xTool F2 vs F1 vs F1 Ultra: What Replaced the F1, and Which Should You Buy?
The xTool F2 replaced the F1. If you're buying a portable dual laser today, buy the F2. If you need deep metal engraving, thin metal cutting or a bigger work field, skip ahead to the F1 Ultra. The xTool F2 ($1,149) keeps the F1's portable infrared-plus-diode concept and upgrades every part of it: 5W infrared instead of 2W, a 15W diode instead of 10W, a 50MP camera the F1 never had, and 6,000 mm/s instead of 4,000. The xTool F1 Ultra ($2,299) isn't an F1 upgrade at all. It's a 20W fiber machine with a field nearly five times larger than the F1's.
The original F1 is no longer part of our xTool lineup. This guide is for two groups: F1 owners deciding whether to upgrade, and new buyers who keep seeing all three names in reviews.
Table of Contents
- Quick Answer: How the Three Machines Relate
- Spec-by-Spec Comparison
- F2 vs F1: What Changed
- F2 vs F1 Ultra: The Real Buying Decision
- Should F1 Owners Upgrade?
- Choose the F2 If / Choose the F1 Ultra If
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Answer: How the Three Machines Relate
xTool's F series splits into two families that share a name but not a laser type:
- F1 → F2: portable infrared + diode engravers for personalization. The F2 is the current model.
- F1 Ultra → F2 Ultra: fiber + diode production machines for metal. The F1 Ultra uses a 20W standard fiber; the F2 Ultra uses a 60W MOPA.
So "F2 vs F1" is a generational comparison, and "F2 vs F1 Ultra" is a comparison between two different classes of machine that happen to sit about $1,150 apart. Based on the calls our team fields every week, that second comparison is the one most new buyers actually need answered.
Spec-by-Spec Comparison
| Spec | xTool F1 (retired) | xTool F2 | xTool F1 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal laser | 2W infrared (1064 nm) | 5W infrared | 20W fiber (1064 nm) |
| Diode laser | 10W | 15W | 20W |
| Max speed | 4,000 mm/s | 6,000 mm/s | 10,000 mm/s |
| Work field | 100 × 100 mm | 115 × 115 mm (4.5" × 4.5") | 220 × 220 mm (8.6" × 8.6") |
| Extended area | 400 × 120 mm with extension | 400 × 115 mm with Slide Extension | 8.6" × 19.6" with conveyor |
| Camera | None (frame/outline preview) | 50MP smart camera with autofocus | 16MP smart camera with autofocus and positioning |
| Metal cutting | No | No | Thin metal sheet |
| Weight | 4.6 kg (10.1 lb) | 4.6 kg (10.1 lb) | 14.7 kg (32.4 lb) |
| Price | No longer stocked | $1,149–$1,929 | $2,299–$3,959 |
Prices as of publish time, subject to change.
F2 vs F1: What Changed
The F2 keeps the F1's footprint, weight and purpose, and upgrades nearly everything else.
More power on both lasers
The infrared source goes from 2W to 5W, a 150% increase, and the diode goes from 10W to 15W. On metal, that means darker marks and color on stainless steel in fewer passes. On wood and leather, it means faster engraving and thicker cuts.
A real camera
The F1 had no camera. You positioned work with a frame or outline preview projected onto the material. The F2 adds a 50MP smart camera with live preview, autofocus, visual alignment, one-click auto-fill and batch processing. xTool also lists curved-surface engraving and relief engraving as F2 software features that the F1 doesn't support.
In practice, the camera is the upgrade F1 owners notice most. Lining up a design on a ring band or a pre-cut tag by eye is where most of the time goes on small personalization jobs, and the camera removes most of it.
Faster, slightly bigger field
Top speed rises from 4,000 to 6,000 mm/s, and the native field grows from 100 × 100 mm to 115 × 115 mm, about 32% more area. With extensions, both machines reach roughly 400 mm in length.
Accessories carry over
xTool states the F2 is compatible with F1 accessories, except the storage case. If you already own the Slide Extension, foot pedal or a rotary, they move to the new machine.
F2 vs F1 Ultra: The Real Buying Decision
For a new buyer, the choice is usually F2 at $1,149 or F1 Ultra at $2,299. Here's what the extra $1,150 buys.
A fiber laser, not an infrared marker
The F1 Ultra's 20W fiber laser has four times the power of the F2's 5W infrared source. That's the difference between marking metal and working metal: the F1 Ultra does deep engraving you can feel, raised embossing and cuts thin metal sheet. The F2 marks, colors and engraves surfaces but doesn't cut metal.
A field nearly four times larger
The F1 Ultra works in an 8.6" × 8.6" field, about 3.7 times the F2's 4.5" × 4.5". Its optional Auto Streamline Conveyor extends that to 8.6" × 19.6" and, with its 16MP camera recognizing each blank, feeds parts through automatically, which turns it into a batch machine. At 10,000 mm/s it's also faster than the F2's 6,000 mm/s.
A stronger diode
The F1 Ultra's 20W diode cuts basswood up to 15 mm and acrylic up to 12 mm in multiple passes, beyond what a 15W diode handles comfortably. Neither diode cuts clear acrylic, because blue light passes through transparent material.
What the F2 does better
Portability and price. The F2 weighs about 10 lb and is built to be carried to a market; the F1 Ultra weighs 32.4 lb and belongs on a desk. The F2 also brings a higher-resolution 50MP camera workflow at half the F1 Ultra's price.
On color marking specifically, xTool's own ranking of color vividness on metal puts the F2 Ultra first, the F1 Ultra second and the F2 third. If vivid color is the product, look at the F2 Ultra's MOPA laser rather than either of these.
Should F1 Owners Upgrade?
It depends on what's limiting you.
- If alignment time is the problem, the F2 is the right upgrade. The 50MP camera, autofocus and batch processing are the biggest day-to-day improvements, and your F1 accessories still fit.
- If you're turning down metal jobs because the F1 can't engrave deep, emboss or cut, the F2 won't fix that. Step up to the F1 Ultra, or the F2 Ultra if you need color.
- If the field is too small for your products, the F2's 15% wider field is a modest gain. The F1 Ultra's 8.6" × 8.6" field is the meaningful jump.
- If the F1 still does everything you sell, keep it. It's still a capable portable marker.
Choose the F2 If / Choose the F1 Ultra If
Choose the xTool F2 if:
- You want a portable machine for craft fairs, pop-ups and on-site personalization
- Your products are small: jewelry, tags, keychains, pens, tumblers and leather patches
- You want camera-guided alignment at the lowest price ($1,149)
- You're upgrading from an F1 and want your accessories to carry over
Choose the xTool F1 Ultra if:
- You need deep metal engraving, embossing or thin metal cutting
- Your pieces don't fit a 4.5" field, or you want conveyor-fed batch production
- The machine will stay on a bench in your shop
- You want a stronger 20W diode for thicker wood alongside the fiber
For deeper dives, read our xTool F2 vs F2 Ultra comparison, xTool F2 vs LaserPecker 4, our xTool F1 Ultra review, or browse all fiber laser engravers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the xTool F2 replace the F1?
Yes. The F2 is the direct successor to the F1, with a 5W infrared laser (up from 2W), a 15W diode (up from 10W), a 50MP camera the F1 didn't have, and a top speed of 6,000 mm/s (up from 4,000).
Is the xTool F2 the same as the F1 Ultra?
No. The F2 uses a 5W infrared laser and a 15W diode in a 10 lb portable body. The F1 Ultra uses a 20W fiber laser and a 20W diode, with a field nearly four times larger, and it cuts thin metal sheet. They're different classes of machine.
Which is better, the xTool F2 or F1 Ultra?
The F2 is better for portable personalization at the lowest price. The F1 Ultra is better for metal work: deep engraving, embossing, thin metal cutting and larger pieces. For vivid color marking on stainless steel, the F2 Ultra beats both.
Do F1 accessories work with the F2?
According to xTool, yes, the F2 is compatible with F1 accessories except the storage case, so extensions, pedals and rotaries carry over.
Can the xTool F2 cut metal?
No. The F2 marks and engraves metal surfaces but doesn't cut metal. The F1 Ultra cuts thin metal sheet, and the F2 Ultra cuts brass and stainless up to 2 mm.
Is the original xTool F1 still worth buying?
Only at a steep discount, and only if you don't need a camera. For about the same footprint, the F2 adds more power on both lasers, a 50MP camera with autofocus and 50% more speed.
Deciding between portable and production? Contact The Maker's Chest team and tell us what you're making. We'll tell you which F-series machine actually fits.
