Prusa Mini+ vs Prusa MK4S: print cost head-to-head
Side-by-side specs, energy and amortization numbers for the Prusa Mini+ and the Prusa MK4S, plus a quick verdict on the dimensions that move per-part cost.
Specs side by side
Prusa · 2020
- Average power
- 90 W
- Useful life
- 20,000 h
- Build volume
- 180 × 180 × 180 mm
- Best for
- Beginners
Prusa · 2024
- Average power
- 130 W
- Useful life
- 25,000 h
- Build volume
- 250 × 210 × 220 mm
- Best for
- Professionals
Sample calculation
Same input on both columns: 50 g PLA part, 6 h print time, 8% failure rate. Energy cost held at $0.18/kWh so the only thing changing is the printer.
Prusa Mini+
- Energy$0.10
- Amortization$0.15
- Unit Cost$1.45
- Final Consumer Price$6.33
Prusa MK4S
- Energy$0.14
- Amortization$0.12
- Unit Cost$1.47
- Final Consumer Price$6.39
Verdict by dimension
Cheaper to run
Prusa Mini+Prusa Mini+ draws 90 W on average vs 130 W for the Prusa MK4S — lower power means a smaller energy line in every print.
Longer useful life
Prusa MK4SPrusa MK4S is rated at 25,000 h vs 20,000 h for the Prusa Mini+, so amortization spreads over more printing hours.
Larger build volume
Prusa MK4SPrusa MK4S ships with 250 × 210 × 220 mm build volume vs 180 × 180 × 180 mm on the Prusa Mini+ — bigger plates or batched parts fit without splitting.
More recent release
Prusa MK4SPrusa MK4S is from 2024 while the Prusa Mini+ is from 2020 — more recent firmware, motion-system and ecosystem updates.
Over a 5-year horizon, the Prusa MK4S amortizes 1.3× more print-hours than the Prusa Mini+.