Should I buy the xTool F1 or the F1 Ultra?

It comes down to one question: do you need to cut metal, or just mark it? The standard F1 (about $1,099) pairs a 2W infrared laser with a 10W diode and can engrave/mark bare metal beautifully, but it cannot cut through it. The F1 Ultra (about $1,999) swaps that 2W IR source for a 20W fiber laser that actually cuts thin stainless (0.3mm), brass (0.4mm), and aluminum (0.2mm), plus deep-engraves relief into metal, at double the speed. If your work is jewelry engraving, tag marking, or wood/acrylic personalization, the F1 is enough. If you're making metal parts, tags cut from sheet stock, or running a production shop, the Ultra's fiber laser is the difference between decorating metal and fabricating it.

Is the xTool F1 Ultra twice as fast as the F1 for a reason that matters?

Mostly, yes. Both machines are galvo lasers, so neither has a gantry to accelerate — the F1 already hits 4,000mm/s, about 10x a typical open-frame diode. The F1 Ultra doubles that to 10,000mm/s. On a single small tag the difference is barely noticeable in real time, but on batch runs — a tray of 50 jewelry blanks or a sheet of tumbler tags — the Ultra's speed compounds fast enough to matter for anyone charging by the piece.

Does the price gap between the F1 and F1 Ultra still make sense in 2026?

It's far easier to justify than it used to be. The F1 Ultra launched near $3,999; by 2026 it typically sells for about $1,999, while the standard F1 sits around $1,099. That's roughly a $900 gap for a machine that adds real metal-cutting capability, doubles the work area to 220x220mm, doubles the speed, and adds a 16MP camera with batch production. At launch pricing the Ultra was a hard sell for most hobbyists; at current pricing, it's a reasonable step up for anyone who might ever need to cut metal rather than only mark it.

Can the standard xTool F1 be upgraded to cut metal later?

No. The F1's 2W infrared laser is a fixed marking-strength source — there's no field upgrade path to the F1 Ultra's 20W fiber module. If there's a real chance you'll need to cut metal down the line, buying the Ultra now avoids paying for the F1 and then replacing it outright; if metal marking is genuinely all you'll ever need, the F1 remains the better value and there's no upgrade regret to worry about.

What can neither the xTool F1 nor the F1 Ultra do?

Neither machine cuts thick metal plate — the Ultra's 20W fiber tops out at thin sheet stock (0.3mm stainless, 0.4mm brass, 0.2mm aluminum), so structural parts still need a high-power fiber laser or CNC. Both also have small beds by CO2-laser standards: 115x115mm on the F1 and 220x220mm on the Ultra (expandable to 220x500mm with the auto conveyor), so large panels or signage are better suited to the enclosed xTool S1 or an open-frame diode.

xTool F1 vs F1 Ultra 2026: Metal Marking or Metal Cutting?

Quick Answer: The xTool F1 (about $1,099) marks and engraves bare metal with its 2W infrared laser and cuts wood, acrylic, and leather with a 10W diode, at up to 4,000mm/s over a small 115x115mm bed. The xTool F1 Ultra (about $1,999) replaces that 2W source with a 20W fiber laser that actually cuts thin metal — 0.3mm stainless, 0.4mm brass, 0.2mm aluminum — runs at up to 10,000mm/s, and doubles the bed to 220x220mm. Buy the F1 if you only need to mark metal and cut wood/acrylic on a budget; buy the F1 Ultra if your work requires cutting metal or running real production volume.

Both machines share the same galvo-mirror design that made the original xTool F1 one of the fastest portable engravers on the market — no moving gantry, just fast steering mirrors — and both pair a metal-capable laser with a wood-and-acrylic diode in one enclosed body. Where they split is the strength of that metal laser: a 2W IR module that marks versus a 20W fiber module that cuts. This comparison lines up the real specs side by side so you can tell which side of that line your projects actually fall on.

xTool F1 vs F1 Ultra at a glance

Spec	xTool F1	xTool F1 Ultra
Laser type	Galvo: 2W IR (1064nm) + 10W diode (455nm)	Galvo: 20W fiber (1064nm) + 20W diode (455nm)
Max speed	4,000mm/s	10,000mm/s
Work area	115x115mm (4.5"x4.5")	220x220mm; to 220x500mm with auto conveyor
Metal capability	Marking/engraving only	Cuts 0.3mm stainless, 0.4mm brass, 0.2mm aluminum + deep-engraves
Wood/acrylic cutting	Light cutting	Up to 15mm wood, 12mm black acrylic
Camera / batch	Positioning camera	16MP camera + Auto Streamline production
Enclosure	Enclosed head + shield	Fully enclosed — no goggles needed, closed lid
Price (2026)	About $1,099	About $1,999 (launch was ~$3,999)

What the extra $900 actually buys you

The 20W fiber laser cuts thin metal instead of only marking it — up to 0.3mm stainless steel, 0.4mm brass, and 0.2mm aluminum, per xTool’s own F1 Ultra spec sheet — turning the machine from a decorator into a light fabricator for metal parts and tags cut from sheet stock.
Top speed doubles from 4,000mm/s to 10,000mm/s, per the same xTool spec page, which matters most on batch jobs — a tray of jewelry blanks or a sheet of tumbler tags finishes in roughly half the time.
The work area doubles from 115x115mm to 220x220mm (expandable to 220x500mm with the optional auto conveyor), giving room for small panels and multi-piece layouts instead of one tag at a time.
The 10W diode steps up to 20W, which is why the Ultra cuts up to 15mm wood and 12mm black acrylic versus the standard F1’s lighter cutting capability — both machines still trail the enclosed xTool S1 for thick-material work.

Why this isn’t a close call for most buyers

If your projects are jewelry engraving, metal tag marking, or wood and acrylic personalization, the standard F1’s 2W IR laser already does that job well, and there’s no reason to pay $900 more for cutting capability you won’t use. The math flips the moment metal cutting enters the picture — thin stainless tags, brass hardware, aluminum plates cut to shape — because the F1’s 2W source physically cannot do that at any settings; it’s a marking laser, not a cutting one. That’s the entire decision, and it doesn’t require guessing at future needs: if you already know you need to cut metal, buy the Ultra now rather than upgrading later, since there’s no field upgrade path between the two.

Check xTool F1 Ultra price on Amazon →

Running an engraving business? A free Amazon Business account unlocks quantity discounts and tax-exempt purchasing on metal blanks, wood stock, and rotary accessories for whichever model you pick.

Head-to-head by need

If you want…	xTool F1	xTool F1 Ultra
Lowest price	Best — about $1,099	About $1,999
Metal marking only	Sufficient — 2W IR	Overkill for this alone
Cutting thin metal	Cannot do it	Best — 0.3mm stainless, 0.4mm brass
Batch production speed	4,000mm/s	Best — 10,000mm/s
Larger work area	115x115mm	Best — 220x220mm (to 220x500mm)
Portable, budget-friendly	Best fit	Still enclosed, but pricier

The bottom line

Buy the xTool F1 if metal marking — not cutting — plus wood and acrylic personalization covers your work; at about $1,099 it’s the fastest portable engraver in its price class and there’s no reason to pay for cutting power you won’t use. Buy the xTool F1 Ultra if you need to cut thin metal, want the larger 220x220mm bed, or run enough volume that doubling the speed to 10,000mm/s pays for itself. For the full standalone breakdowns, see our xTool F1 review and xTool F1 Ultra review; if you need a bigger enclosed bed than either offers, the xTool S1 review covers that step up, and the best xTool laser engraver guide ranks the full current lineup.