It’s been five and a half years and four new 3D printers since Prusa Research released the first iteration Original Prusa MK3; now the Original Prusa MK4 is finally here.

And we do mean it’s here. After a cryptic tweet from Josef Průša of a stunning Benchy 3D printed at what looks to be admirable speeds teased the announcement yesterday, the Original Prusa MK4 received a surprise launch today. “A couple hundred” of the pre-assembled MK4s are available to order in Prusa Research’s online shop at the same $1,099 price the MK3S+ previously held.

The Original Prusa MK4 uses Prusa’s impressive new direct extruder, the Nextruder, which was first revealed with the company’s recent Original Prusa XL CoreXY system. That extruder is absolutely steeped in good stuff, so much so that we’ve previously covered it in a detailed Nextruder deep-dive article. Some highlights include the 1:10 gear-ratio planetary gearbox, an embedded load cell sensor that enables an array of features including “always perfect first layers”, and a dedicated “LoveBoard” breakout board for easy modding and maintenance. It’s worth noting that the MK4 version of the Nextruder is somewhat different, being smaller and lighter, but Prusa has said its capabilities are similar. That said, not all of its features have been confirmed and the other versions’ integrated accelerometer has been cut.

Outside of the Nextruder, the MK4 has received a number of updates. Some, like integrated Wi-Fi connectivity, are features firmly in the quality-of-life camp, but others clearly help the system to do its job better, like the new 32-bit “xBuddy” mainboard that should give Prusa’s development team a lot more headroom for its future software updates.

Otherwise, despite that Prusa says 90% of the printer has been changed, the MK4 looks very similar to the tried-and-tested MK3S+ – and that’s not a bad thing. Don’t fix what ain’t broke, after all. A beefier mainboard, advanced new extruder, and networkability give Prusa Research’s flagship 3D printer the modern update it sorely needed without reinventing the wheel. We’re excited to see if the new features are enough to restore the MK series’ (until recently) long-held title of All3DP’s best 3D printer under $1,000. We’ll know soon, as an MK4 review unit is already en route to our offices.

The new release also includes three upgrade paths for current MK3S+ owners to the MK4, “MK3.9”, which only excludes the MK4’s new higher-precision X, Y, and Z stepper motors, or “MK3.5”, which also excludes the Nextruder. At the same time, Prusa Research has released a new Multi-Material Unit dubbed the MMU3 that allows single-nozzle 3D printers to use up to five materials in a single job.

There’s a lot to unpack in this announcement, and while we’ll be bringing our own deep dive on the new machine in the coming days, you can scratch the itch right now over on the Prusa blog, which details everything about the new Original Prusa MK4, MK3.5 upgrade kit, and MMU3. Or, head to Prusa’s online shop to order an Original Prusa MK4 for yourself. It is officially out, after all.

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