Bambu Labs is new to 3D printing, however the firm is already making waves. The $1,450 X1 Carbon, the corporate’s first 3D printer, did so properly on its preliminary Kickstarter — bringing in round $7 million — Bambu Labs was capable of fund the manufacturing of a second, extra accessible possibility, the $699 P1P. Whereas Bambu Labs emphasizes that these are two very totally different merchandise, the variations between them aren’t all the time apparent.

9.0

Bambu Labs P1P

$700 at Bambu Labs

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You are receiving value alerts for Bambu Labs P1P

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• Wonderful value
• Customizable Case
• Extraordinarily quick

Do not Like

• Unreliable Wi-Fi
• LCD is less than the job

Bambu Labs despatched each an X1C and P1P, every full with an Automated Materials System, for evaluate. I’ve spent a number of time working with each machines, and each of them carry out properly. Which one is best for you will depend upon whether or not you are wanting to make use of a number of unique supplies, or if you need velocity at a superb value.

9.2

Bambu Labs X1 Carbon

$1,450 at Bambu Labs

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You are receiving value alerts for Bambu Labs X1 Carbon

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• Absolutely enclosed
• Hardened nozzle for powerful supplies
• Wonderful construct high quality

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• $1,300
• Over-engineered hot-end
• Wasteful when utilizing the AMS

Head to Head

These two printers are alike in some methods, vastly totally different in others, making a direct comparability troublesome. Each of them have the identical underlying chassis, the identical carbon rods and the identical CoreXY design. The time period CoreXY is used to explain a 3D printer with a print head that does not transfer up and down, making it extra secure and permitting for some insane velocity. Each the X1C and the P1P are among the many quickest 3D printers I’ve seen outdoors of the industrial area, and whereas the Bambu Labs’ declare of 500mm/s print speeds could be inflated, it is not by a lot.

To provide you some understanding of how briskly these printers are, the Prusa Mk3s is one among my high 3D printer picks and it may print the CNET take a look at file in 5 hours and 48 minutes. The X1C and the P1P on the ludicrous mode setting — sure, that’s the setting’s official title — can print it in simply 1:18. Pace is not the whole lot, however the finish result’s a take a look at mannequin that is pretty much as good as what the Prusa can produce. Three printers have efficiently printed the CNET take a look at mannequin, one among them is the Prusa, and the opposite two are the Bambu Labs fashions.

In the event that they’re so comparable then why is there an virtually $750 value distinction? It is due to the extras. 

The P1P is a barebones printer compared to the X1C. It comes with no covers in any respect, simply the naked chassis, whereas the X1C has a sturdy aluminum body and glass doorways. There are additionally variations within the print head that enable the X1 Carbon to print unique supplies like carbon fiber filament. This hardened metal scorching finish can survive the abrasive nature of those supplies, whereas the P1P’s chrome steel nozzle would grind away.

The X1C additionally contains an Automated Materials System, or AMS. That is a small unit that sits on high of the X1C and feeds 4 rolls of filament into it. An AMS allows you to print a single mannequin with 4 totally different colours, or it allows you to use totally different supplies in the identical construct. It prices $349 individually, so consider the $1,450 as a bundle value. The opposite large improve is a lidar sensor that helps stage the mattress and detect errors within the first layer. This may scale back failures, and of the 30-plus prints I’ve executed on the X1C, solely two have failed.

The P1P has some irritating cost-saving measures in comparison with the X1C, which have led to extra print failures. The Wi-Fi module and microSD card are not the identical as these within the X1C; they really feel each low-cost and practically ineffective. The microSD card is basically the SSD for the P1P, and since the cardboard it comes with is so sluggish it creates faults within the prints because the 3D printer cannot entry the data rapidly sufficient. The Wi-Fi is usually so dangerous that sending a file on to the printer will crash the software program, forcing me to restart from scratch.

The X1C does not endure from both of those points. The Wi-Fi is rock stable and whereas additionally having an SD card slot, additionally appears to have extra onboard reminiscence, making it considerably quicker than the P1P at transferring information. The X1C additionally comes geared up with a digital camera that permits for 1080p timelapse movies, print monitoring through the useful app and even reside streaming within the newest replace. The P1P may be geared up with the identical digital camera as an elective additional, however I’ve but to get it to work accurately. 

Does the velocity scale back the standard?

The brief reply is not any. Within the final decade of testing printers I’ve by no means seen an FDM printer — one which makes use of filament to 3D print — produce prints of this high quality at even half this velocity. Not one of the finest 3D printers available on the market come shut while you tie each high quality and velocity collectively. And I imply this for each the $1,450 X1C and the $700 P1P. The standard is difficult to explain.

One of many many exams I’ve executed on these printers was to print Bordeaux the Octopus, one among my favourite prints, and a sophisticated print to get proper. Each the X1C and the P1P produced an amazing print, but it surely was their similarities that actually struck me. The error that you may see on this picture is strictly the identical on each printers. 

Figuring out that each of those printers have virtually the very same print high quality and velocity make it simpler to suggest the P1P for most individuals. If you will be printing PLA, PETG or TPU, then save your self the additional $700 and purchase the P1P. You will save sufficient to splurge on the AMS unit, and possibly a pleasant 32GB MicroSD card that is not terrible.

The place the X1 Carbon excels over the P1P is for prime temperature and abrasive supplies. In my testing, there wasn’t a fabric that the X1C could not print. The printer comes with just a few rolls of various filaments, one among them a carbon fiber mix. I gave it a strive, making small instruments and sensible prints. The X1C normal software program profiles for these filaments had been greater than as much as the duty, and each printed out easily. 

Which Bambu Labs printer do you have to purchase?

Earlier than answering, it is vital to know that both of those machines can be an amazing purchase. These are the cream of 3D printing proper now, and would be the template for midrange to high-end printers transferring ahead. My solely qualm, and the one cause I would not purchase a whole print farm of those simply but, is that Bambu Labs is a younger firm with a number of proprietary software program and {hardware}. We do not understand how its customer support, components service or aftercare will pan out, although I have never heard complaints but. 

That being stated, in case you’re making cool fashions for your self and your mates — and even in case you’re operating a enterprise making 3D-printed components for Etsy — the P1P is a whole no brainer. It is properly constructed, it produces improbable print outcomes and is priced so competitively it is virtually not possible to consider. It is not good; the LCD display screen is just too small for all the data it must convey (I hope an improve turns into accessible quickly) and the SD card it ships with is rubbish. However for the whole lot else, it is a near-perfect machine.

With the ability to 3D print your personal case might not appear sensible, however it’s a number of enjoyable. Bambu Labs despatched me the information to print a case with the CNET emblem which seems wonderful, however persons are already making customized builds, like this Companion Dice from Portal by neil3dprints to essentially make your printer stand out.

So if the P1P is so good, why does the X1 Carbon get the upper rating? Whereas the X1C is a product designed for a smaller viewers, it’s the total higher product. The AMS means that you can print with totally different supplies and colours, whereas the upgraded enclosure, hardened nozzle and Lidar digital camera guarantee that any mannequin you make is pretty much as good as it may get. 

The one factor that retains the X1C from being good is the worth and the waste. When utilizing the AMS, the X1C purges a number of materials to maintain your mannequin wanting good. Sadly it means the waste is usually extra materials than the print. My one failure on the X1C was a cranium with a mohawk. The mannequin itself weighed 130 grams, however the waste was over 250 grams. That’s unacceptable. Even utilizing PLA, a plastic that’s considerably biodegradable, that quantity of waste is untenable. There are methods to scale back that considerably — you may purge to the infill or one other mannequin — however you may count on to listen to the time period “Bambu poop” for a very long time. 

Except for that, Bambu Labs has executed one thing outstanding right here. In the midst of just some months, the corporate has radically altered the 3D printing panorama. The dream of 3D printing has all the time been to quickly create designs and prototypes at high-speed with excessive accuracy. Whereas velocity has all the time been relative, the X1C and P1P are actually ludicrous. They actually have a velocity setting referred to as ludicrous. That is how ludicrous they’re. Pace must be tied to high quality although, in any other case it is pointless. The X1C and P1P ship each of these in spades. 

If I had $1,500 of my very own cash, which one would I purchase? I would go together with a P1P and an elective AMS, possibly two — you may have as much as 4 AMS models on one printer for a complete of 16 colours — and even two P1P printers. I do not use unique filaments however I print a number of PETG and PLA, and the P1P delivers an expertise higher than virtually each printer in its value vary.

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