Our Pick: PrintNC
It wins 8 out of 10 comparison categories while costing $1600 less.
Avid CNC Benchtop Pro 2436 wins 3 of 5 spec categories. PrintNC costs $1,600 less. PrintNC leads by 4 points overall — here’s where those points come from:
Benchmark Scores
Side-by-side score comparison across all five benchmark dimensions.
Overall
Avid CNC Benchtop Pro 2436
Pros
- Industrial-grade linear rails and ball screws
- Aluminum frame with profile linear guides and ball screws on every axis
- Designed for wood, plastics and non-ferrous metal work with a suitable spindle and tooling
- True CNC motion controller (not GRBL) for advanced features
Cons
- Expensive for the work area offered
- Spindle, control package and work surface affect the complete-system cost
- CNC12 setup and learning the machine still take time
- Requires a suitable Windows control PC for CNC12
- Assembly is more involved than consumer machines
PrintNC
Pros
- Bolted steel-tube frame
- Can be configured for aluminum and some steel machining
- Fully open source — modify everything
- Active community and detailed build wiki
- Work area can be sized to the intended jobs
Cons
- Full DIY fabrication, assembly, wiring and calibration
- Needs steel drilled and tapped (no welding)
- Sourcing parts from multiple vendors
- Project-level help is community based; component support depends on suppliers
- Total cost depends heavily on component choices
Verdict
PrintNC wins this comparison with 8 categories to 2.
It wins 8 out of 10 comparison categories while costing $1600 less.
Where to Buy
Price-first merchant links with the clearest reason to click first.
Avid CNC Benchtop Pro 2436
$2800PrintNC
$1200As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links may earn a commission at no extra cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Avid CNC Benchtop Pro 2436 and PrintNC?
The Avid CNC Benchtop Pro 2436 ($2,800) features a 710W spindle with a 660×961mm work area and a Aluminum frame with profile linear guides and ball screws on all axes frame. The PrintNC ($1,200) features a 2200W spindle with a 630×835mm work area and a Bolted steel tube (no welding) frame. Overall, the PrintNC wins more comparison categories.
Which is better value for money — Avid CNC Benchtop Pro 2436 or PrintNC?
The PrintNC is $1,600 cheaper at $1,200 vs $2,800. Our value scores rate the PrintNC higher at 95/100.
Which router is easier to set up and use?
Based on our ease-of-use benchmarks, the Avid CNC Benchtop Pro 2436 scores higher (40/100 vs 15/100). Both support Mach4, Fusion 360, VCarve among other software options.