In this review article, we are taking an in-depth look at a unique desktop laser engraver: the ComMarker COX, a galvo-style, 40-watt RF CO2 laser. Just like traditional CO2 lasers, it operates in the far-infrared spectrum at a wavelength of 10,600 nanometers. However, unlike standard glass-tube CO2 lasers, it produces its beam by exciting CO2 gas using radio frequency rather than high DC voltage inside a fragile glass tube.
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RF Metal Tube vs. Glass Tube CO2 Lasers
An RF metal tube is a vastly superior design for a CO2 laser engraver. It provides much better beam quality and a significantly narrower laser spot size, which allows you to engrave incredibly fine details—a massive advantage when paired with a high-speed galvo system.
Another major benefit of an RF metal tube is its operational longevity. It boasts a lifespan of up to 30,000 hours, compared to just 3,000 to 5,000 hours for a standard glass tube. That incredible durability easily justifies the higher price tag. Plus, the RF tube outputs a higher beam pulsing frequency, which is exactly what you need in a galvo configuration where engraving speeds are exceptionally fast.
A wavelength of 10,600 nanometers is basically pure heat. Unlike UV lasers, which work by breaking chemical bonds through cold ablation, a CO2 laser works purely by heating the surface of the material. This makes it the absolute best laser type for engraving organic materials like wood and leather, or for cutting paper and fabric. While this wavelength won’t work on bare metals, it absolutely excels at removing coatings from metal objects, like custom insulated tumblers.
Unboxing, Hardware Specs, and Lens Options for ComMarker COX
You can get the ComMarker COX in the ComMarker Official Store.
Out of the box, the ComMarker COX comes equipped with an autofocus sensor, all the necessary setup accessories, and a generous assortment of sample materials—ranging from an acrylic sign kit, leather tags, and wooden keychains to plywood sheets, paper, and synthetic felt.
One great perk of far-infrared lasers is that the safety glasses can actually be transparent to visible light, which makes working around the machine a lot more comfortable. The included protective glasses feel solid and well-made.
As for the machine itself, the laser head is enormous—it is an absolute beast. On the rear panel, you’ll find standard connectivity ports for expansion accessories, a rotary axis attachment, safety door interlocks, and a foot pedal. Moving to the front control layout, you get standard physical controls, featuring an emergency stop switch, the main power button, and manual focus height adjustment buttons.
The machine also ships with two different F-Theta lenses:
- 140mm Lens: Designed for finer details, smaller spot sizes, and more demanding materials.
- 210mm Lens: Designed for a larger work area, which is perfect for sizable wooden boards and rotary tumbler setups.
Parameter Sensitivity: Wood, Acrylic, and Faux Leather
To see how this CO2 galvo laser performs, I started by running test grids to evaluate different power, frequency, and speed parameters. I engraved several test patterns on soft wood, and the results were remarkably consistent across the board.
The engraving effect doesn’t change drastically when varying speed, power, or frequency settings. This is a huge advantage because this type of laser isn’t nearly as sensitive or finicky as a fiber laser. To put it simply: you’re either burning the material, or you aren’t—at least on the wood substrates tested. This means you won’t have to spend hours fine-tuning parameters for every single material type.
I ran the exact same test patterns on transparent and black acrylic and got identical results. The frequency settings didn’t impact the mark quality, and almost all the engravings came out clean. Another benefit is that a 10,600nm laser is entirely unaffected by the color of the material, unlike diode or fiber lasers.
Engraving on faux leather yielded similar behavior. Once you push past the minimum power threshold required to mark the surface, everything looks great. This predictability saves a massive amount of setup time compared to other laser sources.
Focal Range Depth and Field Tolerance
Next, I tested the usable focus range of the ComMarker COX. I engraved a line of text across a piece of plywood set at an angle, focusing the laser directly on the top of a reference metal block.
The results show that the 210mm lens has a very forgiving focus range, spanning a few millimeters both above and below the optimal focal point. This focal tolerance is much better than what I’ve experienced with fiber and UV lasers, meaning small curves or uneven material surfaces won’t ruin your engraving quality.
Laser Spot Size Analysis and High-Speed Fill Dynamics
To measure the actual laser spot size diameter, I engraved a piece of anodized aluminum using various line interval settings and inspected the results under a microscope. By their very nature, CO2 lasers have a larger spot size due to their longer wavelength.
Starting with the 140mm lens, I was amazed to find that the spot size was actually smaller than I anticipated—coming in around 0.12mm, which is incredible for a CO2 laser. Looking at the micro-text engravings, the 0.6mm font is perfectly visible. When bumped up to 1,000 mm/s, the results are sharp, the text retains excellent shape, and even tiny 0.3mm text remains readable (benchmarked alongside the tip of a graphite pencil). At 3,000 mm/s, you begin to see the mechanical vector limits of the galvo system, but those high speeds are intended for fill patterns rather than fine line engraving anyway.
Switching to the 210mm lens, the laser spot size expands to approximately 0.22mm in diameter. That’s still a great result considering this larger lens is meant for scaling up your design field. Looking at the text, 0.6mm font is clearly visible, while 0.4mm text sits right on the limit of readability.
While a spot size of 0.12mm to 0.22mm is larger than a fiber or UV laser spot, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can still engrave remarkably fine text, but because the spot footprint is wider, you can use a larger line interval setting (like 0.2mm) for fill patterns. This allows an RF CO2 laser to complete solid fills at blistering speeds of 3,000 mm/s, saving immense processing time on high-volume production orders.
Photo Engraving and 3D Relief Carving
Using ComMarker Studio software, I selected a preset for plywood to engrave a raster photo. The engraving speed is mind-blowing, and the final image preserves great detail for its size while burning deep into the wood to create a rich tactile effect.
Moving on to denser hardwoods, I grabbed one of the wooden keychains included in the sample pack. The engraving finished in just a couple of seconds and left a beautiful, high-contrast mark. Running 10 sequential passes using the exact same settings deepened the engraving to roughly 2mm in depth without excess charring. This confirms that the high pulse rate of the RF tube easily supports 3D relief carvings in hardwood stock.
Material Testing: Plastics, Towels, Stone, Ceramics, and Glass
Testing across different organic and synthetic materials highlighted clear strengths and limitations:
Synthetic Plastics: Materials like plastic cosmetic jar lids do not fare well under a CO2 beam. Because the wavelength melts thermo-form plastics rather than vaporizing them, it leaves behind a distorted mark with no color contrast.
Microfiber Towels: The ComMarker COX performed exceptionally well on polyester sports towels. It perfectly melted away the fine top fibers to expose the fabric underneath, completing the design much faster than a UV laser.
River Stones & Slate: On river stones, the far-infrared heat creates micro-fractures that shift the surface color. On slate coasters, it engraves at lightning speed with excellent contrast and line clarity. Interestingly, running repeated slow-speed passes at full power on river stone melts the silicate content into smooth, durable glass beads.
Ceramic Mugs: The ComMarker COX engraved ceramic designs rapidly, delivering clean results comparable to high-end UV marking. The top engraving was done with a fiber laser.
Wine Glasses: Glass readily absorbs 10,600nm light. Lowering the laser power creates a smooth frosted micro-crack effect that cleans up nicely with a light steel wool rubdown, avoiding sharp edges or heavy glass dust.
Engraving Stainless Steel Tumblers
One of the best applications for a CO2 galvo laser like the ComMarker COX is engraving coated stainless steel tumblers. Because the 10,600nm beam reflects off bare stainless steel without marking the metal, the process is completely forgiving—you only need enough thermal power to strip the outer paint or powder coating away.
For setting up the rotary axis attachment, ComMarker Studio makes configuration simple. During engraving, the surface might look dark and charred, but wiping it down with a sponge and dish soap reveals clean, shiny stainless steel underneath. It is easily the fastest and simplest tumbler engraving setup I have tested.
Cutting Capabilities: Felt, Leather, and 5mm Acrylic
In addition to high-speed marking, a 40W RF CO2 laser can handle light vector cutting tasks:
Paper, Fabric, and Felt: Running fast vector passes prevents thermal buildup, cleanly cutting stencils and synthetic felt without melting the edges together.
Genuine Leather: Engraves and cuts leather at breakneck speeds, leaving a rich, deep contrast.
Cutting 5mm Cast Acrylic: Using the 210mm lens, running 20 passes at 100% power and a slow vector speed sliced straight through 5mm thick clear acrylic. The parts dropped out effortlessly with smooth, flame-polished edges. Because galvo mirrors pivot from a fixed central axis over the field lens, cuts near the outer edges feature a slight draft angle (tapered edge), which is standard for galvo systems, but the cut quality remains clean and highly functional.
Custom Illuminated Acrylic Sign Project
To test acrylic engraving, I built a custom illuminated LED sign using the display base kit included with the machine. The ComMarker COX engraved the clear acrylic in seconds, producing a razor-sharp design with high contrast. Mounted into the LED base, the light edge-lit the engraving beautifully, proving how capable this laser is for custom display products.
Conclusion: Is the ComMarker COX Worth It?
You can buy it in the ComMarker Official Store.
You can use my custom discount code “jtmakesit” for additional 5% off! (208$ off with the ultimate bundle!)
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This post was written by JT Makes It.
JT Makes It is an engineer, hobbyist, and DIY-er armed with a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and over a decade of professional experience in the industry. From an early age, JT Makes It was pushed by an insatiable curiosity, spending countless hours disassembling, understanding, improving, and creating various gadgets and products. This lifelong passion led to a broad spectrum of technical expertise ranging from electronics, woodworking, metalworking, and CNC machinery, with a particular focus on laser engravers.
For the past 9 years, he has shared his expertise through engaging videos on his YouTube channel. With the last three years dedicated to scrutinizing and testing laser engravers, he also created this website and emerged as a recognized authority in the field. His expertise extends across the spectrum of laser technologies, ranging from diode lasers, CO2 lasers, and fiber lasers, paying attention to details and providing practical insights.
With JT Makes It, expect a blend of technical expertise, backed with hands-on experience, and a genuine passion for innovation and creation, making him a trusted source in the realm of DIY and laser engraving enthusiasts alike.
*The links on this website can be affiliate links. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. When you buy through these links you will support this website, which helps me to run this website(which cost money and a TON of time) and provide all these extensive reviews and information to you for free, without any paid membership.
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