Prusa Research has provided much more information about their latest device, the CORE One+ in a recent post.
The machine was first announced a few months ago, and it is a relatively small update update that adds small hardware and firmware touches to make day-to-day printing a bit easier.
The original CORE One arrived in 2024 as the company’s first fully enclosed CoreXY FFF machine, and Prusa Research is positioning the “plus” as the next step in that platform’s evolution rather than a full on replacement. That echoes the company’s long-running MKx series approach: keep the base machine relevant while rolling improvements forward when they are genuinely useful.
Prusa says existing CORE One owners do not have to do anything. The company will continue to support the older non-plus machine “in the years to come”, and core compatibility remains — including support for expansions like the upcoming INDX multi-material system developed with Bondtech.
The update also reinforces a theme that has become a differentiator in the hobby-to-pro crossover space: printers are durable platforms. Where many vendors push “new model, new parts, start over”, Prusa is again trying to make the newest version attainable by printing parts yourself, or by buying a low-cost kit instead of replacing the entire machine.
What Actually Changed in CORE One+
CORE One+ folds in the software updates that were released since the CORE One launched, with Prusa pointing specifically to better print quality and reduced VFAs, or vertical fine artifacts. That is a subtle aspect, because VFA reduction is often the difference between a part that looks “production” and one that still looks like a tuned hobby print, even when dimensions are fine.
On the hardware side, the plus model inherits quality-of-life features developed for the larger CORE One L. First is automatic top vent operation: the system can open the vent for lower-temperature materials like PLA and PETG, and close it for hotter materials like ABS. In practice, this reduces the number of “did I set the enclosure correctly?” moments that lead to warped parts or inconsistent surfaces.
A second new hardware feature is “easy flex loading”, which adds a redesigned filament insertion point and manual switch to make feeding flexible filament through the PTFE path less fiddly. Third is a redesigned modular spoolholder with a bayonet-style swap, including an option to accommodate the much larger 2kg Prusament spools and a mounting approach designed to work with Prusa’s new drybox.
Upgrades, Firmware, And The INDX Question
Prusa is offering two upgrade paths to the CORE One+: print the parts yourself from files published on Printables, or buy an official upgrade kit from its e-shop. The company says you can reuse existing magnets, screws, and other non-printed components from your original machine, and they say that the only additional item you may need to source is a rubber O-ring for the new spoolholder. The official kit includes the parts pre-arranged for the upgrade, plus even a “+” door sticker to help identify the machine later, making it “official”.
The specific assemblies to change for the hardware upgrade include the Nextruder and top panel (to enable the automatic vent opening), a redesigned side filament sensor body with a switch, and the new spoolholder components. Prusa Research points out a minor difference between the “official” printed parts and the community parts: the kit can use extra screws and slightly thicker components optimized for their internal assembly process, while the DIY parts aim to reuse more of the original hardware.
Firmware is the other key piece. Prusa Research says the CORE One and CORE One+ share firmware and slicer profiles, but the upgrade requires moving to firmware version 6.4.0 to enable “Chamber Vent Control”. With that in place, users can set vent control to Auto (material-based), Manual (prompted), or Off. CORE One users who do not upgrade hardware can continue using Manual prompts as before.
Then there is INDX, the multi-material upgrade Prusa and Bondtech teased at Formnext 2025. Prusa says that INDX is compatible with both the CORE One and CORE One+ models because the INDX installation replaces the top lid, spoolholder, and filament feed to accommodate the system. If INDX becomes the must-have add-on that Prusa suggests, the “either model works” message will matter to buyers trying to time purchases.
Prusa did not provide pricing for the upgrade kit here, and it did not position CORE One+ as a performance leap. But their strategy is pretty clear: remove friction, keep compatibility, and make upgrades feel like a normal part of owning the machine — which is exactly how a platform earns long-term loyalty.
Via Prusa Research
