Competitor X vs Thunder Laser

Thunder is built better, engraves and cuts faster, is more powerful, and has better support and software.

Thunder is 4x faster than Competitor X

All of our machines engrave at speeds up to 1,000 mm/s which is almost twice as fast as the Competitor X 600 mm/s. Additionally, our motors actually accelerate faster (3G) as well, which is how we will produce engravings up to four times as fast.

Our machines work flawlessly with LightBurn

While “Competitor X” is semi-compatible with LightBurn, many users find the functionality to be limited at best. Make sure you get a machine that fully runs on LightBurn!

No painful alignments means more laser time!

All of our machines will arrive to you perfectly aligned. No painful adjusting required. Be up and running in no time! Poorly made machines often require periodic alignments, costing you precious laser time. If you have to spend an hour or two aligning your machine every couple of weeks, what does that do to your productivity? Machine reliability is crucial if you are running a small business. Our machines only come out of alignment in the event of a head crash.

Don’t take our word for it, join Facebook groups and ask other users.

It’s hard to really know the differences in lasers without seeing them up close in action. We would encourage you to join different Facebook groups and ask the community about their machines. There are several for Thunders (and other brands). Our largest Facebook Group can be found here.

All high-quality parts means better engraving.

Our machines are incredibly well made with materials we often machine. Lots of machines out there can be made of cheap plastic that shake when engraving, producing poor results.

Additionally, some hobbyist-grade machines aren’t well-wired and break down frequently. Consider this, along with additional cost and time of upgrades that are often required.

Thunder has wicked-fast, US-based support.

When you need help, you need it fast. Like lightning fast. We typically respond in 3-5 minutes, often on weekends and holidays. Check out our reviews to see what others have had to say.

We have clear, consistent pricing. What you see is what you pay… always.

Our pricing is clear and upfront and includes everything you need to run a standard job. It also includes shipping. So you never have to worry if you are getting the best deal. Everyone gets the best deal possible. You will never find our sales folks to be pushy, either. We just want to find the right machine to fit your needs.

No lost sleep wondering if you negotiated the best deal.

At Thunder, we keep our margins thin and our marketing and labor costs down so you can rest assured you are getting the most bang for your buck.

Click here to read the extended review.

Competitor X vs Thunder Comparison

We don’t really like specs sheets, because they can be deceiving. It’s not always apples to apples. The overall build quality of the machine will be the best determining factor in how well a laser operates. But we do understand sometimes you need to compare different brands.

So we built this for you:

	Competitor X	Thunder Bolt	Nova 24	Nova 35	Notes
Base Price	$4,999	$5,495	$7,400	$9,900
Shipping Included	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Working Area	26” x 14”	20” x 12”	24” x 16”	35” x 24”
Speed	600mm/s	1000mm/s	1000mm/s	1000mm/s	Thunder is 3-4x faster than Glowforge
Build Quality	Hobbyist Grade	Industrial Grade	Industrial Grade	Industrial Grade
Tube	55w Glass	30w RF	60w Glass	80w Glass	30w RF has cutting capacity of 45w Glass
Heat Alarm	Optional	Yes	Yes	Yes	Safety Feature for Fire Hazard
Red Dot	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	For locating the laser beam
Chilling Needs	Water Pump Included	Air Cooled RF TUBE	Water Chiller CW5000	Water Chiller CW5000	Glass tubes need chilled water to extend life
Camera	Built-In	Built-In	Optional	Optional
Internal Memory	Unknown	1000MB	1000MB	1000MB
Z-axis Movement	3”	4.3”	6.1”	9”
Warranty	One Year	Two Years	Two Years	Two Years

	Base Price	Shipping Included	Working Area	Speed	Build Quality	Tube	Dual Stage Air	Heat Alarm	Red Dot	Passthrough	Chilling Needs	Camera	Internal Memory	Z-axis Movement	Warranty
XTool P2	$4,999	Yes	26” x 14”	600mm/s	Hobbyist Grade	55w Glass	No	Optional	No	Yes	Water Pump Included	Built-In	Unknown	3”	One Year
Thunder Bolt	$5,495	Yes	20” x 12”	1000mm/s	Industrial Grade	30w RF	No	Yes	Yes	No	Air Cooled RF Tube	Built-In	1000MB	4.3”	Two Years
Nova 24	$7,400	Yes	24” x 16”	1000mm/s	Industrial Grade	60w Glass	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Water Chiller CW5000	Optional	1000MB	6.1”	Two Years
Nova 35	$9,900	Yes	35” x 24”	1000mm/s	Industrial Grade	80w Glass	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Water Chiller CW5000	Optional	1000MB	9”	Two Years
Notes				Thunder is 3-4x faster than Glowforge		30w RF has cutting capacity of 45w Glass	Different Air Volumes for Cut vs Engrave	Safety Feature for Fire Hazard	For locating the laser beam		Glass tubes need chilled water to extend life

1000+ Five-Star Reviews

It’s hard to be modest when your products are this good.

Bolt

Our Bolt desktop laser machine combines a compact design with super high-quality parts.

Nova

Our Nova series laser cutter offers higher wattage and larger work areas.

Ready to speak to one of our Experts?

Getting started can be the most challenging part of any project. Let us do the heavy lifting so you can focus on your designs.

Open the box; pull out your machine; get to work. Engrave on wood, leather, acrylic, metal—let us know your materials of choice, and we’ll find the machine to match.

If you’re ready to upgrade your machine, take your business to the next level, or just create, we’re here to help.

Questions? Comments? Curious about our laser system technology? Schedule a call today. We actually answer our phones.