Key takeaways
- The K3 and i8 target the same problem — plastic purged at colour changes — but solve it in opposite ways: the K3 has four nozzles, the i8 one nozzle with four filament channels.
- K3: four nozzles, 4.8-second nozzle change, 15-second material change, 260 mm in each axis, 300 °C, 100 °C bed. Creality says launch Q3 2026, pre-order mid-October, expected price under $900.
- i8: open-frame bedslinger, 260 × 260 × 255 mm, channel change in under a second, 300 °C, 100 °C bed. Sold through Indiegogo, not retail.
- The K3's material list stops at PLA, PETG, PET, PCTG, fibre-filled PLA/PETG and TPU 95A — no ABS or ASA. The i8 hasn't published a material list.
- The i8's "0 g purge" is conditional: the maker says it's when the slicer pushes the colour transition into the part's own infill or inner walls.
Creality introduced both printers at IFA 2026 in Berlin. They sit in different segments but share one goal: multicolour printing without a prime tower and a waste chute full of plastic. This article separates what Creality has published from what is still expectation.
Two approaches
Same goal, opposite architectures
- K3 · KliTek
- Four separate nozzles; the printer swaps nozzles, each material stays in its own — no purging
- SPARKX i8 · QuarTeks
- One toolhead with four filament channels running right into the hot end; the shared path is under 1 mm (about 2 mm³), so very little colour mixes
| K3 | SPARKX i8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour change method | Swaps between 4 nozzles (KliTek) | 4 channels in 1 toolhead (QuarTeks) |
| Change time | 4.8 seconds (nozzle) · 15 seconds (material) | under 1 second |
| Build volume | 260 × 260 × 260 mm | 260 × 260 × 255 mm |
| Machine type | CoreXY, optional top lid | Open frame, bedslinger |
| Max nozzle | 300 °C | 300 °C |
| Max bed | 100 °C | 100 °C |
| Speed · acceleration | 500 mm/s · 20,000 mm/s² | 500 mm/s · 10,000 mm/s² |
| Supported nozzles | 0.2 / 0.4 / 0.6 / 0.8 mm | 0.4 mm |
| Materials the maker lists | PLA, PETG, PET, PLA-CF/GF, PETG-CF/GF, PCTG, TPU 95A | — |
| Price | "expected under $900" | $289 (super early) → $399 (MSRP) |
| Sale | Q3 2026; pre-order from mid-October | Indiegogo from 21/09/2026; delivery planned November |
Creality K3 — changing nozzles, not toolheads
Unlike a toolchanger such as the Snapmaker U1, the K3 doesn't pick up whole toolheads; it only changes nozzles: four nozzles, four integrated spool slots, a nozzle change in 4.8 seconds. Creality publishes savings of up to 85 % in filament and 80 % in print time against single-nozzle multicolour printers, with positional repeatability under 25 μm after 600,000 nozzle changes. These are the maker's own specs and internal test results.
One practical point: the nozzles can be different sizes in the same print. Creality's example is 0.4 mm for outer walls and 0.8 mm for infill — a fine surface outside, fast printing inside. The maker also highlights TPU: TPU 95A works out of the box, at a stated 15 mm³/s flow. A multi-size nozzle set (0.2 / 0.4 / 0.6 / 0.8 mm) will be sold separately after launch.
With an additional CFS Hub, the K3 connects to Creality's CFS system for more colours. Colours beyond the four nozzles then go back to swapping filament the old way.
SPARKX i8 — four channels in one toolhead
The i8 goes the other way: still one toolhead, but four filament channels reach right inside the hot end, and a mechanism in the head selects the channel — Creality compares it to a four-colour ballpoint pen. The shared path between colours is under 1 mm, about 2 mm³, so very little colour mixes at each change, and switching channels takes under a second.
It's an open-frame bedslinger with a 300 °C nozzle and a 100 °C bed. It's aimed at fast, cheap multicolour printing for models, decorations and CMYK prints — not engineering materials. An open frame puts ABS and ASA out of reach, even though the material list hasn't been published.
What it means for your filament
- Both printers load four spools. Four spools in the open for the whole print are four spools absorbing moisture. PETG and TPU are the most sensitive materials on the K3's list — see how to dry filament.
- PETG and PCTG are the practical heat ceiling. With a 100 °C bed and no active chamber heating, the strongest materials these printers aim at are the PETG family and its fibre-filled versions. See PETG 2.0 vs matte PETG and PCTG vs PETG.
- Fibre-filled materials need a hardened nozzle. The K3 lists PLA-CF/GF and PETG-CF/GF; the spec page doesn't yet state the nozzle material. See the nozzle article.
The other multi-toolhead printers of the year — Snapmaker U1, Flashforge Creator 5 Pro, Sovol M1D, Co Print Quadro — are compared in multi-toolhead 3D printers.
Frequently asked
When does the Creality K3 launch?
Creality says "Q3 2026" on the product page, and its FAQ says pre-orders open mid-October. At the time of writing (03/10/2026), it wasn't on sale.
How much does the Creality K3 cost?
Creality hasn't announced an official price; its FAQ only says the K3 is "expected under $900". Prices in Vietnam will differ from the USD price because of tax and shipping.
What is KliTek?
Creality's nozzle-changing system, introduced on the K3. The printer holds four nozzles and switches between them in 4.8 seconds, so each colour or material stays in its own nozzle instead of being purged at each change.
How is the SPARKX i8 different from the K3?
The i8 uses one toolhead with four internal filament channels (QuarTeks), an open-frame bedslinger, sub-second colour changes, and is sold on Indiegogo from $289. The K3 uses four separate nozzles (KliTek), a CoreXY layout with an optional top lid, supports multiple nozzle sizes, and is expected under $900.
Can the K3 print ABS?
The compatible material list on the K3's spec page has no ABS or ASA, although the description mentions the top lid helping stabilise temperature for ABS. Until Creality clarifies, treat the K3 as a printer for PLA, PETG, PCTG and TPU.