In this Head-to-Head:
- The Price Gap: $429 vs. $849
- The Motion System: CoreXY vs. CoreXY
- The Multi-Color Engine: ACE Pro (Active Drying) vs. AMS (Sealed)
- The Winner: Why we picked the new challenger.
For two years, the Bambu Lab P1S has been the undisputed king of mid-range 3D printing. It was fast, enclosed, and reliable. Competitors tried to fight it with "Bed Slingers" (like the Kobra 3), but they just couldn't match the stability of a CoreXY machine.
That changed with the release of the Anycubic Kobra S1. Finally, Anycubic has dropped a fully enclosed CoreXY machine that aims to kill the P1S—at half the price.
We put both machines through 500 hours of multi-color printing. Here is the definitive verdict.
Round 1: The Specs & Price
| Feature |
Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo |
Bambu Lab P1S Combo |
| Motion System |
CoreXY (Enclosed) |
CoreXY (Enclosed) |
| Build Volume |
250 x 250 x 250 mm |
256 x 256 x 256 mm |
| Max Speed |
600 mm/s |
500 mm/s |
| Multi-Color Unit |
ACE Pro (Active Heating) |
AMS (Passive Desiccant) |
| Price (2025) |
~$429 |
~$849 |
The Takeaway: On paper, the Kobra S1 matches the P1S in every metric that matters, but costs $400 less. That is enough to buy a second printer.
Round 2: The Multi-Color System (ACE Pro vs. AMS)
This is where the battle gets interesting. Both systems allow for 4-color printing, but they approach filament management differently.
Anycubic ACE Pro
The ACE Pro isn't just a feeder; it is an Active Filament Dryer. It has a heating element and a fan that cooks moisture out of your filament while you print.
- Pros: You can leave PETG/TPU in it for weeks. No brittle filament.
- Cons: It is bulkier and uses more power than the AMS.
Bambu Lab AMS
The AMS is a sealed drybox with desiccant packs. It keeps dry filament dry, but it cannot fix wet filament.
- Pros: Incredible "RFID" ecosystem (auto-detects Bambu filament colors). Very compact.
- Cons: If your filament is wet, the AMS won't save you.
Winner: Anycubic ACE Pro.
In 2025, active drying is a mandatory feature. The fact that the ACE Pro dries your filament while printing makes it superior for reliability, preventing the dreaded "brittle filament snap" inside the Bowden tubes.
Round 3: Software & Ease of Use
Hardware is only half the battle. How is the software?
Bambu Studio (The Gold Standard)
Bambu's software ecosystem is polished to a mirror shine. The mobile app is flawless, and the slicer (based on PrusaSlicer) is intuitive. The P1S "Just Works" out of the box with zero tinkering.
Anycubic Slicer (The Catch-Up)
Anycubic has improved massively. Their new Slicer is decent, and the app allows for remote monitoring. However, it still feels a bit "clunky" compared to Bambu. We had two failed cloud uploads during our testing.
Winner: Bambu Lab. If you want an "Appliance" experience like a toaster, Bambu wins.
The Verdict: The New King
If you had asked us in 2023, we would have said buy the Bambu. But in late 2025, the market has shifted.
Overall Winner: Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo
We are awarding the win to the Kobra S1 for three specific reasons:
- The "CoreXY Tax" is Gone: You no longer have to pay $800+ for stable CoreXY speeds. Anycubic delivered a rigid, enclosed frame for $429.
- Active Drying: The ACE Pro solves the #1 cause of print failures (wet filament). Bambu's AMS feels outdated by comparison because it lacks a heater.
- Value: The print quality on the S1 is 98% of the P1S. Is that last 2% worth an extra $400? For most Makers, the answer is no.
Buy the Bambu P1S if: You run a print farm and need 100% software reliability, or if you exclusively use the Bambu RFID filament ecosystem.
Buy the Anycubic Kobra S1 if: You want the best bang-for-your-buck printer of 2025 and want to print multi-color PETG/ABS without worrying about moisture.
Which team are you on?
Did you switch from Bambu to Anycubic? Or are you sticking with the P1S? Post your "Benchy" comparisons in the 3D Printing forum!
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