If you're looking to cut metal with a laser, skip the fiber vs. CO2 debate for a second. The real answer for a shop like ours—where we're doing acrylic signage one day and needing to etch a serial number on a steel bracket the next—is a dual-laser system like the xTool F1 Ultra. I went back and forth between dedicated fiber and CO2 machines for months. The numbers said fiber for metal, CO2 for acrylic. My gut said there had to be a simpler, less expensive option. Turns out, my gut was right.
The F1 Ultra combines both lasers. It means we don't need two separate machines. And for a budget-conscious admin buyer trying to please both operations and finance, that's a win.
I still kick myself for not finding this setup earlier. We spent almost $4,000 on a dedicated CO2 laser for acrylic cutting (which works great, don't get me wrong), and then another $3,500 on a fiber laser for marking metal. That's $7,500 total. We could have gotten the F1 Ultra for around $1,500 (this was back in 2023; prices may have changed). That's a 20% savings, but more importantly, it freed up a ton of bench space and simplified our vendor relationships.
Why I Chose the Dual-Laser Path
The most frustrating part of the whole process: every vendor assumed I knew what I was talking about. They'd throw around terms like "wavelength absorption" and "pulse duration." I'm an admin buyer, not a laser physicist. I needed to know: can this machine cut the acrylic sheet we need for office signage, and can it also engrave the metal nameplates we use for server racks?
The answer was almost always "no" for a single machine—until I found the xTool F1 Ultra. The 20W fiber laser handles the metal (stainless steel, aluminum, brass, etc.), and the 20W diode laser cuts the acrylic, wood, and leather. (I want to say it cuts up to 10mm acrylic, but don't quote me on that—check the spec sheet.)
From my perspective, this is the ideal middle ground. You're not buying a $20,000 industrial fiber laser for a few marking jobs a month. You're also not stuck with a CO2-only machine that can't touch metal.
The Acrylic Cutting Machine Reality Check
Our main need was an acrylic cutting machine. We do about 15-20 acrylic signs per month (directional signage, desk nameplates, awards). A dedicated CO2 laser is the gold standard for this. But here's the thing most vendors won't tell you: a diode laser can handle thin acrylic (3-5mm) just fine for most applications. It's not as fast, and the edges might need a bit of flame polishing, but it works.
If you're doing high-volume, thick acrylic (10mm+), get a CO2. If you're like us—30-50 orders a month with mixed materials—the F1 Ultra's dual setup is, in my opinion, the smarter play. You sacrifice a little speed on acrylic cutting, but you gain the ability to engrave metal without a second machine.
The Fiber vs. CO2 Laser Debate (The Part That Kept Me Up)
Forget the technical specs for a minute. The real question is: what percentage of your work is metal vs. non-metal?
- 80%+ metal? Get a dedicated fiber laser (but expect to spend $3,000+ for a decent entry-level model).
- 80%+ non-metal? CO2 is your friend (cheaper, faster for organics).
- Mixed materials (like us)? The F1 Ultra's dual-laser is the only way to avoid buying two machines.
The xTool F1 Ultra isn't a CO2 replacement for high-volume acrylic production. But for light-to-medium acrylic cutting and metal engraving/marking, it's unbeatable for the price. (Take this with a grain of salt: I'm not a laser engineer, just a buyer who's been burned by expensive mistakes.)
The Hidden Costs That Almost Got Me
When I was comparing quotes, one vendor listed a "laser rust removal machine" attachment for $800. It seemed like a great add-on for maintenance work. What they didn't mention: the duty cycle was only 30%, meaning you can only run it for 3 minutes out of every 10. For our needs, that was useless.
In my opinion, transparent pricing is the single most important factor in vendor selection. I've learned to ask "what's NOT included" before "what's the price." The vendor who lists all fees upfront—even if the total looks higher—usually costs less in the end.
The F1 Ultra's pricing was refreshingly simple. No hidden accessories required for basic operation (unlike some "starter kits" that leave out the honeycomb panel and exhaust fan).
Speaking of Honeycomb Panels
Make sure you factor in the cost of a xtool honeycomb panel if you're cutting. This is a $30-60 accessory that prevents laser reflection burn-back on your material and keeps your machine clean. Some sellers list the machine at a low price and then hit you with a mandatory honeycomb panel add-on. The F1 Ultra comes with one in the box. (As of January 2025, at least—verify current package contents.)
The Software Question (It Matters More Than You Think)
I almost bought a different laser because the hardware specs looked slightly better. But the software was terrible. You had to manually align every job. If I'd done that, our throughput would have dropped by half.
xTool Creative Space software is, honestly, a major selling point. It's intuitive, handles design-to-laser alignment automatically, and supports both the fiber and diode lasers in one interface. You don't need to learn LightBurn (though it also supports LightBurn for advanced users). For an admin like me who occasionally has to jump in and run a job, that ease of use is worth more than a 10% speed increase on the hardware.
The Bottom Line (With All the Caveats)
Would I recommend the xTool F1 Ultra for every shop? No.
If you're a high-volume acrylic fabrication shop doing 100+ sheets a day, get a dedicated CO2 laser with a large bed. If you're a metal fabrication shop doing nothing but cutting 1/4" steel plate, get a high-powered fiber laser.
But if you're like me—a buyer for a mid-sized company needing flexibility without a six-figure budget—the F1 Ultra is a serious contender. It cut our equipment costs by over $5,000, reduced our machine footprint by 60%, and simplified our workflow.
Don't hold me to these exact numbers—check current pricing and specs at xtool.com—but from my experience, the dual-laser approach is the best answer for mixed-material shops on a realistic budget.
