Laser News Digest - May 1, 2026
Published
xTool M2 Color Craft Laser launch event opens May 4 to lock pre-order pricing; public sale May 26 at an unannounced price. LightBurn 2.1.00 RC adds Quick Nest automatic layout optimization (Pro license required) and full EZCad3 galvo support including MOPA Q-pulse control — the first time galvo fiber users can abandon EZCad entirely.
xTool M2 Color Craft Laser Gets Official Launch Date: Pre-Order Event May 4, Public Sale May 26
xTool has confirmed specific dates for the M2 Color Craft Laser commercial launch. Starting May 4, 2026, buyers can join the official launch event on xTool's site to lock the launch price — described as 'the lowest price of the year.' The public sale page opens May 26, with final payment and shipping beginning May 28. The M2 is positioned as xTool's next-generation 'Color Craft Laser' platform, integrating color output capability with laser processing in a single desktop unit. Full specifications and pricing remain unreleased ahead of the May 4 launch event. Creator reviews from the 100-unit Creator Calling program (which closed April 25) are expected to surface ahead of the May 26 sale — these will be the first independent performance assessments before buyers commit. The launch overlaps with eufyMake E1's May 6 public sale ($2,299), creating a direct two-product decision window for makers considering the color-output category in May 2026.
The May 4 launch event is a pre-order reservation mechanic — xTool is asking buyers to commit to a purchase price before the machine's full specifications are public. The 'lowest price of the year' language signals that the launch price will be discounted below the standard retail price, likely reverting upward post-launch (a common xTool strategy used for the P3 and M1 Ultra). Buyers who need the M2 immediately should join May 4 to lock the best pricing. Buyers who want specs first can wait for May 26 full reveal — but may miss the launch discount. The critical comparison for May: the eufyMake E1 ($2,299 starting May 6) is a UV flatbed printer with proven jig ecosystem and mature software; the xTool M2 is a 'Color Craft Laser' with an unknown mechanism, unconfirmed specs, and a creator-review track record just starting. If you need color-on-hard-surfaces capability now, the E1 is the known quantity. If you want a machine that also laser cuts and engraves in addition to color output, wait for M2 specs before deciding.
💡What this means for you
Confirmed M2 timeline: Launch event May 4 (lock pre-order/launch price). Public sale May 26. Shipping begins May 28. Creator Calling: 100 pre-production units to selected creators (program closed April 25). Creator reviews expected before May 26. Specs, pricing, and color mechanism still unreleased. Markets: US, UK, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Australia, Poland.
Market Position: The M2 enters a two-front battle: it competes with xTool's own UVP (UV Printer, also Q2 2026) for the color-output market, and it faces direct timing competition with the eufyMake E1 (May 6 public launch, $2,299 Basic). A 'Color Craft Laser' combining laser cutting and color marking would be a genuinely new product category at consumer price points. The M2 creator reviews arriving in May will be the primary signal for whether the color output is competitive with UV flatbed systems.
- What is the M2's color output mechanism — ink jet, UV curing, dye sublimation, or laser-induced chemistry?
- Will the M2 replace or sit alongside the M1 Ultra ($1,499–$1,699) in xTool's lineup?
- What is the launch price? Creator Calling T&Cs mention a $1,000 grant, suggesting the machine itself may be in the $2,000–$4,000 range.
⏸️ Wait if: You want specs before committing — Creator reviews and the May 26 reveal will clarify color mechanism, power, and bed size, You are considering the M1 Ultra for color work — the M2 may directly supersede it
✅ Buy if: You need the lowest possible price — the May 4 launch event locks the launch discount before any post-launch price increases, You already know you want a xTool machine and color output is the deciding feature
LightBurn 2.1.00 RC Adds Full EZCad3 Galvo Support and Quick Nest Layout Automation
LightBurn 2.1.00 has entered Release Candidate phase, adding two headline features beyond the 2.0 base: initial full support for EZCad3-based galvo laser controllers (covering MOPA Q-pulse control, homing, rotary, and Z-axis jog alongside all standard marking operations), and Quick Nest — an automatic nesting tool that repositions objects in a container to maximize material efficiency. Quick Nest is available only to LightBurn Pro license holders. The EZCad3 driver install is noted as having a known installer issue (corrected in a subsequent RC build). RC-6 is the most recent publicly available candidate. Full galvo support positions LightBurn 2.1 as a viable single-software solution for shops running both diode/CO2 and fiber/galvo machines — previously requiring EZCad2/3 as a separate system for the galvo workflow.
The EZCad3 support is the more operationally significant feature for laser shops. EZCad2 and EZCad3 are the incumbent controllers shipped with virtually all budget fiber engravers and MOPA systems from Chinese OEMs — their UX is functional but dated, and the workflow disconnect between LightBurn (for diode/CO2) and EZCad (for fiber/galvo) has been a persistent friction point for hybrid shops. LightBurn 2.1 collapses that gap: design in one environment, send to any laser. Quick Nest is a time-saver for production runs where material yield matters — think jewelry blanks, leather patches, or acrylic shapes where fitting more pieces per sheet has direct cost impact. The Pro license requirement is the constraint: Quick Nest is not available on standard LightBurn licenses. Standard license holders get the EZCad3 support but not the nesting automation.
💡What this means for you
LightBurn 2.1.00 RC key additions: (1) Initial EZCad3 galvo support — same level as EZCad2 support: all standard marking options, rotary control, split marking, Z-axis home/jog, MOPA Q-pulse control. (2) Quick Nest — define container, objects repositioned for maximum layout efficiency. Pro license only. Known issue: EZCad driver install on last installer page fails; corrected in subsequent RC. Current public RC: RC-6 (mid-March 2026). Documentation: docs.lightburnsoftware.com/2.1/NewFeatures/NewIn2.1/.
Market Position: LightBurn's machine-agnostic strategy — diode, CO2, galvo, fiber in one app — differentiates it from vendor-specific software. 2.1 extends that advantage to the EZCad3 controller ecosystem, which powers the bulk of imported fiber and MOPA engravers sold in the US market at sub-$3,000 price points. For shops that added a fiber machine alongside a diode or CO2 system, 2.1 eliminates the EZCad parallel workflow.
- Which EZCad3 controller brands are specifically validated (BJJCZ, Thunderlaser, JCZ)?
- Will Quick Nest handle irregular shapes (curves, polygons) or only rectangular bounding boxes?
- Timeline for 2.1.00 final release from current RC-6 state?
⏸️ Wait if: You run a pure diode/CO2 shop with no galvo machines — 2.1 adds nothing you need over 2.0, You use Quick Nest extensively in another tool and are evaluating LightBurn Pro — wait for final 2.1 release to test nesting quality
✅ Buy if: You have an EZCad3-based fiber or MOPA machine alongside a diode/CO2 setup — 2.1 unifies your workflow, You do production runs with high material cost where nesting matters — Pro license unlocks Quick Nest
May 2026 Color-Output Race: xTool M2 vs eufyMake E1 vs xTool UVP — Three Machines, One Market
May 2026 brings an unprecedented concentration of color-on-hard-surfaces desktop machines to market simultaneously. The eufyMake E1 UV flatbed printer ($2,299 Basic) opens for public sale May 6. The xTool M2 'Color Craft Laser' opens its launch event May 4 with the sale going live May 26. The xTool UVP (UV Printer with A3+ bed and CMYKWV dual-head) is targeting a Q2 2026 window with no confirmed date. All three machines are competing for the same buyer: a maker who wants to print full color directly onto wood, acrylic, leather, phone cases, or similar hard surfaces without screen printing or heat transfer. The three machines use different approaches: the E1 is a UV flatbed (proven, shipping, mature), the xTool UVP is a UV flatbed with integrated laser (Print & Cut in one unit), and the M2 is a 'Color Craft Laser' with an undisclosed color mechanism (possibly UV-enhanced laser chemistry or a secondary print head alongside the laser module).
For makers trying to decide, here is the clearest framework: If you need color output right now and want a known, mature product with a growing accessory ecosystem, the eufyMake E1 at $2,299 is the choice — it has been shipping to Kickstarter backers for months, has multiple third-party jigs available, and its firmware has been iterating in real-world production use. If you want color output plus laser cutting and engraving in a single machine, wait for the xTool M2 specs on May 26 — but understand that 'color craft laser' is an unvalidated category and you will be an early adopter of whatever mechanism xTool implements. If you specifically need an A3+ UV flatbed with Print & Cut laser integration (and are patient with a Q2 window that may slip), the xTool UVP addresses the broadest material capability but has the least certainty on timing. The one scenario to avoid: buying a diode or CO2 laser specifically for color work in the next 30 days. Both the M2 and E1 address the color gap more directly than any current laser system.
💡What this means for you
Three machines compared: (1) eufyMake E1: UV flatbed, A4 bed, CMYKW + glossy/texture ink, 300+ material types, $2,299 Basic / $3,299 Deluxe, available May 6. (2) xTool M2: 'Color Craft Laser,' specs unreleased, launch event May 4, sale May 26. (3) xTool UVP: A3+ (330×420mm) bed, CMYKWV dual-head, 1440 DPI, 150mm Z clearance, integrated Print & Cut laser, $3,000–$5,000 projected, no confirmed date.
Market Position: The simultaneous arrival of three competing color-output desktop machines in May 2026 compresses what would have been a 6-month buying decision into a 3-week window. The E1 is the known benchmark; M2 and UVP must beat it on either price, capability, or workflow integration to justify the wait. The xTool UVP's Print & Cut integration is the strongest technical differentiator — no comparable product exists at the projected price point.
- Does the xTool M2 require laser-safe materials for color output, or can it print on standard UV-compatible surfaces?
- Will the xTool UVP ship before June 30 (end of Q2 2026) as projected?
- How does the eufyMake E1's color accuracy compare to the xTool UVP's 1440 DPI dual-head system?
⏸️ Wait if: You want the best possible color accuracy and are patient — the xTool UVP's A3+ bed and 1440 DPI may outperform the E1 at a similar price point once it ships
✅ Buy if: You need a production-ready color output machine in May — the eufyMake E1 is the only confirmed, shipping option in the May 6 launch window
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the xTool M2 Color Craft Laser go on sale?▼
The xTool M2 launch event opens May 4, 2026 — joining at that point locks the launch price ('lowest price of the year'). The public sale page goes live May 26, with final payment and shipping beginning May 28. Full specifications and pricing have not been released ahead of the May 4 event.
What is LightBurn 2.1 and what does it add over 2.0?▼
LightBurn 2.1.00 is currently in Release Candidate (RC-6 as of mid-March 2026). Its two key additions beyond 2.0: full EZCad3 galvo laser controller support (allowing LightBurn to replace EZCad entirely on fiber/MOPA machines), and Quick Nest (automatic material layout optimization for Pro license holders). Standard LightBurn license holders get EZCad3 support but not Quick Nest.
Should I buy the eufyMake E1 or wait for the xTool M2?▼
If you need color-on-hard-surfaces capability now: buy the eufyMake E1 at $2,299 (available May 6) — it has a proven track record with Kickstarter backers, mature firmware, and growing third-party jig support. If you also want laser cutting and engraving in the same machine: wait for xTool M2 specs on May 26 — but understand you will be an early adopter with no independent reviews yet.
What is the difference between the xTool M2 and the xTool UVP?▼
The xTool UVP is a UV flatbed printer (A3+, CMYKWV dual-head, 1440 DPI) with an integrated Print & Cut laser — a UV printer that also laser-cuts the printed output. The xTool M2 is a 'Color Craft Laser' with an undisclosed color mechanism built into a laser platform. Full M2 specs are unknown until the May 26 launch. The UVP has no confirmed ship date but is projected for Q2 2026.