Diode or CO2: when a desktop CO2 machine like the AEON MIRA 5S makes sense over a diode engraver
Disclosure: Independent article; no affiliate links or sponsorship.
Draft text was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the cited official product pages and product feeds.
Draft text was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the cited official product pages and product feeds.
The buying question this page answers: Diode or CO2: when does a desktop CO2 machine like the AEON MIRA 5S make sense over a diode machine?
The AEON MIRA desktop machine is not a bigger version of the AlgoLaser or Longer engravers: it uses a different laser source, comes in an enclosed cabinet and sits in a much higher price tier. Rather than rank the three, this page sets out what each maker publishes about laser type, enclosure and entry price so you can decide which tier you are shopping in.
Comparison
| Criterion | AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) | AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi) | LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laser type | CO₂ laser: 45W CO₂ Glass Tube (10,000 Hour Lifespan) or 30W CO₂ Metal RF Tube (18,000 Hour Lifespan)[1] | Diode Laser (Laser Wavelength 450±5nm)[2] | Diode Laser (Laser Length 450nm)[3] |
| Enclosure | 'The MIRA 5S is designed as a Class 1 enclosed laser system'; 'Laser stops the instant lid is opened'; Pass-Through Doors Front & Rear[1] | 'Smart Enclosure' listed as an item of the 'Safe kit' package; the page does not call the machine open-frame or enclosed[2] | No data yet |
| Laser output power | 45W (CO₂ Glass Tube) / 30W (CO₂ Metal RF Tube)[4] | 20W / 40W (Laser Power option)[5] | 5W / 10W / 20W (Power option); spec table also has a 40W column[6] |
| Base price (USD) | $4,999.00 — 30W CO₂ Metal RF Tube; the feed also lists 45W CO₂ Glass Tube at $3,999.00 but marks it available: false, and the product page shows only $4,999.00 USD[7] | $629.00 — 20W / Machine USD[8] | $159.99 — 5W / Basic Set USD[9] |
| Reference price | 4999 USD [10] | 629 USD [8] | 159.99 USD [9] |
| Price history | Price history not collected | Price history not collected | Price history not collected |
Who it fits
AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA)
- Workshops that want the laser inside a closed cabinet: AEON says the MIRA 5S is designed as a Class 1 enclosed laser system and that the laser stops the instant the lid is opened.[1]
- Buyers who want to choose a tube type: the MIRA 5S is offered with a 45W CO₂ glass tube rated for a 10,000 hour lifespan or a 30W CO₂ metal RF tube rated for 18,000 hours, and the page lists pass-through doors front and rear.[1]
AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi)
- Buyers content with a diode source who still want an enclosure option: the Alpha MK2 is a diode laser at 450±5nm, and its Safe kit package includes an item called Smart Enclosure.[2]
When not to buy
AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA)
- Not a first-machine purchase on a hobby budget: the cheapest configuration currently shown on the MIRA 5S page, the 30W CO₂ Metal RF Tube, is $4,999.[10]
AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi)
- Not the choice if you need a machine its maker calls enclosed: the Alpha MK2 page names the Smart Enclosure only as part of the Safe kit package and does not describe the machine itself as enclosed or open-frame.[2]
LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers)
- Not a safe assumption if an enclosure is essential to you: the Longer product page in our sources does not state an enclosure at all, so get an answer from Longer first.
Key differences
General
- The laser source is the real dividing line: AlgoLaser and Longer list diode lasers at 450±5nm and 450nm, while AEON lists CO₂ tubes, either 45W glass or 30W metal RF.[2][3][1]
- Entry prices fall into separate tiers: $159.99 for the Ray5 5W / Basic Set, $629 for the Alpha MK2 20W / Machine and $4,999 for the MIRA 5S with the 30W RF tube.[9][8][10]
- Speeds are published in different units, mm/min on the diode pages and mm/s on the MIRA 5S page, so this page states each figure as published and does not compare them.[2][3][1]
Limitations
AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA)
- The official product feed still lists a 45W CO₂ Glass Tube configuration at $3,999 but marks it as not available, and the product page shows only the $4,999 configuration.[7][10]
- The bed size is published in inches only, D: 11-3/4″ x W: 19-3/4″, so convert it before setting it beside the millimetre figures of the diode machines.[1]
AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi)
- The page gives the laser wavelength, 450±5nm, for both power options, but our sources do not record which materials each power level can cut or engrave.[2]
LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers)
- Speed figures conflict on the Ray5 page: the spec table lists 10,000mm/min for the 5W, 10W and 20W modules and 24,000mm/min for the 40W column, while a description bullet promises speeds of up to 24,000 mm per minute without naming the module.[3]
General
- Safety requirements differ between laser types; follow the safety instructions each manufacturer publishes for its own machine.
Sources
- AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) — Configuration option / spec rows, both variants · AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: Configuration option / spec rows, both variants
- AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi) — Spec table, 20W and 40W · AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: Spec table, 20W and 40W
- LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers) — Spec table, all module columns · LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: Spec table, all module columns
- AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) — Product title (all variants) · AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: Product title (all variants)
- AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi) — Product title (all variants) · AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: Product title (all variants)
- LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers) — Product title (all variants) · LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: Product title (all variants)
- AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) — giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD) · AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD)
- AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi) — giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD) · AlgoLaser (diode laser engravers: Alpha MK2, DIY KIT, Pixi) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD)
- LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers) — giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD) · LONGER (diode laser engravers Ray5 / Ray7 / B1 / Nano, plus UV and 3D printers) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD)
- AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) — giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD) · AEON Laser USA (desktop and pro CO2 lasers: MIRA 5S / 6X / 7S / 9S, NOVA) · accessed 2026-10-22 · scope: giá gói trả phí rẻ nhất (USD)