Titan ControlMax 1700 vs Graco Magnum X5 Airless Paint Sprayer Comparison

Today we are going to compare two very similar airless paint sprayers which also happen to have their own characteristics, their advantages, and their disadvantages: Titan ControlMax 1700 vs Graco X5.

If you plan on buying one of them but you’re unsure which one to choose, we will try to help you by covering the below points:

• Build quality
• Effectiveness
• Efficiency
• Performance
• Maintenance
• Value for money

Ready?

Let’s go!

Build quality

The build quality is something you should always consider when buying a new airless paint sprayer. If your device shows problems after just a couple of paint projects, you’re better off hiring someone else to do the job, because it’s not worth the effort and money to buy new paint sprayers every now and then.

Titan ControlMax 1700

Titan paint sprayers in general are made to last not just years but decades. Yes, you read that right, decades!

The Titan brand is a guarantee regarding build quality. Titan ControlMax 1700 is no different.

Built with highly durable materials, the Titan ControlMax 1700 will satisfy even the most hardcore painters out there, DIY-ers and professionals alike.

If you plan on investing in an airless paint sprayer that will last you a lifetime and some more, Titan ControlMax 1700 should be on top of your list.

Graco Magnum X5

To be honest, we never had high expectations of the durability of the Graco Magnum X5, but it managed to surprise us on more than one occasion.

Graco is considered a mid-range brand, but we never had any problems with it whatsoever, especially with the Graco Magnum X5.

The Graco Magnum X5 has a stainless steel piston pump, which delivers higher pressure so you won’t face any problems with thicker paints.

All in all, the Magnum X5 is a solid device that won’t let you down.

Conclusion

Both these airless paint sprayers have great build quality, but one of them will surely last you more and that’s the Titan ControlMax 1700. If you want to buy an airless paint sprayer that will last you for years and years, Titan ControlMax 1700 is the one.

Effectiveness

When we talk about an airless paint sprayer’s effectiveness, we mean the maximum usage, or more specifically, the amount of paint sprayed per minute and per year. This is particularly important if you plan on spraying many projects.

Don’t forget however that this is just an estimation. If you take care properly of your airless paint sprayer, it can exceed those numbers with no problems at all.

Just to give some examples, to paint a car you’ll need 3-6 gallons of paint. To paint a bathroom you’ll need around 2.0-2.5 gallons. To paint a room you’ll need around 4-5 gallons of paint. You get the idea.

Titan ControlMax 1700

The Titan Control Max 1700 has a max operating pressure of 1500 PSI and can spray up to 0.33 gallons per minute and up to 300 gallons per year.

In our humble opinion, that’s more than enough for some DIY jobs around the house. If you’re a professional painter, however, we don’t recommend this device. There are far better choices out there if you own a paint company.

Graco Magnum X5

The Graco Magnum X5 has a max operating pressure of 3000 PSI. This airless paint sprayer can spray up to 0.27 gallons per minute and up to 125 gallons per year.

As you can see, you’re a bit limited here. If you plan on doing some occasional projects, the Graco Magnum X5 will do just fine, but we wouldn’t recommend it for, let’s say, a total renovation of the house.

Conclusion

Even though the Graco Magnum X5 has a higher operating pressure, it comes short in paint usage.

This was easy; the Titan ControlMax 1700 is far better than the Graco Magnum X5 in terms of effectiveness.

Efficiency

Efficiency means doing the job with the minimum resources. Airless paint sprayers are notorious for over spraying and paint wastage, but some devices are much better than others in this regard.

Let’s see where our two airless paint sprayers stand on this point.

Titan ControlMax 1700

The Titan ControlMax 1700 features HEA (High Efficiency Airless) Technology. This system is said to reduce overspray by up to 55%.

This new technology helps the airless paint sprayer by delivering softer spray, providing a better and more consistent finish, and by improving control.

We thought that this was just a cool name and a marketing tactic from Titan, but after trying for ourselves, it was obvious that something was going on inside the tip of the gun, something that was decreasing overspray while delivering a more consistent finish.

We tested it on a surface where we would normally use a gallon of paint or so, but we were astonished when there was still paint left on the bucket.

Graco Magnum X5

The Graco Magnum X5 does not have a so-called “technology” per se, but it comes with an SG2 paint gun that uses TrueAirless spray tips, which are known for reducing the overspray and delivering a softer spray.

To be honest, we never had any major overspray issues with this device. We’ve seen far worse airless paint sprayers in this regard, so nothing to complain about here.

Conclusion

We tested both sprayers on the same surface area. There was an obvious difference between the two sprayers; the Titan Control Max 1700 used less paint than the Graco Magnum X5.

Moreover, the fact that the Titan made fewer paint splatters, less dangerous paint mist, and less wasted paint, convinced us to give this point to the Titan ControlMax 1700.

Performance

This is not a full review of these two devices, so regarding performance, we will be focusing on just the key components of these airless paint sprayers.

Titan ControlMax 1700

The Titan brand in general is focused more on pros and also DIYers who are doing larger projects, but lately, they have introduced some products with the same philosophy but managed to make them more reachable to the larger audience. The Titan ControlMax is one of them.

Making a high-end device with a reasonable price sounds unrealistic. Let’s see if Titan made it right.

Something worth noting is the fact that the spray pattern was so uniform and without any streaks and disturbances. You don’t see that very often with other airless paint sprayers in the same price range. It was like painting not through a gun, but a sniper!

We also tested it indoors to see the level of paint mist created. As with all airless paint sprayers, there was some, but nothing to worry about. You just need a safety mask and an open window and you’re good to go.

With a powerful 0.6 HP motor, you can spray thicker materials with no issues at all. Even if it gets clogged from time to time, you can easily rotate the tip to remove any debris stuck inside.

For your convenience, Titan made it possible for you to spray directly from the bucket, so you don’t have to worry about transferring paint to another container.

We really enjoyed spraying with the Titan ControlMax 1700, and we’re sure you will too.

Graco Magnum X5

Let’s put it this way; Graco Magnum X5 is a mid-price option of a mid-range brand. We have to judge it for what purpose it was put on the market.

The Magnum X5 is not the flagship of Graco, but rather a good quality product with a reasonable price tag. It was created with the intention to satisfy as many people as possible.

These kinds of products do not always work, but Graco managed to create a device that truly satisfies most DIY-ers, and no wonder it’s one of their best sellers.

The Graco Magnum X5 focuses on being an easy-to-use airless paint sprayer, so no matter how experienced you are or what other tools you happen to have around you, this device will help you achieve great results consistently.

It has a fully adjustable pressure so no matter what size is the project you’re working on, you will manage to have total control.

You don’t even have to transfer the paint material from the bucket to another container. Thanks to the flexible suction tube, it is capable of spraying directly from the paint bucket.

The Graco Magnum X5 features a stainless steel piston pump, which helps this paint sprayer to work without thinning the paint material; just add paint and carry on!

Even if you get any clogs, the RAC IV Switch Tip allows you to reverse the tip to remove stuck debris.

Paint spraying shouldn’t be rocket science, and with an airless paint sprayer like the Magnum X5, it becomes even easier.

Conclusion

As you can see, both sprayers are very similar when it comes to the way they perform. For this price range, both sprayers perform very well, they’re packed with many helpful features, and they’re probably two of the best airless paint sprayers to buy if you want a professional paint sprayer but you’re on a budget.

But, one of them had a slight edge over the other.

Because we achieved a more uniform finish with the Titan ControlMax 1700, it deserved our vote as the best performing paint sprayer between the two.

Maintenance

Something very important that you should know but nobody seems to mention, is the fact that all airless paint sprayers require constant maintenance or otherwise these devices will underperform and may get damaged permanently.

You should always clean up your paint sprayer immediately after every use. Also, seasonal maintenance is required if you leave your sprayer unused for prolonged periods and also after harsh weather conditions such as after winter.

If you fail in doing so, you will end up taking your airless paint sprayer to a professional repair shop, and let me tell you, your pockets won’t be so happy about it.

Titan ControlMax 1700

On the User Manual of the Titan Control Max 1700, you will find a section on how to properly clean up your device. Titan recommends cleaning your device after every use.

They put a great emphasis on maintenance, describing in detail how to do it properly. Make sure to read the manual thoroughly before doing a clean-up procedure.

The Titan ControlMax 1700 does not have any special feature on easier cleaning, however, maintaining your device properly is not rocket science.

Graco Magnum X5

The Graco Magnum X5 comes with a Power Flush Adapter, which connects your airless paint sprayer to a garden hose. This way, cleaning your airless paint sprayer becomes easier and faster than ever before.

With such a feature, you have no excuses for not cleaning your airless paint sprayer.

If you let your Graco Magnum X5 unused for long periods, we recommend using the Graco Pump Armor (Magnum Pump Armor), which will help to eliminate damage due to corrosion during long-term storage.

Conclusion

Both sprayers require regular maintenance, but we found the Graco Magnum X5 to be easier to clean up and maintain in the long run.

Value for money

Judging just from the price isn’t always fair. What we consider far more important, is what you get for that price you’re paying.

Titan ControlMax 1700

We’ve always seen Titan products as a benchmark of this industry. A benchmark to compare every other device, where usually the only point the other companies could stand a chance was the lower price.

With the Titan Control Max 1700, even this last point is hard to achieve.

With the Titan quality and guarantee and the fairly low price point, you get an exceptional airless paint sprayer that is hard to beat.

Graco Magnum X5

When buying a Graco Magnum X5, you get one of the best-selling airless paint sprayers on the market. With the Magnum X5, Graco managed to create a device capable of pleasing a very large audience.

When a product becomes a best-seller, it usually means that it satisfies that “golden” ratio between price and quality, and this statement is so true for the Graco Magnum X5.

Conclusion

We’re comparing two airless paint sprayers with virtually no difference in the price point. Probably this is the reason why so many people asked us which device to choose between the Titan ControlMax 1700 vs Graco Magnum X5.

Even though both these paint sprayers are great value for money products, the Titan ControlMax 1700 has a slight edge over the Graco Magnum X5 because of the overall better quality.

Titan ControlMax 1700 vs Graco X5

To sum everything up, let’s see which of these two airless paint sprayers won on each of our comparison points:

• Build quality – Titan ControlMax 1700
• Effectiveness – Titan ControlMax 1700
• Efficiency – Titan ControlMax 1700
• Performance – Titan ControlMax 1700
• Maintenance – Graco Magnum X5
• Value for money – Titan ControlMax 1700

We have a clear winner here.

The Titan ControlMax 1700 won 5 out of 6 comparison points against the Graco Magnum X5.

We hope we included everything you need to know about these two airless paint sprayers, but if you have any more questions, we’ll be happy to answer them for you.

• Titan ControlMax 1700 (Affiliate Link)
• Graco Magnum X5 (Affiliate Link)

This was all for today’s post.

Cheers!