xTool F2 Review 2026: The $1,499 Successor to the F1, Tested

Quick Answer: The xTool F2 is the successor to the original xTool F1, pairing a 5W IR (1064nm) laser with a 15W diode in one portable galvo body for about $1,499. It engraves at up to 6,000 mm/s, uses a 50MP autofocus camera for 0.1mm placement accuracy, and — unlike the cheaper F1 — its stronger IR module can color-mark bare metal like stainless steel, titanium, and copper, not just engrave it in black and white. Buy it if you want faster, better metal marking than the F1 without stepping up to the F1 Ultra’s metal-cutting price; if you need to actually cut thin metal, get the xTool F1 Ultra instead.

xTool released the F2 in late 2025 as a direct replacement for the two-year-old F1, and the upgrade path is easy to summarize: more power, more speed, a much better camera, and — for the first time in the portable F-series — color marking on bare metal. It slots neatly between the budget standard F1 and the metal-cutting F1 Ultra, and it’s aimed squarely at the same buyers as our best portable laser engraver and best laser engraver for jewelry picks. This review covers what changed, what the F2 does well, and who should actually buy it.

xTool F2 at a glance

xTool F2 by the numbers

• The F2 pairs a 5W IR (1064nm) laser with a 15W diode (per xTool) — the IR module handles metal marking, color engraving on coated surfaces, and deep marking on stone and ceramics, while the diode cuts and engraves wood, leather, and acrylic.
• It engraves at up to 6,000 mm/s, roughly 50% faster than the standard F1’s 4,000 mm/s (per xTool’s F-series comparison) — enough to run a tray of keychains or a row of tumblers in a single fast pass.
• The IR laser can color-mark stainless steel, titanium, and copper without a MOPA source (per Atomm) — color passes take longer than a standard black engrave, but it’s a capability the cheaper F1 simply doesn’t have.
• A 50MP camera delivers roughly 0.1mm visual-alignment accuracy (per Machines for Makers) — a large step up from the F1’s positioning camera, which matters most for engraving pre-printed or curved items precisely.
• List price is around $1,499, with frequent promotional pricing near $1,299 (per Maker Hacks) — positioning it roughly $400 above the standard F1 and around $500 below the F1 Ultra.

What the xTool F2 does well

Color marking on bare metal, without MOPA. The headline upgrade over the F1 is the stronger 5W IR module’s ability to color-mark stainless steel, titanium, and copper — previously something you needed a MOPA fiber machine like the ComMarker B6 MOPA to do. It’s slower than a black-only pass and won’t match a dedicated MOPA’s color range, but for jewelry sellers and drinkware personalizers it opens a genuinely new product line without a $4,000+ machine.

Real speed gains over the F1. At up to 6,000 mm/s, the F2 clears batch work noticeably faster than the F1’s 4,000 mm/s — the difference between running a tray of tags once versus twice during a busy market day. That throughput is why it belongs alongside the F1 Ultra in our best portable laser engraver guide.

A much better camera for placement. The 50MP autofocus camera with ~0.1mm accuracy makes lining up designs on curved tumblers, odd-shaped blanks, and pre-printed items far less fiddly than the F1’s simpler positioning system — a meaningful quality-of-life upgrade for anyone selling personalized goods.

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xTool F1 vs xTool F2 vs xTool F1 Ultra

The F2 sits exactly where you’d expect a mid-cycle successor to sit: closer to the F1 in price, but borrowing the metal-marking ambition of the F1 Ultra without the fiber laser’s ability to actually cut metal. If you only need black engraving on wood, leather, and coated metal, the cheaper standard xTool F1 still does the job. If color marking on bare stainless or titanium matters — jewelry, engraved tumblers, branded metal tags — the F2 is the value pick. If you need to cut thin metal sheet as well as mark it, step up to the F1 Ultra. For the full brand lineup including the enclosed S1 and the CO2 P2S, see our best xTool laser engraver ranking.

Where the xTool F2 falls short

• It doesn’t cut metal. The 5W IR laser marks and color-engraves bare metal but can’t cut through sheet stock — for that you need the F1 Ultra’s 20W fiber or a dedicated fiber cutter.
• Color marking is slow. Getting color on stainless or titanium requires low power and dense scanning, so a color pass takes meaningfully longer than a standard black-and-white engrave — plan production time accordingly.
• The bed is still small. At 110×110mm (before the slide extension), the F2 suits jewelry, tags, and drinkware rather than large panels or signs. For bigger flat work, the enclosed xTool S1 has far more room.
• Fumes need managing. Marking metal and cutting wood or leather both produce fumes and particulates; run it with ventilation or a purifier, and never leave a job unattended.

Who should buy the xTool F2

The xTool F2 is the right buy if you want faster engraving and color metal marking than the original F1, without the F1 Ultra’s metal-cutting price tag. It’s built for jewelry sellers, drinkware and tumbler personalizers, and small-business makers who sell mixed wood, leather, and metal goods and want a meaningful step up from an entry-level portable. It’s not the pick if you need to cut metal (get the F1 Ultra), need a bigger bed for signs and panels (look at the xTool S1), or are shopping on the tightest budget (see our best budget laser engraver guide). For makers upgrading from an F1 or buying their first mid-range portable, the F2 earns its place in our best portable laser engraver and best laser engraver for jewelry roundups.

Ready to buy? Compare the F2, the slide extension, and rotary accessories and check today’s price: