Titan Krios vs. Glacios: Which Do You Need?
Head-to-head comparison of the two most popular cryo-EM microscopes for structural biology.
Overview
The Titan Krios G4 (300 kV) and Glacios 2 (200 kV) are both manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific and represent the high-end and mid-range of the cryo-EM market. While the Krios has long been the gold standard for high-resolution single particle cryo-EM, the Glacios 2 with Selectris energy filter has narrowed the resolution gap significantly.
Resolution and Performance
The Titan Krios G4 routinely achieves sub-2Å resolution for well-behaved samples and holds most of the highest-resolution cryo-EM records. The Glacios 2, at 200 kV, can achieve 2.5-3Å resolution for many targets, which is sufficient for drug design and mechanistic studies. For small proteins (<100 kDa) or samples requiring the absolute best resolution, the Krios remains the better choice.
Cost and Accessibility
In facilities' published rate sheets, 200 kV time is cheaper than Krios time for outside users, though by less than is often assumed: external academic medians are $106/hr for 200 kV screening against $132/hr on a Krios, while internal medians are close ($82/hr against $85/hr). Many facilities use the Glacios for routine screening and initial datasets and reserve the Krios for final high-resolution collection, which saves Krios sessions rather than dollars per hour.
Titan Krios (300 kV collection)
| Who pays | Per hour | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| Internal academic | $30–124/hrmedian $85/hr · 5 facilities | $184–1,940/daymedian $1,300/day · 6 facilities |
| External academic | $47–183/hrmedian $132/hr · 5 facilities | $375–3,000/daymedian $425/day · 3 facilities |
| Industry | $125–381/hrmedian $298/hr · 4 facilities | $6,000/day1 facility · anchor, not a range |
200 kV screening (Glacios / Talos Arctica)
| Who pays | Per hour | Per day |
|---|---|---|
| Internal academic | $21–153/hrmedian $82/hr · 6 facilities | $158–1,400/day2 facilities · anchor, not a range |
| External academic | $75–176/hrmedian $106/hr · 3 facilities | $350–1,600/day2 facilities · anchor, not a range |
| Industry | $264–402/hrmedian $300/hr · 3 facilities | not published |
From the published rate sheets of 14 core facilities in the directory (compiled 2026-08-24). Every underlying number appears verbatim on a facility's own page; nothing is modelled or interpolated. Facilities that do not publish rates are not represented, so the sample leans toward academic cores. Instrument time only: staff assistance, consumables and storage are usually billed on top. Estimate a session in the cost estimator →
When to Choose Each
Choose the Titan Krios when: you need sub-2.5Å resolution, your target is small (<150 kDa), you need cryo-ET with thick samples, or you're working on a high-impact publication. Choose the Glacios when: 3Å resolution is sufficient, you're screening many conditions, your budget is limited, or you need faster turnaround.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Glacios 2 replace the Titan Krios?
For many projects, yes. The Glacios 2 with Selectris energy filter achieves 2.5-3Å resolution routinely, which is sufficient for most drug design and mechanistic studies. However, for sub-2.5Å or very challenging samples, the Krios remains superior.
Which is better for cryo-tomography?
The Titan Krios is preferred for cryo-ET due to its 300 kV beam (better penetration through thick ice) and stage stability. The Glacios can be used for thin lamellae but is suboptimal for cellular tomography.
What detectors are used with each microscope?
The Titan Krios G4 typically uses the Falcon 4i direct electron detector or the Gatan K3 with BioContinuum energy filter. The Glacios 2 pairs with the Falcon 4i and the Selectris/Selectris X energy filter.
Is Glacios time cheaper than Krios time?
For external users, yes: published external academic rates are $75–176/hr (median $106/hr, 3 facilities) for 200 kV screening and $47–183/hr (median $132/hr, 5 facilities) for a Krios. Internal rates are closer, $82/hr against $85/hr at the median.
Related Resources
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