think that once you’re investing in a machine like this are worthwhile. They allow you to take more jobs, produce more and do more with one machine.
One of the major upgrades on the xTool F1 Ultra vs. the F1 is the camera. I always thought I wanted that feature to help me place my designs, but it actually adds loads of features beyond that.
First of all, it adds an automatic focus feature (just hit “focus” and it adjusts to focus). I didn’t highlight that much below because I tend to just manually focus anyway.
But it also adds other features, and you’ll see the camera mentioned in a few below.
Batch Production
There are two major upgrades on the F1 Ultra that allow for batch production:
- The camera and accompanying software
- The conveyer extension.
The camera can detect items on the surface that are the same as the “sample” item you set, and place your design on all of them. This works even without the conveyer extension – just fill what you can fit on the surface.
The conveyer allows you to use that function, constantly, adding more, and batch producing large quantities. The accuracy is impressive.
This means you can take on larger jobs – creating custom favors and swag, craft kit components, promotionals, in a very realistic amount of times. XTool calls it “factory level production” and in my opinion, it really is that.
Curved Surface Engraving
The camera on the F1 Ultra allows it to map out a curved surface, and adjust the focus to engrave along it. While you can get the RA2 Pro Rotary Attachment for BOTH to engrave around a cylinder, sometimes you don’t want to bother with that (if you’re just engraving the front anyway) – and some curved items aren’t cylinders.
The Ultra allows you to map out the inside of a bowl, the outside of a coffee tin, etc, getting a beautiful curved surface engrave.
(Note: the software for this hasn’t been formally released and is currently in invite-only beta mode.)
Larger baseline cutting surface
I’ve mentioned that the cutting surface on the F1 is wider with the slide extension, the baseline size of the Ultra is 4x the size – that is, double the width and double the height.
So when it comes to cutting something like a cake topper or letters for a sign (individually) your base size is much more “real”. (Note: you DO need to seal or wrap the sticks on your plywood cake toppers to make them food safe).
Higher focus range/taller
I had this napkin holder hanging around my house after I couldn’t really engrave it with the F1. While technically I could place the F1 on top with the plate removed to engrave, the hole was too small and it wouldn’t balance well.
When I got the F1 Ultra I was absolutely thrilled to be able to engrave it – and it did a beautiful job, twelve minutes on each side. I turned an ordinary napkin holder into a beautiful table centerpiece featuring my own artwork.
Straight Edges
One issue with the F1 is that, due to the nature of a galvo laser (that is, a laser that is bounced around with mirrors and not on a track, which makes it MUCH faster but limits surface size) is that if you cut too far out from the central laser, you end up with a bit of an angled edge on thicker materials. (Note: the below photo is an extreme example of something small and close up cut at the farthest edge).
The solution is obviously to place things closer to the center. That works beautifully for smaller items, but larger items need to be cut closer to the edges.
On the xTool F1 Ultra, because the laser is placed higher up, you get less angling on a comparable sized engrave. If you get close to the edges, you do end up with similar, but again, the edges are much further out, giving you better cut sizes.
While it might still not be the best option for creating actual build items that require flush edges, it does make your regular cuts much prettier.
More benefits
The xTool F1 Ultra was created with loads more features that work with the premium nature of the machine. They really thought of it all.
- Movable Screen – I find that the movable nature of the operation really helps my efficiency in the craft room. I can place it near where I am doing whatever I’m doing as the machine works.
- Storage/offline functionality – yes, the xTool f1 Ultra has actual storage space on it! That means that you can work offline as well if you’ve stored files! That actually adds to the portability and gives it a leg up over the xTool F1 in that respect, as long as you’re willing to schlep a little more.
- Double tap repeat task – Easily batch produce even without buttons, etc by double tapping on the green button on the screen to repeat the last task.
- Higher range/Better colors – While the F1 can get quite the color range on stainless steel, the Ultra has even more color capabilities.
Which machine is best for you – the xTool F1 vs. the F1 Ultra?
Creating a comparison chart for yourself
The best way to choose a large investment like this is to make a list.
- Write your must-haves
- Write your love-to-haves
- Write your good-to-haves
If one checks all your must-haves and one doesn’t that’s your answer. If they both have all your must-haves, or both don’t, you can assign points, make a ranking system, etc. Choose that way.
I personally think that if you’re investing in a hobby, sticking with small orders, looking for an extra machine for onsite engraving, or really don’t have the budget, go for the xTool f1. It’s a tiny powerhouse of a machine, and I loved it from the first day I owned it.
If you can spring for it, and especially if this is any sort of business investment, the F1 Ultra is worthwhile. It’s much easier to recoup a larger investment with small orders than a smaller investment with small orders. The fact that it allows you to batch produce will help you get past the two-figures and into the three and four figure single orders, without working through the nights.
It also can create much more high quality engraves on metal, works much faster on all the materials that the F1 DOES do efficiently, and is a more fully-featured machine.
And the fact that it can do more than the F1 can do will allow you to say “yes” to more types of jobs.
Thinking long term
Finally, one thing that I see consistently when people purchase craft machines for business: if you start with a cheaper option that doesn’t quite do all you want to do, but is a good starting point, you often end up purchasing the more expensive machine eventually.
That’s not a bad thing necessarily – testing things out and earning back the funds on the first before springing for the larger investment – especially when it’s worthwhile to own both machines anyway (which it is if you do craft shows).
But you may prefer to first get the one that can do more.
Whichever one you choose, I am quite certain that you’ll fall in love with it. Feel free to comment or shoot me an email if you have any questions pertaining to your specific machine needs and I’ll try to answer ASAP based on my testing experience!
Which machine do you think is more impressive – the compact portability of the xTool F1 vs. the powerhouse metalwork of the xTool F1 Ultra? Comment below!
