Creality CR-Scan Otter vs. Einstar 2
Both 3D scanners compared directly. The higher accuracy according to the manufacturer (best values under laboratory conditions) is marked in green.
The key differences
- The Creality CR-Scan Otter is in a cheaper price class (€600 to €1,200) than the Einstar 2 (€1,200 to €3,000).
- Technology: the Einstar 2 has a laser mode (Blue laser + infrared), the Creality CR-Scan Otter works without a laser (Near infrared). Laser usually captures fine detail and shiny parts better, while infrared and structured light are well suited to people and large objects.
- There is no manufacturer figure for the accuracy of the Einstar 2.
- The Einstar 2 has the longer working distance (up to 1,400 mm instead of 1,000 mm), which makes it better suited to large objects.
| Creality CR-Scan Otter | Einstar 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price range | €600 to €1,200 | €1,200 to €3,000 |
| Price | Manufacturer's shop: €969, Scanner only; Bundle with Scan Bridge and Scan Bridge cable €1,199; 3DJake.de likewise €969 incl. VAT, in stock (As of 26 Oct 2026) | Manufacturer's shop: €1,079; with Accessories Pro Kit €1,914 (As of 26 Oct 2026) |
| Technology | Near-infrared binocular structured light with four-lens stereo vision (near and far mode) | Two modes: Laser HD with 17 parallel blue laser lines and IR Rapid with infrared VCSEL |
| Accuracy (according to the manufacturer) | up to 0.02 mm at 60 mm (laboratory conditions, 100 mm ball pair); volumetric not specified by the manufacturer | not specified by the manufacturer |
| Resolution / point distance | 0.05 to 2 mm | Laser HD 0.05 to 10 mm, IR Rapid 0.2 to 10 mm |
| Speed | up to 30 fps (according to comparison table on creality.com); differing up to 20 fps ◇ 3DJake | Laser HD up to 2,500,000 points/s, IR Rapid up to 4,800,000 points/s; up to 70 fps according to press release |
| Working distance | 110 to 1,000 mm | Laser HD 100 to 600 mm, IR Rapid 160 to 1,400 mm |
| Capture area (single frame) | Close mode: 100 x 62 mm at 120 mm to 160 x 130 mm at 250 mm; far mode: 358 x 254 mm at 300 mm, 784 x 509 mm at 600 mm, 1,350 x 840 mm at 1,000 mm | max. 490 x 580 mm (Laser HD), max. 1,170 x 1,385 mm (IR Rapid) |
| Object size | Minimum scan volume 10 x 10 x 10 mm; according to the manual from small screws to people and large car parts (stated as 10 mm³ to 2,000 mm³) ◇ Creality-Handbuch via Alza | approx. 5 mm to 10 m; minimum scan volume 10 x 10 x 10 mm (Laser HD) or 50 x 50 x 50 mm (IR Rapid) |
| Tracking | Geometry, markers, texture; IMU ◇ Creality-Handbuch via Alza | Laser HD: global markers; IR Rapid: markers, geometry (features), texture, hybrid |
| Colour/texture | yes, 24-bit colour ◇ 3DJake; colour camera resolution: not specified by the manufacturer | yes (texture camera 2.3 MP) |
| Connectivity | USB-C on PC, 5 V, 3 A ◇ 3DJake; wireless only with separate accessories (Creality Scan Bridge and Scan Bridge cable) | Wi-Fi (built-in) or USB-C on the PC; battery operation (5,500 mAh, up to 3 hours) |
| Usable without a PC | no, PC or smartphone required | no, PC or smartphone required |
| Software | CrealityScan (Windows, macOS) | EXStar Hub (Windows, macOS) |
| PC requirements | Windows 10/11 64-bit, recommended Intel i7 from 7th gen., Nvidia or AMD graphics card, from 16 GB RAM, minimum Intel i5 from 8th gen., from 8 GB RAM; macOS recommended from 11.7.7 with Apple M1/M2/M3 and from 16 GB RAM, minimum from 10.15.7 with Intel i5 from 8th gen. and from 8 GB RAM; Creality Scan from version 3.1.6 ◇ Creality-Handbuch via Alza | Windows 11 22H2 (64-bit), Intel Core i7-13700H or better, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU with at least 6 GB VRAM, at least 32 GB DDR5 dual-channel (64 GB recommended), USB 3.0; macOS Tahoe 26.2, at least MacBook Pro M1 or MacBook M3, at least 16 GB RAM (recommended MacBook Pro M3 Max/Ultra or newer, 24 GB RAM) |
| Scope of delivery | not specified by the manufacturer | Scanners, Carry case, Calibration board, Holder for calibration board, Power adapter, Battery, Battery compartment, Charging cable for battery compartment, USB-C cable (scanner and battery compartment), Markers 3 mm and 6 mm, Packing list |
| Dimensions | 165 × 37 × 59 mm | 130 × 61 × 37 mm |
| Weight | 390 g | 420 g |
| Market launch | not specified by the manufacturer | October 2025 |
Who is which one suitable for?
Creality CR-Scan Otter
Makers who want to scan everything from small figures to large objects on a PC with an infrared scanner.
- Up to 0.02 mm accuracy at close range without laser
- Large working range of 110 to 1,000 mm with near and far mode
Einstar 2
Makers who want to scan small parts with the laser and large objects or people with infrared using one wireless device and who have a powerful PC.
- Laser and infrared in one device: working distance from 100 mm to 1,400 mm
- Wireless via Wi-Fi with swappable battery (up to 3 hours)
Facts, not a buying recommendation. This page summarises manufacturer specifications and our assessment. If we recommend a device, it is explicitly marked “Our recommendation”. Figures marked ◇ do not come from the manufacturer; the source is linked. How we work