These machines overlap in marketing language but not in process capability. The engineering decision is portability and marking vs fibre depth vs MOPA production.
F2: portable, fast, broad marking with 5W 1064 nm IR + 15W diode.
F1 Ultra: 20W fibre + 20W diode when deeper metal engraving and a larger field matter.
F2 Ultra: 60W MOPA + 40W diode when production metal work, embossing and controllable colour marking justify a major step in cost/capability.
F2 Ultra UV: not the next rung in that ladder — it is a 355 nm specialist for glass, crystal and heat-sensitive fine work.
| F2 | F1 Ultra | F2 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main source | 5W 1064 nm IR + 15W diode | 20W fibre + 20W diode | 60W MOPA + 40W diode |
| Standard field | 115 × 115 mm | 220 × 220 mm | 220 × 220 mm |
| Expanded field | 400 × 115 mm with slide | 220 × 500 mm with conveyor | 220 × 500 mm with conveyor |
| Max published speed | 6,000 mm/s | 10,000 mm/s | 15,000 mm/s |
| Metal removal | Marking / engraving; not a metal-cutting platform | Deeper engraving; xTool publishes sub-mm thin-metal cutting limits | High material removal; xTool publishes up to 2 mm brass/stainless and 1 mm aluminium |
| Positioning | 50 MP camera | 16 MP camera | Dual 48 MP cameras |
| Best reason to buy | Portability and mixed marking | Balanced fibre capability | MOPA metal production |
F2 is physically much smaller and is designed around portability. The 115 × 115 mm standard field is restrictive for sheet work but perfectly plausible for tags, components, jewellery-sized parts, tools and on-site personalisation. Its 5W 1064 nm source can mark many metals and plastics; the 15W diode expands the material set to wood, leather and dark/opaque acrylic.
The key limitation is depth. If you need a highly durable serial at depth, repeated relief engraving, embossing or meaningful metal removal, the job is moving toward fibre/MOPA territory.
The lower-cost, portable dual-source choice with a strong camera-led workflow.
D&L view: Buy for mobility and mixed marking; not as a substitute for a high-power fibre system.
Check current price at xTool UK →The 20W fibre source changes the process window significantly. The 220 × 220 mm field is four times the area of F2’s 115 × 115 mm square, and xTool lists up to 10,000 mm/s. The diode channel still handles many non-metal materials, while the fibre channel gives a much more credible route into deep metal engraving.
For an engineering workshop producing asset plates, serialised parts, tooling identification, durable metal labels and occasional deeper engraving, this is arguably the most balanced machine in the F range.
A 20W fibre + 20W diode machine with a 220 × 220 mm field and conveyor expansion.
D&L view: Our value pick where deeper metal work is recurring but 60W MOPA throughput is not justified.
Check current price at xTool UK →F2 Ultra is not just faster F1 Ultra. Its 60W MOPA source opens a wider process-development envelope. xTool publishes 15,000 mm/s, dual 48 MP cameras and metal-cutting claims up to 2 mm brass, 2 mm stainless steel and 1 mm aluminium. Those limits depend heavily on material grade, focus, pass strategy and quality requirements, but they show the intended process class.
The real reason to pay for it is repeatable metal processing: deep engraving, embossing, high-throughput marking and pulse-sensitive colour work. If that is not the workload, the additional capability will mostly sit idle.
60W MOPA + 40W diode, 220 × 220 mm standard field, conveyor expansion and dual cameras.
D&L view: Best choice of these three for production metal work.
Check current price at xTool UK →UV is the machine to add when the problem is fine marking of glass, crystal, plastics or other materials where local thermal damage is difficult to control. The current specification is a 5W 355 nm source, 200 × 200 mm surface field, 70 × 70 mm inner-engraving field and 15,000 mm/s maximum speed.
A UV specialist that complements rather than replaces fibre/MOPA capability.
D&L view: Choose it for UV-specific applications, not because its product name contains “Ultra”.
Check current price at xTool UK →
Expands F1 Ultra/F2 Ultra processing length to 500 mm and supports batch flow.
D&L view: Worth considering when batch handling is the bottleneck rather than laser power.
Check current price at xTool UK →
Filtered air-cleaning route for workshops where direct exhaust is not the chosen control strategy.
D&L view: Treat filtration as an engineered exposure control with consumable maintenance, not as permission to process arbitrary materials.
Check current price at xTool UK →Choose F2 for compact portable marking and mixed diode/IR work. Choose F1 Ultra when deeper fibre engraving and a larger production field justify the size and cost.
MOPA control adds much wider pulse control than a basic fibre source, which is particularly useful for colour marking on some metals and process optimisation across different marking/engraving jobs.
No. UV is a different wavelength/process class. F2 Ultra UV is aimed at low-heat, fine-detail processing of glass, crystal and technical materials rather than being a faster MOPA metal machine.
