xTool X1 vs P2S: Same 55W CO2 Laser, Very Different Machines

If you only need to cut and engrave wood and acrylic, the xTool P2S is the better buy. If engraving speed is your bottleneck, or you expect to add metal or glass work within the next two years, the xTool X1 is worth the premium. Both machines run a 55W CO2 laser that cuts 20 mm acrylic and 18 mm wood in one pass, over almost identical bed sizes. The xTool P2S starts at $2,999. The xTool X1 starts at $3,399, but the configuration most buyers will actually want, with the 20W Diode Galvo Module, is $3,999.

So this isn't a power comparison. It's a question of whether you're buying a CO2 cutter, or a platform that starts as a CO2 cutter and grows into something else.

Table of Contents

1. Quick Answer: X1 vs P2S at a Glance
2. Spec-by-Spec Comparison
3. What's Actually the Same
4. The Real Difference: Galvo Engraving and Laser Swap
5. Setup, Safety and Day-to-Day Workflow
6. Total Cost: Configurations and the Two-Machine Alternative
7. Choose the X1 If / Choose the P2S If
8. Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Answer: X1 vs P2S at a Glance

The P2S is xTool's refined version of the P2, which the product listing notes was the best-selling desktop CO2 laser on Amazon from 2022 to 2024. It's a gantry CO2 cutter with cameras and autofocus, and it does that one job very well.

The X1, xTool's newest CO2 platform, uses the same class of 55W CO2 source but wraps it in a different architecture: a Hybrid Motion galvo system that engraves at up to 6,000 mm/s, and a Laser Swap platform that accepts 20W diode, 5W UV, 60W MOPA and 30W fiber sources through one optical path. It's also rated Class 1 in its standard configuration, where the P2S is a Class 4 device.

Based on the calls our team fields every week, most people comparing these two are really asking one question: "Will I outgrow a pure CO2 machine?" The rest of this guide is built around answering that honestly.

Spec-by-Spec Comparison

Prices as of publish time, subject to change.

What's Actually the Same

On cutting, these two machines are a wash. Both run a 55W CO2 source, both top out at 600 mm/s on the CO2 gantry, and both cut 20 mm acrylic and roughly 18 mm of solid wood in a single pass. Because CO2 light at 10,600 nm is absorbed by clear acrylic, both cut every color of acrylic, which no diode laser can do at any wattage.

The beds are also close: 24.2" × 12.6" on the X1 versus 23.6" × 12" on the P2S, a difference of about 5% in area. Both handle stock up to 118" long with a conveyor, and both run in xTool Studio. If your product line is cut-out signs, acrylic awards, wooden ornaments and leather patches, the X1 will not cut them faster or thicker than the P2S.

The Real Difference: Galvo Engraving and Laser Swap

Engraving speed

A gantry CO2 machine like the P2S engraves by dragging the laser head back and forth across the bed. Raster engraving is dominated by how fast the head can reverse at the end of each line, which is why the P2S's 6,400 mm/s² acceleration matters more than its 600 mm/s top speed.

The X1 adds a galvo option. Its 20W Diode Galvo Module steers the beam with mirrors at up to 6,000 mm/s, while the gantry carries the galvo from section to section across the full 24.2" × 12.6" bed. xTool's Smart Seam Blending feathers the edges between sections so large engravings don't show visible joins, and in xTool's own one-hour batch test the X1 produced 380% more output than its comparison machine. Treat that figure as a manufacturer benchmark, not a guarantee, but the direction is real: galvo engraving is an order of magnitude faster than gantry engraving on detailed raster work.

One important catch: the Single CO2 X1 ($3,399) doesn't include the galvo. In that configuration it engraves at the same 600 mm/s as a P2S. The speed advantage starts at the $3,999 CO2 + Diode Galvo configuration.

Material range

The P2S is a CO2 machine for life. It can mark coated or anodized metal, but bare stainless steel needs a marking coating first, and it has no path to glass inner engraving.

The X1's Laser Swap platform adds those capabilities by source:

• 5W UV: glass and crystal inner engraving across up to 23.6" × 11.8"
• 60W MOPA: color marking, deep engraving, embossing and thin metal cutting
• 30W Fiber: everyday metal marking and deep 3D engraving, with metal embossing up to 16.3" × 8.9"

Two details matter here. Every expansion source runs through the 20W Diode Galvo Module, so the Single CO2 X1 needs that module first. And only one external source connects at a time, so you swap sources rather than running UV and fiber simultaneously.

Setup, Safety and Day-to-Day Workflow

Focus and tall objects

Both machines remove manual focusing. The P2S uses LiDAR autofocus; the X1 pairs a dot-laser ranging module with a motorized AutoLift Base, and xTool says a full-area height scan takes about 34 seconds. The practical difference is object height. The X1 handles 150 mm (5.9") on the CO2 laser out of the box. The P2S handles 64–71 mm until you add the optional riser base, which lifts it to 215 mm.

Rotary work

This is one area where the P2S wins. Its RA3 rotary handles diameters up to 180 mm with the riser, while the X1's MagSwap RA3 tops out at 110 mm. If large growlers, vases or wide drinkware are a core product, check your largest item before choosing the X1.

Safety classification

The X1 is rated Class 1 in its standard configuration, backed by 12 built-in sensors. Two caveats apply: with the 5W UV source, Class 3B radiation is accessible during optical alignment, and with the Intelligent Conveyor Feeder the X1 operates as a Class 4 device. The P2S is Class 4 in every configuration, with AI fire detection, an automatic lid lock and an emergency stop.

Based on our experience selling laser engravers to universities, schools and businesses of all sizes, that classification often decides the purchase on its own. Many schools, libraries and shared studios can't install a Class 4 machine without extra controls, so a Class 1 rating can be worth more than any speed spec.

Software

Both run xTool Studio, which handles the camera placement and autofocus. The P2S also works with LightBurn, though without camera or autofocus support. xTool lists only xTool Studio for the X1, so if your shop is built around LightBurn files and workflows, confirm compatibility with us before you order.

Total Cost: Configurations and the Two-Machine Alternative

Both machines are also sold in Versatile and All-in-one bundles. The P2S Versatile Bundle ($4,169) adds the conveyor, riser base and RA3 rotary, and the All-in-one ($5,069) adds the SafetyPro AP2 purifier. X1 bundles add the Mobile Work Stand, Intelligent Conveyor Feeder and MagSwap RA3, with the All-in-One adding the AP2, running up to $8,679.

The two-machine alternative

If metal is in your plans, compare the X1 + Fiber ($5,799) with a P2S plus a separate fiber machine. A P2S and an xTool F1 Ultra ($2,299) come to $5,298. That's $501 less than the X1 + Fiber, and the two machines can run jobs in parallel: one cuts plaques while the other marks tumblers.

The X1 counters with one footprint, one software file per job and one shared alignment, so a CO2-cut piece can be fiber-marked without moving or re-registering it. Its 16.3" × 8.9" metal embossing area is also far larger than the F1 Ultra's 8.6" × 8.6" field. Which matters more depends on whether your bottleneck is machine hours or bench space and setup time.

Choose the X1 If / Choose the P2S If

Choose the xTool X1 if:

• Engraving time, not cutting time, is what limits your daily output (buy the $3,999 CO2 + Diode Galvo configuration, not Single CO2)
• You expect to add glass, crystal or bare-metal products in the next two years and want them on one machine
• You're buying for a school, makerspace or shared studio where a Class 1 rating matters
• You regularly engrave objects taller than 2.5" and don't want to fit a riser

Choose the xTool P2S if:

• Your work is cutting and engraving wood, acrylic, leather and other organics
• You want the lowest entry price for a 55W CO2 machine with cameras and autofocus
• You engrave large-diameter drinkware or vases up to 180 mm
• You rely on LightBurn, or you'd rather run two machines in parallel than one machine that does everything

If you're weighing the X1 against xTool's bigger cutter, read our xTool X1 vs P3 comparison. For a broader view of where both machines sit in xTool's CO2 range, see our xTool P2 vs P2S vs P3 guide or xTool vs Glowforge, or browse the full xTool lineup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the xTool X1 better than the P2S?

Not for cutting. Both use a 55W CO2 laser that cuts 20 mm acrylic and about 18 mm wood in one pass. The X1 is better for fast engraving (with the Diode Galvo Module), for adding UV, MOPA or fiber sources later, and for settings that need a Class 1 laser. The P2S is cheaper and supports larger rotary diameters.

Does the xTool X1 replace the P2S?

No. xTool sells both, and they target different buyers. The P2S remains the lower-cost dedicated CO2 cutter, while the X1 is a modular platform built around a CO2 laser.

Is the base xTool X1 faster than the P2S?

Not meaningfully. The Single CO2 X1 engraves at the same 600 mm/s as the P2S. The 6,000 mm/s galvo engraving requires the 20W Diode Galvo Module, included in the $3,999 configuration.

Can the xTool X1 engrave bare metal?

Yes, with an optional 30W Fiber or 60W MOPA source added through Laser Swap. The CO2 laser alone, on either the X1 or the P2S, only marks coated or anodized metal.

Can I add a fiber or UV laser to the P2S later?

No. The P2S has no expansion path for other laser sources. Within xTool's CO2 range, the X1 accepts UV, MOPA and fiber sources, and the P3 accepts an optional 5W infrared module for bare metal.

Which is safer for a classroom?

The X1 in its standard configuration, which is rated Class 1. Adding the Intelligent Conveyor Feeder makes it a Class 4 device. The P2S is Class 4 in every configuration and needs adult supervision in a classroom.

Does the xTool X1 work with LightBurn?

xTool lists xTool Studio as the X1's software. The P2S works with LightBurn, without its camera and autofocus features. If LightBurn is central to your workflow, confirm X1 support with us before ordering.

Still deciding between the X1 and the P2S? Contact The Maker's Chest team and tell us what you make. We'll recommend the configuration that fits your orders, not the most expensive one.

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.