OMTech Solis Duo vs xTool F1 Ultra: Dual-Laser Engraver Showdown

Quick answer: If you need to mark bare metal at production speed and your budget tops out around $3,000, the OMTech Solis Duo 20W Fiber & 20W Diode is the better entry point — it undercuts the xTool F1 Ultra by roughly $1,100 while matching its dual-source concept. If you want the tightest camera-guided workflow, the most polished software ecosystem, and don't mind paying for it, the xTool F1 Ultra is still the safer pick for a first dual-laser machine. If your job regularly needs more than 20W of fiber power — thicker metal marking, faster cycle times, batch runs — the Solis Duo's 30W and 50W autofocus configurations go somewhere the F1 Ultra line doesn't touch at all.

Table of Contents

• What These Machines Actually Are
• Spec-by-Spec Comparison
• Price and Configuration Breakdown
• Work Area, Speed, and Precision
• Camera and Autofocus Workflow
• Software: LightBurn vs OMTech Lab vs XCS
• Material Compatibility
• What Existing Reviews Get Right — and Where They Fall Short
• Choose the Solis Duo If / Choose the F1 Ultra If
• Frequently Asked Questions

What These Machines Actually Are

Both machines solve the same problem: a shop that needs to mark bare metal and engrave wood, leather, or acrylic usually needs two separate lasers — a fiber laser for metal, and a diode or CO2 laser for everything else. Dual-source machines put both light sources in one enclosure so you're not buying, powering, and finding bench space for two units.

The xTool F1 Ultra pairs a 20W fiber laser with a 20W diode laser in a compact, fully enclosed body built around xTool's camera-guided workflow. It was one of the first machines to popularize this dual-source category for small shops and hobbyists.

The OMTech Solis Duo takes the same dual-source concept and stretches it across three configurations — 20W fiber + 20W diode, 30W fiber + 20W diode with autofocus, and 50W fiber + 40W diode with autofocus — so the buying decision isn't just "which brand" but "which power tier do I actually need." See our full Solis Duo review for a deeper look at the standalone machine, or our Solis Duo vs. F2 Ultra comparison if color engraving on metal is part of your requirements.

"When a customer calls asking about these two machines, one of the first things I ask is whether they're happy staying at 20W fiber and 20W diode, or whether they'll eventually need more power for faster production or deeper engraving," says Shishir Nigam, Founder of The Maker's Chest. "The F1 Ultra only comes in one fixed configuration. The Solis Duo comes as three separate machines at three power levels, so if you think you'll outgrow 20W, you can buy into the right tier from the start instead of getting locked into the F1 Ultra's ceiling."

Spec-by-Spec Comparison

Note on work area: xTool's fiber engraving field is smaller than its diode field on the F1 Ultra, since fiber lasers use a fixed-focus galvo lens with a narrower native window; the diode side covers a larger area. Vendors describe this differently in their marketing, so always check the working field for the specific laser source you'll use most before buying either machine.

Note on pricing: $3,999 is the F1 Ultra's listed MSRP. xTool and most authorized retailers frequently run promotions bringing the street price closer to $2,999–$3,399 — check current pricing before assuming the full $3,999 applies.

Price and Configuration Breakdown

This is where the Solis Duo's three-tier lineup changes the conversation. A straight "OMTech vs xTool" comparison misses that OMTech is really offering three different buying decisions:

• Solis Duo 20W Fiber & 20W Diode — $2,899.99. The direct F1 Ultra competitor on paper: same fiber and diode wattage, no autofocus, manual focus only. This is the configuration to compare head-to-head against the F1 Ultra's $3,999 price tag.
• Solis Duo 30W Fiber & 20W Diode with Autofocus — $2,999.99. For $100 more than the base Solis Duo, you get 10W more fiber power and autofocus — arguably the strongest value in this whole comparison, since it beats the F1 Ultra on both fiber power and price.
• Solis Duo 50W Fiber & 40W Diode with Autofocus — $4,199.99. The flagship. More fiber power than the F1 Ultra, double the diode power, and the only configuration with the optional conveyor upgrade for long-format or batch work. This is priced above the F1 Ultra, but it's also doing meaningfully more.

The practical takeaway: comparing "Solis Duo" to "F1 Ultra" as if OMTech only had one option undersells the decision. The real question is whether your fiber-marking jobs need 20W, 30W, or 50W — and only after that does the F1 Ultra's price start to look expensive or reasonable by comparison.

There's a version of this decision that's easy to get backwards. It's tempting to treat the base 20W/20W Solis Duo as "the budget option" and stop there, since it's the cheapest machine in either lineup. But the 30W/20W configuration at just $100 more complicates that framing — it's not really a step up in price tier so much as a rounding error on top of the base price for a real capability gain. Anyone choosing between the F1 Ultra and the base Solis Duo should seriously consider whether that extra $100 is worth skipping entirely, since it changes the comparison from "cheaper but less capable" to "cheaper and more capable" in one step.

Work Area, Speed, and Precision

The Solis Duo's 9.8" x 9.8" work area is larger than what most dual-source competitors offer, and OMTech markets it as the largest bed in its class. The 50W/40W configuration can extend that to 9.8" x 35.4" with an optional conveyor attachment — useful for batch runs of small parts (keychains, tags, nameplates) or engraving long stock without repositioning.

Both machines claim engraving precision in the 0.002 mm range and top speeds around 10,000 mm/s on paper. In practice, top engraving speed is rarely the bottleneck for either machine — focus accuracy, material fixturing, and software settings matter more to real-world cycle time than the max mm/s spec on a box.

Camera and Autofocus Workflow

The xTool F1 Ultra's camera-guided alignment is one of its strongest selling points and part of why it built such a loyal following among first-time laser buyers — it's built to let you place a design, see exactly where it will land on the material, and fire, with autofocus included on every unit.

OMTech's approach depends on which Solis Duo you buy. The base 20W/20W model has a camera but is manual-focus only, which adds a step (and a small margin for user error) to every job. The 30W/20W and 50W/40W configurations add autofocus, closing that workflow gap with the F1 Ultra — and per OMTech's specs, both carry a 16MP camera versus what several third-party comparisons describe as a lower-resolution camera on the F1 Ultra.

If camera-guided, near-zero-setup alignment is the deciding factor for you, either the F1 Ultra or an autofocus Solis Duo config will get you there — just make sure you're not comparing the F1 Ultra against the base (non-autofocus) Solis Duo, since that's not an apples-to-apples workflow comparison.

For high-volume batch production specifically, xTool still has an edge. "The Solis Duo's power options win on raw capability, but for batch production, xTool's ecosystem is still ahead," Nigam notes. "It's not just the conveyor — their AI camera is more adept at handling repeated batch cycles without babysitting each piece." Shops running frequent large-batch jobs should weigh that workflow advantage against the Solis Duo's power and price benefits.

Software: LightBurn vs OMTech Lab vs XCS

xTool ships the F1 Ultra with Creative Space (XCS), a proprietary design and control app built specifically around xTool's hardware and camera system. It's polished and beginner-friendly, but it locks you into xTool's software ecosystem.

OMTech ships the Solis Duo with OMTech Lab and explicitly supports LightBurn compatibility. For shops that already run LightBurn on other machines — including CO2 or other fiber lasers — this matters more than it looks on a spec sheet: one software environment across multiple machines instead of switching between XCS for one laser and LightBurn for everything else.

Neither approach is objectively better — it depends on whether you're building a single-machine shop (where XCS's tight hardware integration is a real advantage) or a multi-machine shop that values software consistency (where LightBurn compatibility pays off).

"LightBurn compatibility is a real advantage for power users," Nigam adds. "It's simply more capable software than what ships natively with either machine, and it lets experienced users unlock functionality that XCS or OMTech Lab don't offer out of the box." For beginners, that extra depth matters less — but for a shop planning to grow into more advanced workflows, it's worth factoring in early rather than hitting a software ceiling later.

Material Compatibility

Both machines split material handling the same way: the fiber laser (1064nm) handles bare metals — stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminum, titanium — for marking, serial coding, and deep engraving. The diode laser (455nm blue) handles non-metals — wood, leather, acrylic, coated materials, rubber, and similar organics — for engraving and light cutting.

Cutting capability is where the power difference between configurations actually shows up. The Solis Duo 50W/40W is rated to cut thicker basswood and acrylic than the F1 Ultra's 20W diode side can manage in a single pass, and its fiber side is rated for thicker sheet metal marking depth as well. If cutting (not just marking) is part of your workflow, the wattage tier matters more than the brand name.

Worth naming directly for anyone comparing product lines across both brands: neither the F1 Ultra nor any Solis Duo configuration is designed to cut through metal, only mark and engrave it. That's a fiber-laser-cutter distinction (a different machine category entirely, like OMTech's FC-22), not something either of these dual-source engravers is built for regardless of wattage — see our FC-22 vs. fiber marking machines guide if actual metal cutting is part of your plans. If your business plans include actually cutting metal stock, not just marking or engraving its surface, that's a separate equipment decision from this comparison.

What Existing Reviews Get Right — and Where They Fall Short

Most comparisons of these two machines online fall into one of two camps: brand-affiliated content that naturally favors its own hardware, or affiliate roundups that copy spec sheets without addressing the buying decision directly. A few gaps worth flagging if you're researching this purchase elsewhere:

• Most comparisons treat "Solis Duo" as one machine. As covered above, OMTech offers three real configurations at three price points, and only one of them (the base 20W/20W) is a true apples-to-apples match for the F1 Ultra's specs.
• Camera resolution claims vary by source. Some third-party comparisons describe the F1 Ultra's camera as more advanced due to its AI-assisted alignment software, while others point to the Solis Duo's 16MP hardware spec as objectively higher-resolution. Software polish and raw camera resolution are different things — don't assume one implies the other.
• Hands-on, independently tested reviews of the Solis Duo are still thin, since it's a newer machine to the market. Existing coverage leans on manufacturer specs and early hands-on videos (including a detailed unboxing and setup review from laser reviewer Ryan Mercer) more than long-term reliability data. If you're buying the Solis Duo, budget some patience for a newer product with a shorter public track record than the F1 Ultra, which has been on the market longer.
• xTool's marketing oversells the learning curve. "I think xTool oversells how easy this is for someone who's never touched a laser before," Nigam says. "The software is genuinely user-friendly compared to a lot of the competition, but there's still a real learning curve early on — don't expect zero ramp-up time just because the marketing makes it look effortless."

Choose the Solis Duo If / Choose the F1 Ultra If

Choose the OMTech Solis Duo if:

• You want the lowest entry price into a dual-source fiber + diode machine
• Your metal-marking jobs need more than 20W of fiber power (the 30W or 50W configs)
• You already run LightBurn on other equipment and want software consistency
• You need a larger native work area, or batch/long-format capability via the conveyor option
• You're comfortable being an early adopter on a newer product line with less long-term track record

Choose the xTool F1 Ultra if:

• You want autofocus and camera-guided alignment included at every price point, with no configuration decision to make
• You're building a single-machine shop and want the tightest hardware-software integration
• You value a longer public track record and larger base of independent reviews before buying
• Your jobs fit comfortably within 20W fiber / 20W diode and don't need more power

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the OMTech Solis Duo as good as the xTool F1 Ultra?

For jobs that fit within 20W fiber and 20W diode power, the base Solis Duo configuration is directly comparable on paper at a lower price, though it lacks autofocus. The 30W and 50W Solis Duo configurations exceed the F1 Ultra's fiber power while still coming in at or near its price.

Which is cheaper, OMTech Solis Duo or xTool F1 Ultra?

The base OMTech Solis Duo (20W fiber & 20W diode) is priced at $2,899.99, and the 30W/20W autofocus configuration at $2,999.99 — both below the xTool F1 Ultra's $3,999 MSRP. Note that xTool frequently discounts the F1 Ultra toward the $2,999–$3,399 range, so check current pricing before assuming the full MSRP applies. The flagship 50W/40W Solis Duo, at $4,199.99, is priced above the F1 Ultra even at its discounted street price.

Does the OMTech Solis Duo have autofocus?

Only the 30W/20W and 50W/40W configurations include autofocus. The base 20W/20W Solis Duo uses manual focus. The xTool F1 Ultra includes autofocus standard.

Can either machine cut metal, or only mark it?

Neither machine is designed to cut through metal — the fiber laser side on both machines is for marking, engraving, and surface treatment of metal, not cutting through sheet stock. For actual metal cutting, you'd need a dedicated fiber laser cutter.

Is LightBurn compatible with both machines?

OMTech explicitly supports LightBurn compatibility on the Solis Duo alongside its own OMTech Lab software. The xTool F1 Ultra runs on xTool's proprietary Creative Space (XCS) software; LightBurn support for xTool fiber-diode hybrids should be confirmed directly with xTool before purchase if this is a requirement.

Which machine is better for a small business just starting out?

It depends on projected job mix more than brand. A shop expecting mostly light engraving on wood, leather, and small metal items can start with either machine's base tier. A shop expecting steady metal-marking volume from day one should look at the Solis Duo's 30W or 50W configurations, since fiber power directly affects marking speed and depth on harder metals.

Is the 30W/20W Solis Duo really a better deal than the base 20W/20W model?

For most buyers, yes. At just $100 more than the base configuration, the 30W/20W model adds both 10W of extra fiber power and autofocus — two real capability gains for a marginal price difference. Unless budget is genuinely constrained to the exact base price, it's worth treating the 30W/20W as the practical starting point for this comparison rather than the base 20W/20W model.

Does either machine come with a rotary attachment for cylindrical items?

Both the F1 Ultra and the Solis Duo lineup support rotary attachments for engraving tumblers, mugs, and other cylindrical objects, though availability of an included rotary versus an optional add-on can vary by configuration and current promotion — confirm what's bundled with your specific model before ordering if rotary engraving is part of your planned workflow.

For the complete picture of OMTech's fiber and dual-source lineup, see our OMTech Laser Lineup Explained guide, or shop the full Fiber Laser Engravers collection.

Have questions about which dual-laser configuration fits your shop? Contact The Maker's Chest — we'll help you match the machine to the job.

Written By

Alina Oprea

Maker & Equipment Specialist

Alina Oprea is a hands-on maker, jeweler, and workshop specialist at The Maker’s Chest, with 25 years of silversmithing experience alongside a background in woodworking, renovations, construction, and commercial ductwork installation.

Her experience spans decorative woodwork, hand-carved doors, jewelry fabrication, homebuilding with Habitat, and real jobsite problem-solving — giving her a practical understanding of materials, tools, workflow, and what machines need to deliver beyond the spec sheet.