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If you are trying to make a little money and need to know which wattage to buy, well, I’ve got your back.

I tested the exact same files on the exact same M2, once with the 10W diode laser head, once with new 40W diode laser head attachment. After seeing the examples we are making today, you’ll know exactly which one is right for you!

Let’s dive in!

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xTool sent me the brand new 40 watt diode attachment for the M2 to test against the 10 watt one that I already have.

This video is sponsored, but knowing what the difference is between wattages is going to be very valuable information going forward in your lifetime laser journey!

Wattage isn’t just “stronger is better.” Wattage is how thick you can cut in one pass, and how fast you can finish an order.

By the end of this video, you’re gonna know exactly which one has the most potential to make you the exact type of products you want to sell.

There are some pretty impressive differences, so let’s get started!

WHAT WATTAGE ACTUALLY MEANS

Okay, quick lesson cuz this is where everybody gets sneaky-confused.

Think of it like this. 10 watts is a really sharp little paring knife. 40 watts is a dang chef’s knife.

Both will cut a tomato, but one is gonna do it in one swipe when you’ve got 50 tomatoes to cut for a craft show.

But if you’re trying to get some intricate details carved into a tomato, well, we’re going to want that paring knife – right?

But what about engraving a tomato?

Well, nobody does that, that would be weird.

So what about engraving on a slate coaster, or wood board?

Here’s three benefits to a 40w diode head attachment:

• Number one, speed. 40W finishes the same cut way faster.

• Number two, thickness. 10W can do thin stuff all day, but thick stuff? Whoops. It needs 3, 4 passes.

• Number three, detail. Here’s the biggest thing to consider: bigger isn’t always better for detailed photo engraving. That little 10W diode can be freaking crisp.

So, tell me in the comments – are you team engraving or team cutting? Cuz that’s going to be a big part of your decision.

Now, let me show you some real examples!

TEST 1: FINE ENGRAVING

Alright, test one. I’m going to test the exact same photo of one of my cats dressed up in a cute little elf costume with both laser heads on basswood.

Let me show you a bit about the M2 laser by xTool, it’s modular based. So, you get the module, like this 10w diode laser head, and it just magnets right on there.

Switching out to the 40w diode laser head takes about 5 whole seconds.

Plus, there is a color print head, but we’ll save that for another time.

I am using the default settings for each material in the xTool studio laser software for the 10w laser head and adjusting accordingly for the 40w laser head. This pretty much just means turning the speed up so I don’t set anything on fire.

First, let’s talk about time.

The basswood cat engraving with the 10w took: 6:42
The detail looks great! Whether or not you think that is a long time to engrave something about 3 inches tall is a glass half full or empty situation.

The basswood cat engraving with the 40w took: 5:21
Not too much less on time. Well get more into settings here soon.

But let’s not stop on just wood! I have a feeling you are going to want to make more than one thing, so let’s get some slate involved.

I’ll use the bottom side of this untreated coaster for this test. Again, we’ll start with the default settings according to the xTool Studio for slate with the 10w diode.

The slate cat engraving with the 10w took just less than 4 minutes

The slate cat engraving with the 40w took about 3.

Now, we can gather some preliminary information here.

Please note that no matter which laser head you start out with, we can get an amazing image engraving, it has a lot to do with your settings.

For example, the 40w wood engraving is way too dark, even at double the speed. We can slow it down a little and lessen the power and might be able to get similar-ish results.

That’s one of the best things about lasers. We can tweak, test and alter settings until we get what we want. But if you are not into becoming a laser test scientist, then go with what works for your main project output.

If you’re selling gifts, pet portraits, tumblers, memorial stuff — save your money. You do NOT need 40 watts to make a $35 gift set look expensive.

When in doubt, and especially when you are just starting out, don’t buy power you won’t use.

But before you click buy on the 10W, let’s talk about cutting! It might change your mind back over.

TEST 2: THIN CUT SPEED

Same file, similar 3mm colored MDF boards. Both will cut it clean, but there is a significant difference in time!

For the 10 watt diode to cut out this 2.5″ yin yang shape, it took 1:53. I mean, two minutes isn’t too bad!

But how long do you think a laser head 4x as powerful is going to take?

If you said somewhere around 30 seconds – you’d be right! 32 seconds, in fact!

That’s the whole reason we’re here, right? Same product, one-fourth the time.

10w vs 40w, the math is obviously there.

Depending on the materials and settings, I might even be able to get that time down a little more.

When you consider batching, that’s potentially 4 hours of cut time dropped down to just 1 hour.

If you sell one ornament for 15 bucks, who cares if that only took 2 minutes. If you sell 100 ornaments for a wholesale order? That’s hours, and time wasted is money wasted when you are in business.

Next up, let’s go thick!

TEST 3: THICK CUT

Ok, here’s the biggie difference. Thickness.

I’ve got this crappy cutoff from some cheap plywood from the bigbox home improvement store. It is a quarter inch thick, or about 6-6.5 mm thick. About twice as thick as all the usual materials.

10W did get through in three passes. Edge is a little toasty. I probably could have done it in two passes if I slowed it down a bit more, but then we are really upping our chances of flare ups. Especially with boards made with chunky adhesives.

The 40W? One pass. Just as you suspected, and in far less time.

As always, it depends on the material. No matter the wattage of laser you are using, materials tend to have their own quirks.

If you’re making cutting boards, thick door hangers, 3D layered mandalas, a housewarming gift box or custom cut bachelorette party gift box — this is your whole business.

One pass versus three passes is the difference between working for fun money and working for business money.

If you want to primarily be cutting, definitely go with the 40W.

SO, WHICH SHOULD YOU BUY?

Buy the 10W if you’re going in heavy with engraving-first. Photos, slate, tumblers, gifts, side hustle from the spare bedroom. You want crisp detail, lower price, and you’re not cutting thick stuff every day.

Buy the 40W if you’re planning a whole lot of cutting-first. Inventory, craft shows, wholesale, comic cons, expos – like me! I love a good selling event! But in order to prepare, you need speed. Time is literally money.

Think of it like this, don’t buy the laser module, buy the business model you want.

So, if you were hoping for the best, now you know what’s really going on here.

10W = detail queen, perfect for starters. Great starting price point.

40W = production beast, perfect for scaling. Costs a bit more, but the output is more.

Both are modules on the same xTool M2 laser, which — I gotta say — is dang smart cuz you don’t have to buy a whole new machine to upgrade your making power.

Tell me in the comments — did any examples surprise you? Which one are you leaning toward?

If you want to learn more about the M2 and discover 15 products you can easily make and sell with this machine, check out this post next! You’ll see a little of what the print head attachement can do, too!

Thank you so much, and happy crafting!