๐Ÿ–จ 3D Printer Radar

Anycubic Kobra 3 vs Bambu Lab P1S

The Anycubic Kobra 3 and Bambu Lab P1S are cross-brand rivals: both are prosumer-tier printers, listed $200 apart. Note that both have been replaced โ€” the Kobra 3 by the Kobra 4 and the P1S by the P2S โ€” and neither is sold new. The P1S costs $200 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list); the Kobra 3 answers with a top speed of 600 mm/s (vs 500).

๐Ÿ’ฐAnycubic Kobra 3 is $200 cheaper (36% less)
โšกAnycubic Kobra 3 tops out at 600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s
๐Ÿ Only Bambu Lab P1S has an enclosure โ€” and it adds ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC to the materials list
Cross-ecosystem comparison: These printers use different software ecosystems. Accessories, filament profiles, and community support are not interchangeable between brands. Consider the total ecosystem cost, not just the printer price.
Anycubic Kobra 3
Buy/Wait:Superseded

This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Anycubic Kobra 4.

Best for: Budget makers who want 4-color multicolor printing without committing to the Bambu or Prusa ecosystem โ€” and are comfortable with a less mature software experience. Look for clearance deals โ€” the Kobra 4 is the current model.

Full details โ†’
Bambu Lab P1S
Buy/Wait:Superseded

This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Bambu Lab P2S.

Best for: Makers who need an enclosed printer for ABS, ASA, PA, and PC at prosumer price โ€” now available at clearance pricing after P2S launch.

Full details โ†’
Anycubic Kobra 3Bambu Lab P1S
Pricing
Starting Priceโ˜… $349$549
Print Specs
TierProsumerProsumer
MotionBedSlingerCoreXY
Build Volumeโ˜… 255 ร— 255 ร— 260 mm256 ร— 256 ร— 256 mm
Max Speedโ˜… 600 mm/s500 mm/s
Multicolorโœ… 4 slotsโœ… 4 slots
EnclosureโŒโ˜… โœ…
Auto Calibrationโœ…โœ…
Open SourceโŒโŒ
Upgrade Kitโ€”โ€”
Buy Timing
ReleasedMay 15, 2025Jul 5, 2023
Cycle length~212 days~335 days
Cycle adviceSupersededSuperseded
Deals adviceClearanceClearance
Next modelโ€”โ€”

Timing: When to Buy

The Kobra 3 has been replaced by the Kobra 4 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time โ€” any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.

The P1S has been replaced by the P2S and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time โ€” any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.

Neither printer is sold new any more: the Kobra 3 has already been replaced by the Kobra 4 and the P1S has already been replaced by the P2S.

Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar โ†’

Deals & Pricing

The Kobra 3 lists at $349 and the P1S at $549 โ€” $200 apart, so the P1S costs 57% more.

Per litre of build volume, that works out to $21 for the Kobra 3 versus $33 for the P1S โ€” the Kobra 3 is the better value per litre as well.

  • Kobra 3: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track โ€” judge any listing against the Kobra 4's $379 list price.
  • P1S: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track โ€” judge any listing against the P2S's $549 list price.

Who Should Choose Each

Choose the Anycubic Kobra 3 ifโ€ฆ

  • you find it at a clearance price โ€” it is no longer sold new, and the Kobra 4 is its replacement
  • you want to spend less โ€” it is $200 cheaper ($349 vs $549)
  • print speed matters โ€” it is rated for 600 mm/s against 500 mm/s

Choose the Bambu Lab P1S ifโ€ฆ

  • you find it at a clearance price โ€” it is no longer sold new, and the P2S is its replacement
  • you want our higher-rated printer โ€” 8.6 vs 8.1 out of 10
  • you want to print ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC โ€” it is enclosed and lists them, while the Kobra 3 is open-frame

Our Take

Neither is sold new any more, so we would not buy either at full price: the Kobra 3 has already been replaced by the Kobra 4 and the P1S has already been replaced by the P2S. The fair comparison today is between their replacements.

Compare Anycubic Kobra 4 vs Bambu Lab P2S โ†’

How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology โ†’

Quick Winner by Buyer Type

๐Ÿ’ฐ
Budget pick
Anycubic Kobra 3
$349 vs $549
๐Ÿ“
Large prints
Anycubic Kobra 3
255ร—255ร—260 mm
โšก
Fastest prints
Anycubic Kobra 3
600 vs 500 mm/s
๐Ÿ”“
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
๐Ÿงช
Engineering filaments
Bambu Lab P1S
5 vs 1 listed
๐ŸŽจ
Multicolor
Tie
4 slots each
โญ
Editor score
Bambu Lab P1S
8.6 vs 8.1
๐Ÿ—“
Buy-now timing
Tie
Both: superseded

The Gaps That Matter

๐Ÿ’ฐ
PriceKobra 3 wins
$349 vs $549 โ€” 36% less than the P1S
๐Ÿ 
EnclosureP1S wins
Enclosed P1S vs open-frame Kobra 3
ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC appear only on the P1S's materials list. ASA needs an enclosure.
โšก
SpeedKobra 3 wins
600 vs 500 mm/s โ€” 20% higher rated top speed
โญ
Editor scoreP1S wins
8.6 vs 8.1 out of 10
๐Ÿ”€
Motion system
CoreXY P1S vs bed-slinger Kobra 3
On the Kobra 3 the bed moves back and forth under the nozzle; on the P1S the bed only moves down as layers build.

Materials

Anycubic Kobra 3 only
โ€”
Both
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed โ€” everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
ABSHeat and impact resistant โ€” needs enclosure
TPUFlexible rubber-like โ€” phone cases, gaskets, wheels
Bambu Lab P1S only
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative โ€” outdoor parts, needs enclosure
PANylon โ€” strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon โ€” very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate โ€” extremely tough, challenging to print

Why buy each?

Anycubic Kobra 3

34% more build volume over original

The V2 expands to 255ร—255ร—260 mm โ€” 34% more printable volume than the original Kobra 3 โ€” for larger parts and more batch production.

AI monitoring camera included

The V2 includes a 720p camera for real-time print monitoring and AI spaghetti detection, adding reliability features previously absent from the Kobra 3 line.

4-color ACE Pro at budget pricing

The Kobra 3 V2 Combo with ACE Pro is one of the most affordable 4-color setups available โ€” often underpricing Bambu's A1 Combo.

Bambu Lab P1S

Full enclosure with chamber heating

Active chamber temperature control enables reliable ABS, ASA, PA, and PC printing without warping.

CoreXY speed and precision

500 mm/s print speed with Bambu's vibration compensation delivers fast, accurate prints.

Now at clearance prices

With the P2S released, P1S prices are at their lowest โ€” an opportunity for budget-conscious buyers.