I am currently in the research phase of which laser company to buy from when i stumbled across your channel. Thank you for going through a side by side comparison. I do like the features of the xtool. But the cost for each additional item quickly pushed it out of budget. The WeCreat did come up in searches, but didn't know if it would be good for a newbie. Thank you once again. Keep up the good, unbiased reviews.
As you note, the S1 is an excellent laser with lots of great features, but it isn't cheap. It is also overkill for most first timer laser owners. By contrast the Wecreat is cost-effective and is definitely geared to first timers. Keep in mind though that it's a 20W laser rather than 40W, but 20-30W is the sweet spot for the best cutting and engraving. From a support perspective xtool probably has the edge.
Hi Steve, Great review. I’m a bit concerned that xTool won’t specify the wavelength of the diode laser heads. I’ve been asking in every possible way but I am told they are “not specified”. Without that information are we really sure they are safe? The best info they can offer on the green plastic cover is OD4+. Eye protection should be at the top of any diode laser safety list. Thoughts?
Great video. One thing to note that you didn't address on the S1. The 20W module has a smaller spot size (.08mmx.06mm) than the 40W (.08mmx.01mm), which when calculating applied power per square millimeter, actually makes quite a large difference in the applied power. This makes the 20W module's effective power applied to the surface of the material only about 17% less than the 40W module. If the WeCreat has the same dot size as the xTool 40W laser, then the effective cutting power of the S1 20W module would be about 67% higher than the WeCreate laser. But the price is significantly less. Also, while I agree the workflow when using a camera like the WeCreat is smoother and less tedious, I'd argue that closed-stepper technology [manual] positioning of the S1laser head is much more accurate than a camera which introduces inaccuracies via lens distortion.
You will find this is a common characteristic between 20W and 40W lasers. A 40W isn't really twice as capable as a 20W. I will respectfully argue with your opinion of S1 positioning being more accurate, though. I've been working on a new video and happen to be using the Wecreat, and its positioning is so much more accurate than manually positioning on the S1. I don't think the S1 is terrible by any means, but the Vision gives this accurate positioning to you for free while you are creating your design, allowing accurate positioning to happen without even thinking about it. You can get this accuracy on the S1, too, but it requires a lot of manual positioning and reframing to see if you have it right. By contrast, the Wecreat Vision doesn't even have framing functionality because it isn't required.
Wecreat now comes in 40W and you can use Lightburn with it. Those were the 2 tipping points for me. Lastly, it now has a passthrough system. No brainer, I'm going with the vision. Very impressed and the price is right
I have a 40W Wecreat Vision in transit to me right now, but yes, right now, this seems like the laser with the best balance between features and price.
Thanks for the good review... I've been deciding which to get for weeks... The WeCreat is my ideal laser now... Soooooooooooooooo all I have to do now is figure out a way to get 1 to the UK
Does the WeCreat or xTool (or other laser brand) have a software feature that automatically turns on the air assist in one job? Or is this something you can do in Lightburn?
Yes and Yes. Both the Wecreat vision and the xTool S1 have automatic control of the air assist. In the case of the xTool (and maybe also the Wecreate soon), you can also do this in Lightburn. There is currently a bug in the S1 right now though, in that it any layer uses air assist, then it is on for all layers.
Well the Roly is a decent laser. The beam spot size is huge compared to just about everyone else, but I never hear anyone complain about it, so I guess it’s a non-issue. The only issue with the Roly is that it is essentially a Lightburn laser, which means it is limited to only features supported by Lightburn. By contrast both of the lasers in this video offer capabilities that Lightburn does not have. This is more an issue with Lightburn of course. From a price perspective, the Wecreat is priced the same as the 20W Roly but provides excellent autofocus and definitely better material positioning (again this is a Lightburn limitation that Roly users need to endure. It also offer more height inside the cabinet.
Well I’m not sure I would say this about the Weacreat - not sure what issues you think it has though. Definitely for the money, the Roly offers more than an S1 but the latter has a lot more expandability and can engrave on irregular surfaces, and can engrave very long items, which a certain group of people would love.
Assuming you didn't want to engrave on the taper itself, you could do this as two separate jobs. I don't think an xTool S1 would be able to engrave very well on this taper either because on a 40oz tumbler it's a pretty steep change in height.
No diode laser can cut clear acrylic. This has to do with the wavelength. Blue light passes through clear an acrylic, but longer wavelength light, like CO2 laser get absorbed by acrylic, which mean it will cut.
Customer service varies greatly with all Chinese laser companies. Overall all companies would probably be rated below average. Between these two, I would give the edge to Xtool though.
buddy at wok got the wecreat and quit working after a week. Just shooting a white light now. He tried all the recommended steps to fix it and is going to have to send it back.
Thank you @@SteveMakesEverything . The batch feature would be useful for customized items, for example your example ornaments with different names on each one.
I got my d1 10wat rotary, portable enclosure, xtool bed, and air assist. $1600. Xtool and extras, still a great laser though. Wish I got a stronger laser though.
@SteveMakesEverything It sure is, I got everything to ensure quality Items everytime. I'm thankful I didn't buy the Chinese co2 laser, the man wouldn't budge on the price so I went top of the line. It's even better with great teachers like you helping me out. Thanks for the help!! I've had it for 1 month and am doing courses on TH-cam learning as much as I can. It's all about learning and having fun in the process.
@@BeamMeUpLaserEngraving Excellent. If you have questions that would inspire a video let me know. I'm always happier putting together videos that help answer user questions.
@SteveMakesEverything I would love to see a video showing a compilation of some more tips and tricks people may miss/ or may never know about. Would love to see a video of you utilising scrap material and turning it into something awesome. Anyone else who's reading this please offer suggestions. I don't want to be selfish. Thanks for asking Steve!! Appreciate you mate.
you and all these other youtubers that got paid to promote the wecreat should make videos showing all the issues/drawbacks with the wecreat alot of us know how bad it is after trying to use it the same as we use our other machines. The wecreat software effectively neuters the machine. I havent managed to get their support to tell me if i will be able to use the machine inside of lightburn not just gcode which still Their software will not allow large files with high dpi to process. the AI generation is bad the camera is off you cant rely on it to line things up. They have a library if you want something basic to build then you get some basic projects. their support talks in circles instead of actually answering questions when it comes to these things.
Well I can only report what I see and I haven’t had any issues. My camera is perfectly aligned for example. I assume other TH-camrs have had similar experiences or you would have heard about issues - from me for sure. If you are assuming I or any other TH-camr have been given bags of cash to say good things, you’d probably be incorrect. However I’m not disputing your issues because they are no doubt valid concerns. FWIW I do hear that Lightburn support is on the way, though I haven’t had confirmation or actually seen it yet.
Don't mistake what I said as thinking that they just paid you guys loads of money. Im just reaching out to whoever might find answers first since the support isn't answering what I need to know before I cant return it.
@@joekeen7415 FWIW I did shoot them a message to express concerns being raised about support. Make sure you also join their Facebook group because the support folks hang out there too.
xTool claims the S1 is a Class-1 Laser, it's plastered all over their website, so answer me this...why do they include goggles if you purchase the "riser/conveyor"? Why would they need to send you goggles if it's a Class-1? There are no "asterisks or disclaimers" on their website...no mention at all. Also, if you have the riser base, the front/rear access passthrough panels panels have NO safety switches, so an unknowing person could open it while in operation, or start the laser when the panels are open. Please research this and get back to us, you have a lot of followers that need to know about the possible very serious safety problem.
There are a couple things to unpack here. First, as long as you have the base S1 without a riser, it is indeed a class 1 laser. However, once you add the riser, you open the bottom and pass-throughs that can allow light to escape, so it effectively becomes a class 4 again. I don't think they are doing anything devious here, though their class 1 designation appears to be self-certified, and while there's nothing inherently wrong with this as long as they are adhering to the requirements, it would be much more comforting if the Class 1 certification came from a recognized test lab. To be fair to xTool, all laser companies that have Class 1 designation in China appear to do their own certification. Somewhere in the tool docs for the rise, they will have a note/warning that the addition of this accessory makes this a class 4 laser.
I understand what you're saying and I appreciate it, but no where on their web site does it mention that the Class-1 designation does not apply if you use the riser or conveyor, to me, that is misleading. @@SteveMakesEverything
The wecreat vision is total junk! I purchased one and had missing screws and broken parts. Customer service is horrible! I will never buy anything from them again! Cheap made.
Bot or not the comment is pretty generic. If there were broken parts blame the shipper rather than the manufacturer. The remark about service applies to virtually every laser company as far as I can tell, and I hear a lot of complaints. For what it’s worth, my Wecreat has been completely solid
For what it's worth they wanted to send me parts to fix it but did not have them in stock, I requested a new machine but I was told I would have to wait 20-30 days before new one would ship out. There were several things I had to disassmebled to get the machine to lower to be able to box the defective machine up, I was told if the machine was damaged on return shipping I may not receive a refund. Let's see I was sent a defective machine and I may not get a refund. Now that's a great way to treat a customer.... Not!
I am currently in the research phase of which laser company to buy from when i stumbled across your channel. Thank you for going through a side by side comparison. I do like the features of the xtool. But the cost for each additional item quickly pushed it out of budget. The WeCreat did come up in searches, but didn't know if it would be good for a newbie. Thank you once again. Keep up the good, unbiased reviews.
As you note, the S1 is an excellent laser with lots of great features, but it isn't cheap. It is also overkill for most first timer laser owners.
By contrast the Wecreat is cost-effective and is definitely geared to first timers. Keep in mind though that it's a 20W laser rather than 40W, but 20-30W is the sweet spot for the best cutting and engraving.
From a support perspective xtool probably has the edge.
Hi Steve, Great review. I’m a bit concerned that xTool won’t specify the wavelength of the diode laser heads. I’ve been asking in every possible way but I am told they are “not specified”. Without that information are we really sure they are safe? The best info they can offer on the green plastic cover is OD4+. Eye protection should be at the top of any diode laser safety list. Thoughts?
Any blue diode laser will be 340-355nm wavelength.
Great review! I just bought the XTOOL P2 and have been very happy with it. Was looking for a diode laser to compliment my shop.
Maybe in your case an S1 might be better. It would cost most but you already have an investment in things like XCS
Yeah go with Xtool, We Create is still too new and Xtool Customer Service is on point! I have the f1 and love it.
Great video. One thing to note that you didn't address on the S1. The 20W module has a smaller spot size (.08mmx.06mm) than the 40W (.08mmx.01mm), which when calculating applied power per square millimeter, actually makes quite a large difference in the applied power. This makes the 20W module's effective power applied to the surface of the material only about 17% less than the 40W module. If the WeCreat has the same dot size as the xTool 40W laser, then the effective cutting power of the S1 20W module would be about 67% higher than the WeCreate laser. But the price is significantly less.
Also, while I agree the workflow when using a camera like the WeCreat is smoother and less tedious, I'd argue that closed-stepper technology [manual] positioning of the S1laser head is much more accurate than a camera which introduces inaccuracies via lens distortion.
You will find this is a common characteristic between 20W and 40W lasers. A 40W isn't really twice as capable as a 20W.
I will respectfully argue with your opinion of S1 positioning being more accurate, though. I've been working on a new video and happen to be using the Wecreat, and its positioning is so much more accurate than manually positioning on the S1. I don't think the S1 is terrible by any means, but the Vision gives this accurate positioning to you for free while you are creating your design, allowing accurate positioning to happen without even thinking about it.
You can get this accuracy on the S1, too, but it requires a lot of manual positioning and reframing to see if you have it right. By contrast, the Wecreat Vision doesn't even have framing functionality because it isn't required.
I wanted to point out you didn't mention that the s1 does curved surfaces engrave and can add different sizes and IR Lazers for metal.
I covered this in the S1 review video that I did. But yes, this is a distinct advantage of the S1 if you are using XCS to control the laser
The wecreat is coming out with a 10x now. Would be interesting to see that compared
A 10x? I haven’t heard anything about this. Got a link?
The xTool has a built in fan with a hose to direct fumes away. I couldn't find info on the WeCreat if it has a similar system.
The Wecreat also has a fan and hose setup that works just as well
The Wecreat also has a fan and hose setup that works just as well
Wecreat now comes in 40W and you can use Lightburn with it. Those were the 2 tipping points for me. Lastly, it now has a passthrough system. No brainer, I'm going with the vision. Very impressed and the price is right
I’ll be testing a 40W Wecreat soon so stay tuned, but this is quickly turn into the laser system to buy. And, yes, the 40W will work with Lightburn
@@pamelabrown3057 did you get the we create and how is it ?
Wecreat has a 40w and conveyer option now also, kinda seems like the best choice now
I have a 40W Wecreat Vision in transit to me right now, but yes, right now, this seems like the laser with the best balance between features and price.
Thanks for the good review... I've been deciding which to get for weeks... The WeCreat is my ideal laser now... Soooooooooooooooo all I have to do now is figure out a way to get 1 to the UK
The Wecreat is the diode laser on my own workbench right now.
Does the WeCreat or xTool (or other laser brand) have a software feature that automatically turns on the air assist in one job? Or is this something you can do in Lightburn?
Yes and Yes. Both the Wecreat vision and the xTool S1 have automatic control of the air assist. In the case of the xTool (and maybe also the Wecreate soon), you can also do this in Lightburn. There is currently a bug in the S1 right now though, in that it any layer uses air assist, then it is on for all layers.
Hi Steve, Does the Wecreat have the ability to deal with curved surfaces similar to the capability with the Xtool probe?
It does not support this.
Great review just right amount of info!
Glad it was helpful!
I wish you would have compared the WeCreat with the Roly Lasermatic.
Guessing the Roly is better than either one for the price. Wecreat has some issues IMO
I'm a big fan of Roly...
Well the Roly is a decent laser. The beam spot size is huge compared to just about everyone else, but I never hear anyone complain about it, so I guess it’s a non-issue. The only issue with the Roly is that it is essentially a Lightburn laser, which means it is limited to only features supported by Lightburn. By contrast both of the lasers in this video offer capabilities that Lightburn does not have. This is more an issue with Lightburn of course.
From a price perspective, the Wecreat is priced the same as the 20W Roly but provides excellent autofocus and definitely better material positioning (again this is a Lightburn limitation that Roly users need to endure. It also offer more height inside the cabinet.
Well I’m not sure I would say this about the Weacreat - not sure what issues you think it has though. Definitely for the money, the Roly offers more than an S1 but the latter has a lot more expandability and can engrave on irregular surfaces, and can engrave very long items, which a certain group of people would love.
Those rowers and their oars! ;)@@SteveMakesEverything
I am seeing that the Wecreat now has the conveyor carosel available too. Great video thanks.
Yes and you'll see it here soon, so stay tuned.
The rotary costs additional with the wecreat. not sure if that was clear but it is not included
It's available in the second tier bundle but not the basic laser.
Hey Steve, can I engrave a 40oz tumbler past the taper with the we creat vision??? Can you please do a video on this
Assuming you didn't want to engrave on the taper itself, you could do this as two separate jobs. I don't think an xTool S1 would be able to engrave very well on this taper either because on a 40oz tumbler it's a pretty steep change in height.
saw a Facebook ad last night that said the WeCreat has the conveyor option now
Yes it does and I should be reviewing it soon, so hang on for the real scoop.
WeCreate dies look promising for the hobbiest. Thank you for sharing. Everyone stay safe, warm, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia
Enjoy the holidays
Can longer b1 40w can cut clear acrylic and can’t cut can you tell me why pls
No diode laser can cut clear acrylic. This has to do with the wavelength. Blue light passes through clear an acrylic, but longer wavelength light, like CO2 laser get absorbed by acrylic, which mean it will cut.
how does the customer service compare?
Customer service varies greatly with all Chinese laser companies. Overall all companies would probably be rated below average. Between these two, I would give the edge to Xtool though.
Thanks for another great video!
My pleasure!
buddy at wok got the wecreat and quit working after a week. Just shooting a white light now. He tried all the recommended steps to fix it and is going to have to send it back.
Thanks for the info. I’ve heard a few people with issues, but no more than any other laser. Hopefully he gets it resolved quickly
awesome vid and soooooo helpful! ty
There s lots of news coming on the Wecreat Vision, so stay tuned
Trying to decide if I will use the device enough to justify the cost.
Both are great for slightly different reasons. The Wecreat wind on price and ease of use, but the Xtool wing on performance and expandability.
Thank you for the head-to-head comparison. Can you tell me if the WeCreat software allows batching like Lightburn does, using a CSV file?
Hmm, that’s a good question and I’ll have to check for you. I rarely build more than one of anything so I will admit my lack of knowledge.
There is a work around that allows you to use Lightburn. Watch The Louisiana Hobby Guy's review at 41 minute mark.
Thank you @@SteveMakesEverything . The batch feature would be useful for customized items, for example your example ornaments with different names on each one.
@@ljgault Yes. There are always ways. 🙂
I got my d1 10wat rotary, portable enclosure, xtool bed, and air assist.
$1600. Xtool and extras, still a great laser though.
Wish I got a stronger laser though.
The D1 is an excellent laser at any wattage
@SteveMakesEverything
It sure is, I got everything to ensure quality Items everytime.
I'm thankful I didn't buy the Chinese co2 laser, the man wouldn't budge on the price so I went top of the line.
It's even better with great teachers like you helping me out. Thanks for the help!!
I've had it for 1 month and am doing courses on TH-cam learning as much as I can. It's all about learning and having fun in the process.
@@BeamMeUpLaserEngraving Excellent. If you have questions that would inspire a video let me know. I'm always happier putting together videos that help answer user questions.
@SteveMakesEverything I would love to see a video showing a compilation of some more tips and tricks people may miss/ or may never know about.
Would love to see a video of you utilising scrap material and turning it into something awesome.
Anyone else who's reading this please offer suggestions. I don't want to be selfish.
Thanks for asking Steve!! Appreciate you mate.
Could you build your own riser from wood for the s1?
Yes of course. A simple frame and a bit of plywood would be all you need
How did you convert the file?
Any vector drawing program can import this. I used Inkscape
I have a choice to either get the Werotary
NICE! thanks
Thank you too!
you and all these other youtubers that got paid to promote the wecreat should make videos showing all the issues/drawbacks with the wecreat alot of us know how bad it is after trying to use it the same as we use our other machines. The wecreat software effectively neuters the machine. I havent managed to get their support to tell me if i will be able to use the machine inside of lightburn not just gcode which still Their software will not allow large files with high dpi to process. the AI generation is bad the camera is off you cant rely on it to line things up. They have a library if you want something basic to build then you get some basic projects. their support talks in circles instead of actually answering questions when it comes to these things.
Well I can only report what I see and I haven’t had any issues. My camera is perfectly aligned for example. I assume other TH-camrs have had similar experiences or you would have heard about issues - from me for sure. If you are assuming I or any other TH-camr have been given bags of cash to say good things, you’d probably be incorrect. However I’m not disputing your issues because they are no doubt valid concerns.
FWIW I do hear that Lightburn support is on the way, though I haven’t had confirmation or actually seen it yet.
Don't mistake what I said as thinking that they just paid you guys loads of money. Im just reaching out to whoever might find answers first since the support isn't answering what I need to know before I cant return it.
@@joekeen7415 FWIW I did shoot them a message to express concerns being raised about support. Make sure you also join their Facebook group because the support folks hang out there too.
@@SteveMakesEverything ty I joined the FB group maybe someone other than Becca that gave me the run around will answer there.
xTool claims the S1 is a Class-1 Laser, it's plastered all over their website, so answer me this...why do they include goggles if you purchase the "riser/conveyor"? Why would they need to send you goggles if it's a Class-1? There are no "asterisks or disclaimers" on their website...no mention at all. Also, if you have the riser base, the front/rear access passthrough panels panels have NO safety switches, so an unknowing person could open it while in operation, or start the laser when the panels are open. Please research this and get back to us, you have a lot of followers that need to know about the possible very serious safety problem.
There are a couple things to unpack here. First, as long as you have the base S1 without a riser, it is indeed a class 1 laser. However, once you add the riser, you open the bottom and pass-throughs that can allow light to escape, so it effectively becomes a class 4 again.
I don't think they are doing anything devious here, though their class 1 designation appears to be self-certified, and while there's nothing inherently wrong with this as long as they are adhering to the requirements, it would be much more comforting if the Class 1 certification came from a recognized test lab. To be fair to xTool, all laser companies that have Class 1 designation in China appear to do their own certification.
Somewhere in the tool docs for the rise, they will have a note/warning that the addition of this accessory makes this a class 4 laser.
I understand what you're saying and I appreciate it, but no where on their web site does it mention that the Class-1 designation does not apply if you use the riser or conveyor, to me, that is misleading.
@@SteveMakesEverything
@@I-LOVE-EARTH I would be happier if they used a recognized testing lab to certify then this sort of nonsense wouldn't reach end users.
Yeah this sounds like a sponsor 🤔 video
I always retain my right to say what I want, though sponsorship deals really aren’t my thing
The wecreat vision is total junk! I purchased one and had missing screws and broken parts. Customer service is horrible! I will never buy anything from them again! Cheap made.
this looks like a bot comment ... Joined Dec 10, 2023 very generic looking name, empty channel, weird username
@@silmviburlane6411 I'm no bot
Bot or not the comment is pretty generic. If there were broken parts blame the shipper rather than the manufacturer. The remark about service applies to virtually every laser company as far as I can tell, and I hear a lot of complaints.
For what it’s worth, my Wecreat has been completely solid
For what it's worth they wanted to send me parts to fix it but did not have them in stock, I requested a new machine but I was told I would have to wait 20-30 days before new one would ship out. There were several things I had to disassmebled to get the machine to lower to be able to box the defective machine up, I was told if the machine was damaged on return shipping I may not receive a refund. Let's see I was sent a defective machine and I may not get a refund. Now that's a great way to treat a customer.... Not!
@@WilliamJames-m4i Hmm, well, that's definitely not good.