Replicator Z18. Image: Makerbot.
The Consumer Electronics Show kicked off yesterday, and Stratasys (SSYS -1.95%) wasted no time unveiling its three brand-new Makerbot desktop 3-D printers -- the Mini Replicator, Replicator, and Replicator Z18. The new printers are targeted at desktop applications and entry-level users and compete directly with 3D Systems' (DDD -1.97%) Cube 3 and Cube Pro.
Since these printers won't be released for some time, it's hard to judge which companies' printers will perform better in use. In the interim, investors and fans can look at the specification sheets to see how they compare in the box. When comparing the Stratasys and 3D Systems printers, it's readily apparent the Cube printers appear to have an early leg up on the popular Makerbot brand, beating it in a variety of categories from price to print heads.
In the following video, Motley Fool analyst Blake Bos goes over each new Makerbot printer from Stratasys and compares it with the new Cube printers. He then gives investors his thoughts on what these new printers mean to Stratasys, 3D Systems, and the entry-level 3-D printing market.
