F1 Ultra

At a Glance

Best For

Overview

The xTool F1 Ultra is a $3,699 dual-laser desktop engraver that combines a 20W fiber laser for metals with a 20W diode laser for wood, acrylic, and leather. It is the most versatile machine in our test bench — and the most expensive. At nearly four times the price of a dedicated 20W fiber laser, the F1 Ultra justifies its cost only if you genuinely need both laser types in a single, fully enclosed, camera-guided package. It is not a MOPA laser. Color marking on stainless steel is limited to Q-switched thermal oxidation effects — far short of MOPA-grade vivid results. If your work is metal-only, a dedicated 30W or 60W MOPA fiber laser costs less and delivers more raw capability.

Pros & Cons

Build Quality & Design

The F1 Ultra's fully enclosed design is a genuine safety advantage over every open-frame competitor in our lineup. The 1064nm infrared fiber beam is invisible and dangerous — the enclosure with automatic shutoffs means you can operate it without OD5+ eyewear or a dedicated controlled workspace. The 16MP built-in camera enables autofocus and AI auto-alignment, which hobbylasercutters.com called a significant workflow advantage: jobs on multiple randomly-oriented pieces are positioned automatically. The footprint is desktop-friendly despite the 220×220mm work area and dual-laser architecture. Make: Magazine praised the compact size relative to capability but noted two design flaws: the dual-laser calibration screw is hard to access, and the removable bottom plate from the original F1 was removed — limiting pass-through work. Weight is 4.5kg.

Laser Source & Performance

The F1 Ultra uses a 20W fiber laser for metals plus a 20W diode laser for organics. xTool does not publicly disclose the fiber source manufacturer — any claim that it uses Raycus is unverified inference and should not be presented as confirmed. The fiber laser is Q-switched with a fixed pulse duration of approximately 120ns — not MOPA. This means no controllable pulse width and no MOPA-quality vivid color on stainless steel. xTool's own product hierarchy ranks color capability as F2 Ultra (MOPA) > F1 Ultra > F2. The F1 Ultra CAN produce limited color effects on stainless via thermal oxidation at specific power/speed combinations, but this is a bonus capability, not a core feature. Galvo speed is 10,000mm/s. Deep engraving and 3D embossing on metals are confirmed capabilities. The dual-laser system requires calibration so both beams hit the same spot — a one-time setup task that Make: Magazine described as not the easiest due to a screw you can hardly see.

Software & Workflow

xTool Creative Space (XCS) is the primary software and the only platform that unlocks the machine's signature features: 16MP camera autofocus, AI auto-align, and smart job positioning. LightBurn compatibility exists via an official plugin, but with significant caveats. A documented firmware-related bug from December 2024 (LightBurn Software Forum) causes fill engraving layers to shift 1cm+ mid-job in LightBurn after certain firmware updates. Outline engraving works correctly. xTool XCS performs the same jobs without issue. For advanced users who prefer LightBurn, this is a real workflow disruption. Additionally, the camera, autofocus, and AI auto-align features do not work in LightBurn at all — users who prefer LightBurn lose the core differentiating workflow features. xTool actively markets XCS as superior and does not list LightBurn compatibility as a selling point.

Use-Case Performance

Tumblers: The F1 Ultra delivers the best tumbler engraving results hobbylasercutters.com has tested across all laser types. The two-pass method — diode removes powder coating, fiber polishes the exposed metal — with a chuck-style rotary (RA2 Pro) produces showroom-quality marks with no cleanup needed. This is a genuine standout capability. Jewelry: Strong. The fiber laser marks gold, silver, platinum, titanium, and brass with a fine 0.03×0.03mm spot size. Deep engraving and 3D embossing are viable. Electronics: Good for PCB marking and small metal parts. Color marking: Limited. The F1 Ultra can achieve some thermal oxidation color on stainless steel, but results are inconsistent and far below MOPA-grade. Do not buy this machine expecting vivid, repeatable color marks. Business/bulk use: Well-designed. The Auto Conveyor extends work area to 220×500mm. Built-in touchscreen + foot pedal/button enable batch production without a computer. AI auto-align in XCS handles multiple randomly-placed items.

Value & Verdict

At $3,699, the xTool F1 Ultra is expensive. You are paying a significant premium for dual-laser versatility, enclosure safety, camera workflow, and xTool's US-based support infrastructure. For comparison: the ComMarker B4 60W MOPA costs $1,099 and delivers 3x the fiber wattage with true MOPA color marking. The OMTech 30W MOPA costs $699 and delivers MOPA capability at one-fifth the price. Buy the F1 Ultra if you need both metal AND organic material engraving in one safe, enclosed machine with the smoothest onboarding experience. Skip it if your work is metal-only — a dedicated MOPA fiber laser delivers more capability per dollar. Also skip it if you rely on LightBurn as your primary workflow — the fill-shift bug and XCS-only camera features create real friction for advanced users.

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