Mid-cycle — watch for announcements before buying
Best for: Budget makers who want 4-color multicolor printing without committing to the Bambu or Prusa ecosystem — and are comfortable with a less mature software experience.
Full details →Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming soon
Best for: Professional makers and small businesses who need the highest level of print monitoring, reliability, and material compatibility in a production-ready package.
Full details →| Anycubic Kobra 3 | Bambu Lab X1C | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Prosumer | Professional |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 250 mm | 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PA, PA-CF, PC |
| Released | Oct 15, 2024 | Jul 25, 2022 |
| Cycle length | ~450 days | ~365 days |
| Cycle advice | Caution | Wait |
| Deals advice | Caution | Buy |
| Next model | Kobra 3 Pro or Kobra 4 (Expected late 2026) | X2C or next flagship (Expected mid-2026) |
The Kobra 3 Combo with ACE Pro is one of the most affordable 4-color filament switching setups available — often underpricing Bambu's A1 Combo.
Anycubic's ACE Pro handles filament feeding, drying, and switching in a single unit — a thoughtful integration for multicolor.
Full automatic bed leveling and offset calibration reduce setup friction.
The X1C's LiDAR sensor maps bed surface deviation and adjusts in real time — the most reliable first-layer consistency in its class.
The built-in camera with spaghetti detection pauses prints automatically when failures are detected — critical for unattended production runs.
The X1C uses a die-cast metal frame and carbon-fiber-reinforced structure for rigidity at high speeds.