In this review:
- The Problem: The P1S "Gameboy" Screen
- What is the Panda Touch? (It's not just a screen)
- Feature Breakdown: What it Can vs. Can't Do
- Installation & Setup
- The Verdict: Is it worth $50?
We named the Bambu Lab P1S one of our top picks in the 2025 Buyer's Guide. It prints just as fast as the flagship X1-Carbon, but it costs hundreds of dollars less.
How did they lower the price? They removed the fancy AI camera and replaced the touchscreen with a tiny, directional-pad operated monochrome LCD. Navigating menus on a P1S is painful.
Enter BIGTREETECH with the Panda Touch—a 5-inch full-color touchscreen that claims to fix the P1S's biggest flaw for just $50. But does it actually work?
What is the Panda Touch?
The Panda Touch looks like a phone. It is a 5-inch IPS touchscreen running custom firmware designed to mimic the premium X1-Carbon interface.
How it connects:
Unlike the stock screen (which plugs into the mainboard via ribbon cable), the Panda Touch connects via Wi-Fi. It sits on a magnetic charging dock that you stick to the printer, grabbing power from the printer's internal USB port.
Firmware Note:
Because this device talks to the printer over the local network (LAN), you must ensure your Bambu Lab firmware allows LAN connections. BIGTREETECH is very good at patching the device if Bambu updates their API.
What Can It Do? (The Good Stuff)
We tested the Panda Touch on our studio P1S farm. Here is where it shines:
Multi-Printer Control
This is the killer feature. One Panda Touch can control up to 10 printers. You can swipe between your P1S, P1P, and X1C units from a single screen.
Full AMS Management
The stock P1S screen makes loading filament tedious. The Panda Touch gives you the full color UI to map filament colors and types in the AMS, just like the X1C.
Portable (Sort of)
It has a built-in battery. You can pull it off the magnetic dock and take it to your desk to monitor the print status like a remote control for about 30 minutes.
What Can't It Do? (The Limitations)
It is important to manage expectations. This does not turn your P1S into an X1C internally.
High-Res Camera Stream
While BTT has added camera support, the frame rate is low (0.5 - 1 fps) compared to the smooth video on an X1C or PC. It is good for checking if a print failed, but not for watching it melt plastic.
Encrypted Cloud Prints
The Panda Touch works best in "LAN Only" mode. If you rely heavily on the Bambu Handy cloud app for starting prints, you might occasionally find sync issues depending on the latest firmware version.
Installation: Is it Hard?
Installation takes about 10 minutes and requires zero soldering.
- Print the Mount: BTT provides an STL file for a mounting bracket that fits perfectly over the P1S stock screen area.
- Power: You plug the USB dock into the internal USB port (located inside the printer frame near the top LED light).
- Pairing: Turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and scan for your printer on the network. Enter the Access Code (found on the P1S stock screen). Done.
The Final Verdict
Is the Panda Touch worth the $50 price tag?
- For P1P / P1S Owners: YES, ABSOLUTELY. It completely transforms the user experience. The ability to control AMS colors and move axis via touchscreen is worth every penny. It feels like a premium machine.
- For X1-Carbon Owners: Probably Not. Your printer already has a nice screen. Unless you want to control other printers from your X1C, you don't need this.
Did you upgrade?
If you installed the Panda Touch, we want to see your setup! Did you print the mount in PLA or PETG? Post your photos in the 3D Printing forum.
Share Your Setup ?