Anycubic Kobra 4 vs Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
The Anycubic Kobra 4 and Qidi Tech Q1 Pro are cross-brand rivals: both are entry-tier printers, listed $120 apart. Note that the Q1 Pro has been replaced by the Q2 and is no longer sold new. The Q1 Pro costs $120 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list); the Kobra 4 answers with 4-slot multicolor and 22% more build volume.
💰Anycubic Kobra 4 is $120 cheaper (24% less)
📐Anycubic Kobra 4 has 22% more build volume
🏠Only Qidi Tech Q1 Pro has an enclosure — and it adds ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC to the materials list
🎨Only Anycubic Kobra 4 supports multicolor printing (4 slots)
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 4
Buy/Wait:Buy
Early in release cycle — no urgency to wait
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 →Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
Buy/Wait:Superseded
This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Q2.
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who need active chamber heating for ABS, ASA, and PA printing. Look for clearance deals — the Q2 is the better long-term buy if available.
Full details →| Anycubic Kobra 4 | Qidi Tech Q1 Pro |
|---|
| Pricing |
| Starting Price | ★ $379 | $499 |
| Print Specs |
| Tier | Entry | Entry |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | ★ 260 × 260 × 260 mm | 245 × 245 × 240 mm |
| Max Speed | 600 mm/s | 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ★ ✅ 4 slots | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing |
| Released | May 18, 2026 | Mar 20, 2024 |
| Cycle length | ~368 days | ~518 days |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Superseded |
| Deals advice | Buy | Clearance |
| Next model | — | — |
Timing: When to Buy
The Kobra 4 was released on May 18, 2026, 178 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 368 days, so it is 48% of the way through — roughly 190 days before a successor would be due at that pace.
The Q1 Pro has been replaced by the Q2 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
On timing alone, the Kobra 4 is the safer buy right now — it is only 48% of the way through its expected cycle, while the Q1 Pro has already been replaced by the Q2.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
Deals & Pricing
The Kobra 4 lists at $379 and the Q1 Pro at $499 — $120 apart, so the Q1 Pro costs 32% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $22 for the Kobra 4 versus $35 for the Q1 Pro — the Kobra 4 is both cheaper and roomier, so it wins on value outright.
- Kobra 4: On sale until Dec 5, 2026. Black Friday 2026 — best time to buy Anycubic printers.
- Q1 Pro: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track — judge any listing against the Q2's $499 list price.
Who Should Choose Each
Choose the Anycubic Kobra 4 if…
- you want to spend less — it is $120 cheaper ($379 vs $499)
- you are buying now — it is the safer pick on timing (early in cycle, vs superseded for the Q1 Pro)
- you want our higher-rated printer — 8.1 vs 7.8 out of 10
- you want multicolor prints — it supports 4 slots, while the Q1 Pro is single-color
- you print large parts — its 260 × 260 × 260 mm build volume holds 22% more than the Q1 Pro's 245 × 245 × 240 mm
- you are buying before Dec 5, 2026 — it is in Black Friday 2026 right now
Choose the Qidi Tech Q1 Pro if…
- you find it at a clearance price — it is no longer sold new, and the Q2 is its replacement
- you want to print ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC — it is enclosed and lists them, while the Kobra 4 is open-frame
Our Take
Buy the Kobra 4. The Q1 Pro has already been replaced by the Q2 and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price. If the Q1 Pro appealed to you, the fair comparison today is the Kobra 4 against the Q2.
Compare Anycubic Kobra 4 vs Qidi Tech Q2 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
Quick Winner by Buyer Type
💰
Budget pick
Anycubic Kobra 4
$379 vs $499
📐
Large prints
Anycubic Kobra 4
260×260×260 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Tie
Both 600 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
🧪
Engineering filaments
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
5 vs 0 listed
🎨
Multicolor
Anycubic Kobra 4
4 slots vs none
⭐
Editor score
Anycubic Kobra 4
8.1 vs 7.8
🗓
Buy-now timing
Anycubic Kobra 4
Early in cycle
The Gaps That Matter
💰PriceKobra 4 wins
$379 vs $499 — 24% less than the Q1 Pro
🏠EnclosureQ1 Pro wins
Enclosed Q1 Pro vs open-frame Kobra 4
ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC appear only on the Q1 Pro's materials list. ABS and ASA need an enclosure.
🎨MulticolorKobra 4 wins
4 slots vs single-color
📐Build volumeKobra 4 wins
260 × 260 × 260 mm vs 245 × 245 × 240 mm (17.6 L vs 14.4 L)
The Q1 Pro tops out at 245 × 245 × 240 mm; anything larger has to be printed in pieces.
🗓TimingKobra 4 wins
Kobra 4: Early in cycle · Q1 Pro: Superseded
🔀Motion system
CoreXY Q1 Pro vs bed-slinger Kobra 4
On the Kobra 4 the bed moves back and forth under the nozzle; on the Q1 Pro the bed only moves down as layers build.
Materials
—
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
ABSHeat and impact resistant — needs enclosure
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative — outdoor parts, needs enclosure
PANylon — strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon — very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate — extremely tough, challenging to print
Why buy each?
Anycubic Kobra 4
260×260×260 mm build volumeA cube-format build volume slightly larger than the Kobra 3 V2's 255×255×260 mm bed — practical for most everyday prints.
ACE 2 Pro multicolor in the ComboThe Combo includes one ACE 2 Pro for 4-color printing. A second unit and an 8-color filament hub expand it to 8 colors.
49-point auto-levelingLeviQ 3.0 probes 49 points and applies compensation automatically, with no manual adjustment required.
Qidi Tech Q1 Pro
Active 60°C chamber heatingThe Q1 Pro's heated chamber was groundbreaking at its price point. ABS, ASA, and PA prints come out without warping that plagues open-frame printers.
600 mm/s CoreXY speedSame speed class as Bambu Lab printers at a fraction of the price for enclosed printing.