BIGTREETECH Octopus V1.1
The BTT Octopus V1.1 is a feature-rich 3D printer mainboard built on the STM32F446 at 180MHz, supporting 8 plug-in stepper drivers, 4 hotend heaters, 1 heated bed, 6 PWM fans, and CAN bus. At $65 it has become the de facto standard for Voron 2.4 and custom CoreXY builds running Klipper firmware.
The Voron community standard — overkill for an Ender 3, perfect for custom multi-stepper builds.
Where to Buy
Pros
- 8 plug-in stepper driver slots support TMC2209, TMC5160, or any STEP/DIR driver
- 4 hotend heater outputs + 1 heated bed output handle multi-material setups
- CAN bus header enables toolhead boards like the EBB36 for cleaner wiring
- 6 PWM fan headers with voltage selection (5V/12V/24V) per header
- Mature Klipper support with extensive Voron community documentation
Cons
- STM32F446 at 180MHz is slower than the Manta M8P's STM32H723 at 550MHz
- No onboard SBC socket — requires separate Raspberry Pi or CB1/CB2 for Klipper host
- Large 160×100mm footprint may not fit smaller printer enclosures
Driver Flexibility and Stepper Support
The Octopus V1.1's defining feature is its 8 plug-in stepper driver slots. Each accepts any STEP/DIR driver — TMC2209 for quiet operation, TMC5160 for high-voltage steppers, or DRV8825 for budget builds. This flexibility matters because a Voron 2.4 uses 6 steppers minimum (2 AB, 4 Z), and adding a second extruder or filament runout sensor consumes a seventh.
All 8 slots support sensorless homing via StallGuard when using TMC drivers. The board provides independent UART/SPI configuration per driver, so you can mix driver types — for example, TMC5160s on the AB motors for high-speed moves and TMC2209s on the Z axis for silent operation. Each driver slot has its own heatsink mounting point and the board includes thermal pads.
Thermal Management and Heater Outputs
Four independent hotend heater outputs and one heated bed output make the Octopus suitable for multi-material printing. Each hotend output supports up to 5A at 24V (120W), and the bed output handles up to 15A at 24V (360W) through a dedicated MOSFET. All outputs include flyback diode protection.
The 6 PWM fan headers each support per-header voltage selection between 5V, 12V, and 24V via jumpers. This means you can run a 5V part-cooling fan alongside a 24V hotend fan without buck converters. Temperature monitoring uses 4 thermistor inputs with 4.7K pullup resistors, compatible with standard NTC 100K, PT1000, and thermocouple boards.
Connectivity and Expansion
CAN bus support via a dedicated 2-pin header is the Octopus's most forward-looking feature. Paired with a U2C USB-to-CAN bridge and an EBB36 toolhead board, the entire printhead wiring reduces to a single 4-wire cable carrying power, ground, CAN-H, and CAN-L. This eliminates the cable bundle that causes drag and wear on CoreXY machines.
The board communicates with the Klipper host via USB or UART. There is no onboard SBC socket — you need a separate Raspberry Pi, BTT CB1, or BTT Pi connected via USB. This is a trade-off versus the Manta M8P which integrates the SBC socket directly. However, the separate host approach lets you upgrade the SBC independently and reuse an existing Pi.
Full Specifications
Processor
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Architecture | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| CPU Cores | 1 |
| Clock Speed | 180 MHz |
I/O & Interfaces
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Stepper Drivers | 8 (plug-in) |
| Driver Type | TMC2209, TMC5160 compatible |
| Thermistor Inputs | 4 |
| Heater Outputs | 4 (hotend) + 1 (bed) |
| Fan Ports | 6 (PWM controllable) |
| Probe Port | BLTouch, Klicky, inductive |
| CAN Bus | Yes (via expansion) |
| USB | USB-C |
| SD Card | MicroSD |
Power
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input Voltage | 12-24 V |
| MOSFET Current | 10 A |
| Bed MOSFET Current | 15 A |
Physical
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 160 x 100 mm |
| Form Factor | Printer mainboard (BTT standard) |
Who Should Buy This
The Octopus V1.1 is the most documented mainboard for Voron 2.4. Every Voron config guide and wiring diagram references it. 8 driver slots cover A/B steppers, Z×4, extruder, plus a spare.
The Ender 3 uses 4 steppers. The Octopus has 8 driver slots, 4 hotend outputs, and costs $20 more than the SKR Mini E3 V3 which drops in without rewiring.
Better alternative: BIGTREETECH SKR Mini E3 V3.0
The onboard CAN bus header connects directly to an EBB36 toolhead board via a U2C bridge or direct wiring, reducing the cable bundle to the printhead to just 4 wires.
At $65, the Octopus is mid-range. The MKS SKIPR at $55 offers 7 drivers with an onboard RPi header, but the Octopus has stronger community support and more documentation.
Better alternative: Makerbase MKS SKIPR
If configuring firmware and wiring stepper drivers feels like a lot, the Bambu Lab A1 Mini prints out of the box for under $200.
Better alternative: Bambu Lab A1 Mini
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the BTT Octopus V1.1 work with Klipper?
Yes. The Octopus V1.1 is one of the most widely used Klipper mainboards. The Voron community maintains reference Klipper configurations for it, and BTT provides a pre-built Klipper firmware binary. Flash via SD card or DFU over USB.
What is the difference between the Octopus V1.1 and the Manta M8P?
The Manta M8P uses a faster STM32H723 (550MHz vs 180MHz), has an onboard SBC socket for CB1/CB2/CM4, and supports CANFD. The Octopus V1.1 has more community documentation, a proven track record, and costs $34 less. Both have 8 driver slots.
Can I use the Octopus V1.1 in an Ender 3?
Physically yes, but it is overkill. The Ender 3 uses 4 steppers and 1 hotend. The BTT SKR Mini E3 V3 at $45 is a drop-in replacement with 4 pre-soldered TMC2209 drivers and a matching form factor.
What stepper drivers does the Octopus V1.1 support?
Any STEP/DIR stepper driver in the standard Pololu form factor. Popular choices include TMC2209 (quiet, sensorless homing), TMC5160 (high voltage up to 60V, high current), and TMC2226. Drivers are plug-in, not soldered.
Does the Octopus V1.1 support CAN bus?
Yes. It has a dedicated CAN bus header that connects to toolhead boards like the BTT EBB36 via a U2C bridge. This reduces printhead wiring to 4 wires. CAN bus runs at up to 1Mbit/s.
Do I need a Raspberry Pi with the Octopus V1.1?
For Klipper, yes — you need a separate host computer. A Raspberry Pi 3B+ or newer, BTT CB1 ($35), BTT Pi ($30), or any Linux SBC works. The host connects via USB. For Marlin firmware, no host is needed.
Is the Octopus V1.1 still worth buying over the V1.0?
Yes. The V1.1 fixes several known issues from V1.0 including improved driver socket spacing, better thermal management on the bed MOSFET, and corrected pinouts for fan voltage selection. The price is the same.