xTool X1 vs P3: Hybrid Galvo Platform or 80W Production CO2 Laser?
Choose the xTool P3 if your business is cutting: thick acrylic, large signs and full sheets. Choose the xTool X1 if your business is engraving, or if you want glass and bare-metal capability on the same machine later. The xTool P3 ($5,899) runs an 80W CO2 tube over a 36" × 18" bed and cuts 25 mm acrylic in one pass. The xTool X1 ($3,399, or $3,999 with its galvo module) runs a 55W CO2 laser over a 24.2" × 12.6" bed, adds 6,000 mm/s galvo engraving and accepts UV, MOPA and fiber sources through Laser Swap.
They're both xTool's newest CO2 platforms, both rated Class 1 and both fully automated for focus and placement. That's why buyers compare them. The difference is which job they make fast.
Table of Contents
- Quick Answer: X1 vs P3
- Spec-by-Spec Comparison
- Cutting: Where the P3 Pulls Ahead
- Engraving: Where the X1 Pulls Ahead
- Metal and Glass: Two Different Expansion Paths
- Automation, Safety and Shop Setup
- Price and Total Cost
- Choose the X1 If / Choose the P3 If
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Answer: X1 vs P3
The P3 is xTool's production CO2 cutter. Everything about it, from the 80W tube to the bed that's 2.3 times the area of a P2S to its 1,200 mm/s head speed, is aimed at getting more cut parts off the bed per hour.
The X1 is xTool's modular platform. Its CO2 laser cuts like a P2S, but its Hybrid Motion galvo engraves an order of magnitude faster than any gantry, and its Laser Swap platform turns one machine into a UV, MOPA or fiber laser when you need one.
Based on our experience selling laser engravers to universities, schools and businesses of all sizes, the quickest way to decide is to look at last month's orders and ask: did you spend more machine time cutting or engraving?
Spec-by-Spec Comparison
| Spec | xTool X1 | xTool P3 |
|---|---|---|
| CO2 laser | 55W | 80W glass tube |
| Other sources | Optional 20W Diode Galvo, 5W UV, 60W MOPA, 30W Fiber | Optional 5W infrared module |
| Work area | 24.2" × 12.6" (615 × 320 mm) | 36" × 18" (915 × 458 mm) |
| Max speed | CO2: 600 mm/s; galvo: 6,000 mm/s | 1,200 mm/s (X-axis accel. ~19,600 mm/s²) |
| One-pass cut | 18 mm basswood, 20 mm acrylic | 20 mm basswood, 25 mm acrylic |
| Height / lift | 150 mm CO2 processing height, AutoLift Base | 220 mm AutoLift travel, 16 kg load |
| Rotary diameter | Up to 110 mm | Up to 200 mm |
| Cameras | 8 MP overview, 12 MP close-up, ranging camera | 16 MP panoramic, close-range, 2 side cameras |
| Safety class | Class 1 (Class 4 with conveyor) | Class 1 (conveyor changes classification) |
| Fire suppression | Optional Fire Safety Set 2 | Built-in CO2 active suppression, standard |
| Cooling | Water cooling monitored by built-in sensors | Built-in inverter water chiller |
| Weight | 132 lb (60 kg) | 231.5 lb (105 kg) |
| Software | xTool Studio | xTool Studio |
| Starting price | $3,399 (Single CO2); $3,999 (CO2 + Diode Galvo) | $5,899 |
Prices as of publish time, subject to change.
Cutting: Where the P3 Pulls Ahead
Power and thickness
The P3's 80W tube has 45% more power than the X1's 55W source. That shows up in thick stock: the P3 cuts 25 mm acrylic and 20 mm basswood in a single pass, versus 20 mm and 18 mm on the X1. Single-pass cutting matters beyond speed, because a second pass re-enters a char-lined kerf and degrades edge quality, especially on clear acrylic awards.
Bed size
The P3's 36" × 18" bed is about 2.1 times the area of the X1's 24.2" × 12.6". For a production shop, bed area converts directly into labor: twice the blanks per load means half the load-unload cycles per batch. It also decides which jobs you can quote at all. A 30" sign, a 24" map panel or a full cabinet-door inlay fits the P3 in one piece and has to be cut in sections on the X1. Both machines handle longer stock with a conveyor.
Head speed
The P3's gantry moves at up to 1,200 mm/s with X-axis acceleration of roughly 19,600 mm/s², about three times the acceleration of a P2S-class gantry. On cutting and on gantry raster engraving, the P3 is the faster of the two CO2 systems.
Engraving: Where the X1 Pulls Ahead
The X1's advantage comes from its galvo, not its CO2 laser. With the 20W Diode Galvo Module, it steers the beam with mirrors at up to 6,000 mm/s while the gantry moves the galvo across the bed in sections. xTool's Smart Seam Blending feathers the joins so large engravings don't show seams.
Even the P3's fast gantry has to physically reverse the head at the end of every scan line, which caps real-world raster speed. A galvo doesn't. On detailed photo engravings, tumbler wraps and batches of small engraved items, the X1 with a galvo will outrun the P3. xTool's own one-hour batch test credits the X1 with 380% more output than its comparison machine, which is best read as a manufacturer benchmark rather than a promise.
The catch, again: the Single CO2 X1 ($3,399) has no galvo and engraves at 600 mm/s, slower than the P3. The engraving case for the X1 starts at the $3,999 configuration.
Metal and Glass: Two Different Expansion Paths
CO2 light reflects off bare metal, so neither machine engraves bare stainless steel on its CO2 laser alone. They solve that differently.
The P3 accepts an optional 5W infrared module at 1064 nm, making it the first xTool CO2 machine that can engrave stainless steel, aluminum and brass directly. It's a practical add-on for nameplates and tags, sold separately.
The X1 goes much further through Laser Swap:
- 30W Fiber (from $5,799 total): metal marking and deep 3D engraving, with metal embossing up to 16.3" × 8.9"
- 60W MOPA (from $6,679 total): color marking, deep engraving, embossing and thin metal cutting
- 5W UV (from $6,499 total): glass and crystal inner engraving up to 23.6" × 11.8"
If glass awards, crystal or color-marked metal are on your roadmap, the X1 is the only one of the two that gets you there. If you'll occasionally mark a steel nameplate on a cutting-focused business, the P3's IR module covers it.
Automation, Safety and Shop Setup
Both machines automate setup through xTool's ACS (Automated Creation System): cameras find the material, a ranging system measures the surface and a motorized AutoLift Base raises it to focus. You place the material, close the lid and press start.
Both are also rated Class 1, which is unusual for CO2 machines at this power and matters for schools, makerspaces, shared studios and insured premises. Adding a conveyor changes the classification on either machine. Two practical differences favor the P3 for unattended production: its built-in CO2 fire suppression is standard (it's optional on the X1), and its inverter water chiller is integrated rather than a separate floor unit.
The P3 also handles bigger objects. Its AutoLift travels 220 mm with a 16 kg load and its rotary takes items up to 200 mm in diameter, versus 110 mm on the X1. If you engrave growlers, vases or gift boxes, check your largest item against the X1's limits.
Plan your space, too. The P3 measures 49.2" × 30.7" × 19.5", weighs 231.5 lb and arrives on a pallet, so it needs a sturdy bench and a team lift. The X1 weighs 132 lb, and xTool sells a Mobile Work Stand that lets one person move it.
Based on the feedback from real Maker's Chest customers, ventilation is the setup step most often underestimated on machines in this class. If you can't duct to an outside wall, budget for a filtered purifier: the SafetyPro AP2 is included in the X1 All-in-One Bundle, and xTool matches the SafetyPro AP2 Max to the P3's 80W output.
Price and Total Cost
| Configuration | Standalone | Top bundle |
|---|---|---|
| X1 Single CO2 | $3,399 | $5,399 |
| X1 CO2 + Diode Galvo | $3,999 | $5,999 |
| X1 + Fiber / UV / MOPA | $5,799 / $6,499 / $6,679 | $7,799 / $8,499 / $8,679 |
| P3 | $5,899 | $8,559 (All-in-one) |
At standalone prices, an X1 with a 30W fiber source ($5,799) costs about the same as a P3 ($5,899). That's the cleanest way to frame the choice: for the same budget, you get either a faster, larger CO2 cutter or a smaller CO2 cutter that also engraves bare metal and engraves at galvo speed.
If you're also considering a UV printer, note that xTool's O1 Omni Premium Print then Cut bundle is built around the P3.
Choose the X1 If / Choose the P3 If
Choose the xTool X1 if:
- Most of your machine time goes to engraving, and you'll buy the Diode Galvo configuration
- You want to add glass, crystal or bare-metal products on the same machine
- Your pieces fit a 24" × 12.6" bed and stock under 20 mm
- Your budget is closer to $4,000 than $6,000, or your space can't take a 231 lb machine
Choose the xTool P3 if:
- Most of your machine time goes to cutting, especially thick or clear acrylic
- You quote large signs, panels or full-sheet jobs that need a 36" × 18" bed
- You want built-in fire suppression for long, unattended production runs
- You engrave large drinkware or tall objects up to 200 mm in diameter
For the rest of the range, see our xTool X1 vs P2S comparison, our xTool P3 vs OMTech Pronto comparison, the xTool P2 vs P2S vs P3 guide, or browse all CO2 laser engravers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the xTool X1 better than the P3?
For engraving speed and material range, yes: with its galvo module the X1 engraves at 6,000 mm/s and it accepts UV, MOPA and fiber sources. For cutting, no: the P3's 80W tube cuts 25 mm acrylic in one pass on a bed about twice the size.
Which cuts thicker material, the X1 or the P3?
The P3. It cuts 25 mm acrylic and 20 mm basswood in a single pass, versus 20 mm acrylic and 18 mm basswood on the X1.
Can the xTool P3 engrave metal or glass?
The P3 engraves glass surfaces and coated or anodized metal with its CO2 laser. For bare metal, it needs the optional 5W infrared module. It has no option for glass inner engraving; on the X1, that requires the 5W UV source.
Are the X1 and P3 safe for schools?
Both are rated Class 1 in their standard configurations, which makes them suitable for many classrooms and shared spaces. Adding a conveyor changes the classification on either machine. The P3 also includes fire suppression as standard.
Is the X1 cheaper than the P3?
Yes. The X1 starts at $3,399 ($3,999 with the galvo) versus $5,899 for the P3. With a 30W fiber source, the X1 costs $5,799, roughly the same as a standalone P3.
Do the X1 and P3 work with LightBurn?
Both run on xTool Studio. The P3's product listing confirms it's driven through xTool Studio rather than LightBurn, and xTool lists only xTool Studio for the X1. If LightBurn is a hard requirement, the P2S is the xTool CO2 machine that supports it.
Do I need a separate chiller for either machine?
Not for the P3, which has an inverter water chiller built in. xTool doesn't list a separate chiller as a required accessory for the X1, and its built-in sensors monitor the water cooling system; confirm your setup with us before ordering. Both still need ventilation through a duct or a filtered air purifier.
Weighing cutting capacity against engraving speed? Contact The Maker's Chest team. Share a few of your typical orders, and we'll tell you which machine finishes them faster.
