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Glowforge · CO₂
Glowforge Pro
Pass-through CO₂ for crafters — premium simplicity with subscription cost
Last updated How we evaluate
Released April 2018
What this machine is for
Pass-through CO₂ crafting for long materials with zero-config software
Reference benchmark same job size on every machine so you can compare times fairly.
Laser spot size
~0.18 mm CO₂ spot
Smaller spot = finer detail (frame motion is usually the same across tiers)
Motion precision: 0.025 mm
Sample engrave job
~5–8 min
Filled photo or logo on birch plywood
10 × 10 cm (4 × 4 in)
Sample cut job
~2–4 min
Simple square cut-out from 3 mm acrylic
10 × 10 cm (4 × 4 in)
Times are estimates for the reference job above; your design complexity and settings will change them.
TL;DR
The Glowforge Pro adds passthrough slot for long materials and stronger CO₂ performance vs Aura. Still cloud-dependent with subscription pressure. Best for design-focused crafters who refuse to touch LightBurn — not for cost-sensitive makers.
What this machine is for
Premium enclosed CO₂ for crafters engraving and cutting long thin materials with minimal technical setup.
Best for
Materials
Engraves
- · Wood
- · Leather
- · Acrylic
- · Paper
- · Fabric
- · Anodized aluminum
Cuts
- · Wood up to ~12 mm
- · Acrylic up to ~12 mm
- · Leather
- · Paper
Cannot do
- · Bare metal marking
- · Offline advanced workflows without subscription
- · Best value per watt vs xTool P2
- · Large-format sign shop throughput
Pros
- ✓Passthrough for long boards and signs
- ✓Extremely easy software
- ✓Strong brand for craft marketplaces
- ✓Decent support for non-technical users
- ✓Enclosed CO₂ safety
Cons
- ✗Very expensive hardware + subscription
- ✗Cloud required for most jobs
- ✗Closed ecosystem — no LightBurn
- ✗Less power than xTool P2 for similar money
- ✗Proofgrade upsell pressure
Beginner notes
Compare xTool P2 and Monport 55W before buying Glowforge Pro — you may get more capability for less if you will learn LightBurn.
Pro tips
Factor 3-year subscription into total cost. Passthrough shines for long thin signs — not for thick industrial cutting.
Pro / technical specs
Raw numbers for experienced users comparing machines.
- Laser spot size
- ~0.18 mm CO₂ spot
- Max speed (spec)
- 400 mm/s
- Avg engrave speed
- 120–250 mm/s fill
- Avg cut speed
- 12–35 mm/s on 3 mm acrylic
- Motion precision
- 0.025 mm