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An Ender 5 Max is coming. Found at Formnext sitting alongside the company’s new K2 Plus – a printer that, like its namesake mountain, is pretty damn big – by comparison the Ender 5 Max takes scarcely more desk space but offers a larger build volume at 400 x 400 x 400 mm.

To put it into perspective, the Ender 5 Max’s 400mm³ build volume offers approximately 15% more printable space than the K2 Plus. Unlike the K-series of printers, which come ready to run out of the box, the Ender 5 Max will require some assembly. Looking at the most recent Ender series releases (the 3 V3) we’d expect this to be more likely a case of bolting together large assemblies of components rather than the full kit experience past Ender 5 machines offered at launch back in 2019.

On a tour of Creality’s booth, the company described the Ender 5 Max to All3DP as a print farm solution. Certainly, its open frame design fits the bill for what we assume would be easier serviceability, though a rear-mounted spool placement doesn’t seem too logical for this purpose. The company later clarified that the default spool placement accommodates 1 kg spools, and is the only official fixture. A user-printable alternative is coming later. It’s Wi-Fi equipped (no Ethernet) and is planned to be enclosable.

Side-by-side with the K2 Plus (Source: All3DP)

The Ender 5 Max’s spartan-looking printhead (Source: All3DP)

Something we’re sure Creality is counting on selling the Ender 5 Max is its print speed. 700 mm/s is the figure, which would be particularly sweet to see zipping across that 400 x 400 mm build area. The hot end and extruder structure are lifted from the K1 we’re told, with a high-flow nozzle helping it to hit a max of 700 mm/s print speed, in regular use closer to 500 mm/s. This high-flow nozzle is not the vaunted Unicorn, but something else debuting with the Ender 5 Max.

Given the glacial pace at which Creality is releasing the K2, perhaps the company is hedging its bets with another large machine in the Ender 5 Max. Due to launch at the end of December with a sub-$800 price tag, it’ll be too late for Santa to try to cram down the chimney, but just in time for a not-so-little New-Year-new-you treat.