Anycubic Kobra S1 Max vs Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
The Anycubic Kobra S1 Max (professional) and Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro (prosumer) come from different brands and sit in different tiers, so this is less a head-to-head than a question of how much printer you need. The Kobra S1 Max costs $539 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with PA, PA-CF, PC and PET-CF on its materials list) and 220% more build volume.
💰Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro is $539 cheaper (67% less)
📐Anycubic Kobra S1 Max has 220% more build volume
⚡Anycubic Kobra S1 Max tops out at 600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s
🏠Only Anycubic Kobra S1 Max has an enclosure — and it adds PA, PA-CF, PC, PET-CF 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 S1 Max
Buy/Wait:Buy
First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Professional makers and small studios who need large-format enclosed printing for engineering filaments at a competitive price — and want Anycubic's ecosystem over Creality or Qidi alternatives.
Full details →Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
Buy/Wait:Wait
Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who want a capable bed-slinger with Klipper firmware for customization — without Bambu's closed ecosystem or Prusa's premium pricing.
Full details →| Anycubic Kobra S1 Max | Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro |
|---|
| Pricing |
| Starting Price | $799 | ★ $260 |
| Print Specs |
| Tier | Professional | Prosumer |
| Motion | CoreXY | BedSlinger |
| Build Volume | ★ 350 × 350 × 350 mm | 225 × 225 × 265 mm |
| Max Speed | ★ 600 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ★ ✅ 4 slots | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ★ ✅ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing |
| Released | Nov 25, 2025 | Jul 15, 2023 |
| Cycle length | — | ~450 days |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Wait |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
Timing: When to Buy
The Kobra S1 Max was released on Nov 25, 2025, 352 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
The Neptune 4 Pro was released on Jul 15, 2023, 1,216 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 450 days; it is now 766 days past that point and no successor has been announced.
On timing alone, the Kobra S1 Max is the safer buy right now — it launched only 352 days ago, while the Neptune 4 Pro is 766 days past its ~450-day cycle with no successor announced.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
Deals & Pricing
The Neptune 4 Pro lists at $260 and the Kobra S1 Max at $799 — $539 apart, so the Kobra S1 Max costs 207% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $19 for the Kobra S1 Max versus $19 for the Neptune 4 Pro — so the pricier Kobra S1 Max actually gives you more build space per dollar.
- Both: On sale in the same event right now: Black Friday 2026 (Nov 1, 2026 – Dec 5, 2026). Compare the two sale prices side by side before deciding.
Who Should Choose Each
Choose the Anycubic Kobra S1 Max if…
- you want our higher-rated printer — 8.1 vs 7.7 out of 10
- you want to print PA, PA-CF, PC and PET-CF — it is enclosed and lists them, while the Neptune 4 Pro is open-frame
- you print large parts — its 350 × 350 × 350 mm build volume holds 220% more than the Neptune 4 Pro's 225 × 225 × 265 mm
- you are buying now — it is the safer pick on timing (recently launched, vs overdue for refresh for the Neptune 4 Pro)
- you want multicolor prints — it supports 4 slots, while the Neptune 4 Pro is single-color
- you want PLA-CF, PETG-CF and PVA — listed for the Kobra S1 Max but not the Neptune 4 Pro
Choose the Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro if…
- you want to spend less — it is $539 cheaper ($260 vs $799)
- your prints fit within 225 × 225 × 265 mm — then the Kobra S1 Max's extra build volume is money you do not need to spend
Our Take
Our pick for most buyers is the Kobra S1 Max, for an enclosed chamber (with PA, PA-CF, PC and PET-CF on its materials list) and 220% more build volume, plus a higher editor score (8.1 vs 7.7) and better buy-now timing. Go for the Neptune 4 Pro instead if you want to spend less — it is $539 cheaper ($260 vs $799).
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
Quick Winner by Buyer Type
💰
Budget pick
Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
$260 vs $799
📐
Large prints
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
350×350×350 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
600 vs 500 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
🧪
Engineering filaments
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
6 vs 2 listed
🎨
Multicolor
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
4 slots vs none
⭐
Editor score
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
8.1 vs 7.7
🗓
Buy-now timing
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
Recently launched
The Gaps That Matter
💰PriceNeptune 4 Pro wins
$260 vs $799 — 67% less than the Kobra S1 Max
🏠EnclosureKobra S1 Max wins
Enclosed Kobra S1 Max vs open-frame Neptune 4 Pro
PA, PA-CF, PC and PET-CF appear only on the Kobra S1 Max's materials list.
📐Build volumeKobra S1 Max wins
350 × 350 × 350 mm vs 225 × 225 × 265 mm (42.9 L vs 13.4 L)
The Neptune 4 Pro tops out at 225 × 225 × 265 mm; anything larger has to be printed in pieces.
🎨MulticolorKobra S1 Max wins
4 slots vs single-color
⚡SpeedKobra S1 Max wins
600 vs 500 mm/s — 20% higher rated top speed
🗓TimingKobra S1 Max wins
Kobra S1 Max: Recently launched · Neptune 4 Pro: Overdue for refresh
Materials
PANylon — strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon — very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate — extremely tough, challenging to print
PLA-CFCarbon-fibre PLA — rigid matte finish, more brittle
PETG-CFCarbon-fibre PETG — stiffer than PETG, easy to print
PET-CFCarbon-fibre PET — rigid, dimensionally stable
PVAWater-soluble support — dissolves for complex overhangs
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
ABSHeat and impact resistant — needs enclosure
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative — outdoor parts, needs enclosure
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
—
Why buy each?
Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
350×350×350 mm large-format build volumeOne of the largest enclosed build volumes in the prosumer/professional tier — suited for large engineering parts, architectural models, and batch production.
65°C active chamber heating at scaleMaintaining 65°C across a 350×350 mm chamber is a meaningful technical achievement — ensuring consistent results for ABS, ASA, and PA across the full build plate.
Anycubic ecosystem continuityThe S1 Max extends the Kobra ecosystem into the large-format enclosed segment, enabling Anycubic users to scale up without switching brands.
Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
Klipper firmware out of the boxThe Neptune 4 Pro ships with Klipper pre-installed — enabling advanced input shaping, pressure advance, and configuration flexibility without modding.
500 mm/s at budget pricingA 500 mm/s rated speed at a price significantly below Bambu and Prusa alternatives.
Auto calibrationFull automatic bed leveling reduces setup time and calibration friction.