Longer LK4 Pro Review — Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy

If you’ve been exploring the world of budget FDM 3D printing, chances are you’ve come across the Longer LK4 Pro. It’s one of those machines that quietly earns a solid reputation without making a lot of noise — and in this review, we’re going to dig into exactly why that is. Whether you’re a beginner stepping into 3D printing for the first time or an intermediate maker looking for a reliable workhorse, this Longer LK4 Pro review will walk you through everything: specs, setup, print quality, Cura settings, upgrades, and how it stacks up against the ever-popular Ender 3.

The Longer LK4 Pro sits comfortably in the entry-to-mid-range budget 3D printer market — a segment that’s incredibly competitive but also incredibly rewarding when you find the right machine. Longer, as a brand, has been steadily building its presence, and the LK4 Pro represents one of their most polished efforts to date. It’s designed for makers who want reliable results without spending a fortune, and it delivers on that promise in most areas.

So who should buy it? If you’re a hobbyist, a student, a small business owner prototyping parts, or simply someone who wants to explore 3D printing without breaking the bank, the LK4 Pro deserves a serious look.

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Longer LK4 Pro Specifications

Before we get into the hands-on experience, let’s talk numbers. Here are the official Longer LK4 Pro specs straight from Longer’s documentation:

Specification	Details
Build Volume	220 × 220 × 250 mm
Printing Speed	Up to 180 mm/s (recommended: 40–80 mm/s)
Layer Resolution	0.1 – 0.35 mm
Nozzle Diameter	0.4 mm (standard)
Nozzle Temperature	Up to 260°C
Bed Temperature	Up to 110°C
Supported Filaments	PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, Wood, Carbon
Motherboard	Silent 32-bit TMC2208 stepper drivers
Display	3.5-inch full-color touchscreen
Connectivity	MicroSD card, USB
Resume Print	Yes (power-off recovery)
Filament Sensor	Yes
Frame	Aluminum alloy
Machine Size	440 × 410 × 465 mm
Net Weight	~7.5 kg

A few specs really stand out here. The 220 × 220 × 250 mm build volume gives you plenty of room for most hobby and functional prints. The silent 32-bit motherboard with TMC2208 drivers is a big deal — it keeps the printer impressively quiet during operation, which matters a lot if you’re printing in a shared space or overnight. The 3.5-inch full-color touchscreen is also a premium touch for a budget machine, making navigation smooth and intuitive. And the resume print function is a lifesaver for long prints — if the power cuts out, the printer picks right back up where it left off.

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Unboxing and First Setup

The Longer LK4 Pro setup process is one of the friendlier experiences in this price range. The machine ships partially assembled — the base unit (with the heated bed and Y-axis) comes pre-built, and you primarily need to attach the vertical frame, the X-axis gantry, and the extruder assembly.

What’s in the box:

• Pre-assembled base unit
• Vertical frame assembly
• Extruder and hotend assembly
• Spool holder
• Power supply unit
• MicroSD card with sample files and Cura profile
• USB cable
• Toolset (hex keys, side cutters, spatula)
• Spare nozzle and PTFE tube section
• Quick-start manual

Assembly typically takes between 30 to 60 minutes for a first-timer, which is very reasonable. The manual is clear with labeled diagrams, and Longer also provides video tutorials on their official channels that walk you through each step.

Key setup steps:

1. Attach the vertical frame to the base using the provided bolts
2. Mount the X-axis gantry and tighten the eccentric nuts
3. Connect the extruder motor and hotend wiring harness
4. Mount the spool holder
5. Connect the power supply and run the initial axis homing sequence
6. Perform bed leveling before your first print

One thing beginners will appreciate: the wiring connectors are color-coded and labeled, which dramatically reduces the chance of plugging something in wrong. The touchscreen interface guides you through the initial setup steps, so you’re never really flying blind.

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Bed Leveling and Calibration

Let’s talk about something that trips up almost every new 3D printer owner: Longer LK4 Pro bed leveling. The LK4 Pro uses manual bed leveling with four corner adjustment knobs — no automatic bed leveling sensor here, but that’s typical for this price point.

The manual leveling process:

The printer guides you through a four-corner leveling routine from the touchscreen menu. You move the nozzle to each corner and adjust the spring-loaded knob underneath until a standard sheet of printer paper slides under the nozzle with just a slight drag — not too loose, not too tight. Then you repeat the process at least once to account for interdependencies between corners.

Common beginner mistakes to avoid:

• Leveling when the bed is cold — always level with the bed heated to your print temperature, because heat causes slight warping and expansion
• Skipping the center check — after leveling the corners, always check the center of the bed too
• Over-tightening the knobs — this compresses the springs too much and makes fine adjustment harder
• Not re-leveling after moving the printer — even a short move can knock things out of alignment

Tips for better first-layer adhesion:

• Apply a thin layer of glue stick (standard PVA school glue works great) to the glass bed surface
• Use the “Live Adjust Z” feature on the touchscreen to fine-tune the nozzle height during your first layer in real time
• Print a single-layer calibration square as your first test — it makes it easy to visually assess adhesion across the entire bed
• Clean the glass bed with isopropyl alcohol before every print session

Once you’ve got the bed dialed in, the LK4 Pro holds its calibration well between prints, especially if you’re not moving the machine around.

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Print Quality Test Results

This is where the Longer LK4 Pro print quality really gets to shine — and it does shine, especially for a printer in this category.

PLA benchmark prints:

Standard PLA benchmark models (like the classic 3DBenchy tugboat and XYZ calibration cube) produced impressive results right out of the box with minimal tuning. Layer lines are consistent and even, overhangs up to about 45–50 degrees are handled cleanly, and bridging performance is solid for a Bowden-style setup.

Surface quality:

Top surfaces are smooth with minimal scarring. Side walls show consistent layer adhesion without the banding artifacts that plague cheaper machines with less rigid frames. The aluminum alloy frame gives the LK4 Pro enough structural rigidity to maintain print quality even on taller models where frame flex can become an issue.

Accuracy and detail:

Dimensional accuracy is excellent — test cubes consistently measure within 0.1–0.2 mm of their target dimensions, which is right in line with what you’d expect from a well-tuned machine at this level. Fine details on miniature-style prints are rendered clearly at 0.1 mm layer height, though very intricate overhanging geometry will benefit from support structures.

Overall, the LK4 Pro delivers print quality that punches above its price point. It’s not going to replace a resin printer for ultra-fine detail, but for functional parts, cosplay props, home decor, and hobby models, it performs admirably.

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Recommended Cura Settings for Longer LK4 Pro

Getting your slicer dialed in is just as important as the hardware itself. Here are the recommended Longer LK4 Pro Cura settings for reliable, high-quality PLA prints:

Setting	Recommended Value (PLA)
Layer Height	0.2 mm (standard) / 0.1 mm (fine detail)
Wall Thickness	1.2 mm (3 walls)
Infill Density	15–20% (general) / 40–60% (functional parts)
Print Temperature	200–210°C
Bed Temperature	60°C
Print Speed	50–60 mm/s
Travel Speed	150 mm/s
Retraction Distance	6–7 mm (Bowden)
Retraction Speed	40–45 mm/s
Cooling Fan Speed	100% (after first layer)
Initial Layer Speed	20–25 mm/s
Support	Normal / 60° overhang threshold

A couple of important notes on these settings: The retraction distance of 6–7 mm is higher than what you’d use on a direct drive printer — this is normal for Bowden-style setups like the LK4 Pro, where the extruder motor is mounted on the frame rather than directly on the hotend. If you’re seeing stringing, try increasing retraction distance incrementally by 0.5 mm at a time. For PETG, lower the fan speed to around 50% and raise the print temperature to around 230–240°C. For TPU, drop the print speed to 25–30 mm/s and disable retraction or set it very low to avoid jams.

The MicroSD card that comes with the printer includes a pre-configured Cura profile — it’s a solid starting point, and the values above are broadly consistent with that profile, with a few refinements.

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Printing Speed Performance

How does the Longer LK4 Pro speed hold up in real-world use? Let’s be honest about this — the advertised maximum of 180 mm/s is technically achievable, but you probably don’t want to use it.

Real-world print speed:

At 50–60 mm/s, the LK4 Pro produces clean, reliable results with excellent layer adhesion. Pushing to 80 mm/s is feasible for larger, less detailed prints where surface quality isn’t the top priority. Beyond that, you start to see quality degradation — ringing artifacts on sharp corners, weaker layer bonding, and potential extrusion inconsistencies.

For reference, a standard 3DBenchy at 0.2 mm layer height and 50 mm/s takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes — a reasonable benchmark time that reflects real-world printing conditions.

Stability during long prints:

This is where the LK4 Pro earns genuine praise. The aluminum frame stays rigid through multi-hour prints, and the combination of the filament runout sensor and power-loss recovery means you can confidently start an overnight print without babysitting the machine. Several users have reported successful 10–14 hour prints without incident, which speaks to the machine’s overall reliability.

Noise level analysis:

Thanks to the TMC2208 silent stepper drivers, the LK4 Pro is one of the quieter printers in its class. The dominant sound during operation is the cooling fans rather than the motors — a notable improvement over older-generation budget printers that sounded like a drawer full of cutlery in an earthquake. At typical print speeds, the noise level sits around 40–45 dB, which is roughly comparable to a quiet conversation or a desktop computer under load.

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Best Filaments for the Longer LK4 Pro

Knowing which Longer LK4 Pro filament types work best will save you a lot of frustration and wasted material.

PLA — The Best Starting Point

PLA is the ideal filament for the LK4 Pro and will produce the most consistent, beautiful results with the least effort. It prints at lower temperatures, requires no enclosure, and adheres well to the glass bed with a light application of glue stick. Recommended brands include eSUN PLA+, Hatchbox PLA, and Polymaker PolyLite PLA — all of which have proven track records for consistency and quality.

PETG — A Versatile Step Up

PETG works well on the LK4 Pro thanks to its ability to reach 260°C at the nozzle and 110°C at the bed. PETG produces parts that are tougher and more heat-resistant than PLA, making it great for functional applications. The key is slowing down your print speed and reducing the cooling fan. eSUN PETG and Prusament PETG are popular reliable choices.

TPU — Flexible but Tricky

Flexible filaments like TPU are compatible with the LK4 Pro, but the Bowden tube setup makes them more challenging compared to direct drive printers. For best results with TPU, use a Shore hardness of 95A or higher (firmer = easier to print), set your speed to 25–30 mm/s, and use minimal or no retraction. Sainsmart flexible TPU and NinjaTek Cheetah are good starting filaments for this material.

ABS, Wood, and Carbon Fiber:

ABS can technically be printed on the LK4 Pro, but without an enclosure, warping is a significant challenge. Wood-fill and carbon fiber-fill filaments work well at standard PLA temperatures and produce eye-catching results — just be aware that abrasive filaments like carbon fiber will wear your brass nozzle faster, so consider upgrading to a hardened steel nozzle if you plan to use them regularly.

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Upgrades and Modifications

One of the joys of owning a printer in the Longer/Ender-style ecosystem is the huge range of available Longer LK4 Pro upgrades. The machine’s open-source-friendly design means the community has developed a solid library of modifications.

Direct Drive Conversion

Converting the LK4 Pro from its stock Bowden setup to a direct drive extruder is the single most impactful upgrade you can make. It dramatically improves TPU and flexible filament performance, reduces stringing on all materials, and allows for shorter, more precise retraction settings. Several third-party direct drive kits are compatible with the LK4 Pro’s X-carriage mounting pattern.

Cooling Upgrades

The stock cooling fan is functional but not exceptional. Upgrading to a dual 5015 blower fan setup with a custom printed duct (available on community model repositories) significantly improves overhang performance and surface quality on bridging sections. This is especially noticeable when printing PLA models with complex geometry.

PEI Spring Steel Sheet

Replacing the stock glass bed with a PEI-coated spring steel sheet is one of the best quality-of-life upgrades available. Parts pop off effortlessly when the bed cools, adhesion during printing is excellent without any glue or hairspray, and the magnetic attachment system makes the sheet easy to swap. Look for a 220 × 220 mm PEI sheet — it’s a direct fit for the LK4 Pro bed.

Firmware Improvements

The LK4 Pro ships with a functional firmware, but community-developed Marlin builds offer additional features like Linear Advance (which significantly improves corner quality and reduces blobs) and improved bed leveling routines. Longer has also released official firmware updates on their website that address various quality-of-life improvements — always worth checking for the latest version.

Other popular small upgrades:

• Capricorn PTFE tubing (tighter tolerance than standard tubing, helps with retraction precision)
• All-metal hotend throat (eliminates the PTFE lining from the high-temp zone for printing above 240°C consistently)
• Cable management clips (printable) to keep wiring tidy

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Longer LK4 Pro vs Ender 3 — The Comparison That Matters

No review of the Longer LK4 Pro would be complete without the big matchup: Longer LK4 Pro vs Ender 3. These two printers compete directly in the budget FDM space, and the comparison is genuinely interesting.

Feature	Longer LK4 Pro	Creality Ender 3
Build Volume	220 × 220 × 250 mm	220 × 220 × 250 mm
Display	3.5″ color touchscreen	4.3″ knob-based LCD (Ender 3 V2: color)
Motherboard	Silent 32-bit (TMC2208)	8-bit (base) / 32-bit (V2/Pro)
Filament Sensor	Included	Not included (base model)
Power Loss Recovery	Yes	Yes (V2)
Bed Surface	Glass	BuildTak-style (base) / Glass (V2)
Noise Level	Low (silent drivers standard)	Moderate (base) / Low (V2)
Community Support	Good (growing)	Excellent (massive community)
Upgrade Ecosystem	Good	Outstanding
Print Quality (stock)	Very Good	Good
Assembly Difficulty	Easy	Easy

Print quality comparison:

Both printers are capable of producing excellent prints when tuned properly. Out of the box, the LK4 Pro tends to produce slightly smoother results thanks to its silent stepper drivers, which reduce the micro-vibrations that can cause surface artifacts. The Ender 3 (base version) can achieve the same quality after adding silent stepper drivers — but that’s an additional cost.

Value for money:

The LK4 Pro includes several features as standard — the touchscreen, filament sensor, silent motherboard, and glass bed — that are either absent from the base Ender 3 or only present in the more expensive Ender 3 V2/Pro variants. If you’re comparing the LK4 Pro to the Ender 3 V2 at similar price points, it becomes a much closer race with the advantage often going to the LK4 Pro on the basis of the touchscreen and included filament sensor.

Ease of use:

The LK4 Pro wins here, primarily due to the intuitive touchscreen interface. Navigating menus, adjusting settings mid-print, and running the leveling routine are all more pleasant experiences than working with the knob-based interface on the standard Ender 3.

Community and ecosystem:

This is where the Ender 3 has an undeniable advantage. With years of head start and millions of units sold worldwide, the Creality Ender 3 ecosystem is vast — there are more compatible upgrade parts, more community-created printable accessories, and more troubleshooting resources available online. The Longer LK4 Pro community is smaller but growing, and the machine’s compatibility with many standard 2020 extrusion-based components means you’re not entirely left out.

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H2: Final Verdict — Is the Longer LK4 Pro Worth It?

After putting the Longer LK4 Pro through its paces across all these categories, the conclusion is fairly clear: this is a well-rounded, beginner-friendly machine that delivers genuine value.

It won’t win every category against every competitor — the Ender 3’s community advantage is real, and the LK4 Pro’s Bowden setup means flexible filament printing requires more patience. But as a complete package right out of the box, the LK4 Pro offers a lot: a silent, feature-rich machine with a great touchscreen interface, solid print quality, reliable operation, and room to grow with upgrades.

For a beginner, it’s an excellent first printer. For an intermediate maker adding a second machine, it’s a reliable workhorse. For anyone who wants to spend less time tinkering with hardware and more time actually printing, the Longer LK4 Pro hits a genuinely satisfying sweet spot.

If you can find it at the right price — which is frequently around the $150–$200 range — it’s one of the stronger value propositions in the budget FDM printer market right now.

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🇺🇸 English Review
Excellent review of the Longer LK4 Pro! The article explains setup, print quality, and upgrades in a very clear way. I also liked the real-world tips for beginners. Great website for anyone interested in modern 3D printers.
🌐 https://bestchina3dprinters.com

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🇪🇸 Reseña en Español
Muy buen análisis de la Longer LK4 Pro. El contenido es claro, moderno y fácil de entender incluso para principiantes. Las comparaciones y configuraciones de impresión fueron especialmente útiles.
🌐 https://bestchina3dprinters.com

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🇸🇦 مراجعة باللغة العربية
مقال ممتاز عن طابعة Longer LK4 Pro. الشرح احترافي وسهل القراءة، والموقع يحتوي على معلومات مفيدة جداً لمحبي الطباعة ثلاثية الأبعاد. أعجبني التركيز على جودة الطباعة والإعدادات العملية.
🌐 https://bestchina3dprinters.com

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🇨🇳 中文评价
这篇 Longer LK4 Pro 评测非常专业，内容详细且容易理解。网站提供了很多关于3D打印机的实用信息，特别适合新手和技术爱好者阅读。
🌐 https://bestchina3dprinters.com

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🇫🇷 Avis en Français
Très bon article sur la Longer LK4 Pro. Les explications sont précises, modernes et utiles pour les débutants comme pour les utilisateurs avancés. Le site mérite vraiment d’être suivi pour les actualités des imprimantes 3D.
🌐 https://bestchina3dprinters.com

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🇩🇪 Deutsche Bewertung
Fantastischer Bericht über den Longer LK4 Pro. Die Druckqualität, Einrichtung und Upgrades wurden sehr verständlich erklärt. Eine ausgezeichnete Website für alle, die sich für moderne 3D-Drucker interessieren.
🌐 https://bestchina3dprinters.com