The Anycubic Kobra S1 (prosumer) and Qidi Tech Max4 (professional) 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. Both are enclosed CoreXY printers with 4-slot multicolor and automatic calibration. The Max4 costs $550 more and gets you 231% more build volume and extra engineering materials (PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF).
First-generation product — no release history to base predictions on
Best for: Makers who want an enclosed multicolor CoreXY at a prosumer price for PLA, PETG, ABS, and ASA — and prefer the Anycubic ecosystem. For reliable PA or PC printing, consider the Kobra S1 Max or Qidi Q2 which offer active chamber heating.
Full details →First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Professional makers and small studios who need the maximum enclosed build volume in Qidi's lineup for large engineering parts, architectural models, or batch production — at a price point below the Bambu H2S.
Full details →| Anycubic Kobra S1 | Qidi Tech Max4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $499 | $1,049 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Prosumer | Professional |
| Motion | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 250 × 250 × 250 mm | ★ 390 × 390 × 340 mm |
| Max Speed | 600 mm/s | ★ 800 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ✅ | ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Feb 11, 2025 | Dec 1, 2025 |
| Cycle length | — | — |
| Cycle advice | Caution | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The Kobra S1 was released on Feb 11, 2025, 639 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
The Max4 was released on Dec 1, 2025, 346 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
On timing alone, the Max4 is the safer buy right now — it launched only 346 days ago, while the Kobra S1 has no release history pointing to a successor yet.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Kobra S1 lists at $499 and the Max4 at $1,049 — $550 apart, so the Max4 costs 110% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $32 for the Kobra S1 versus $20 for the Max4 — so the pricier Max4 actually gives you more build space per dollar.
Our pick for most buyers is the Max4, for 231% more build volume and extra engineering materials (PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF), plus better buy-now timing. Go for the Kobra S1 instead if you want to spend less — it is $550 cheaper ($499 vs $1,049).
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The Kobra S1 combines an enclosed build chamber with 600 mm/s CoreXY motion — offering improved heat retention over open-frame printers for ABS and ASA.
Brings Anycubic's value-focused approach to the enclosed CoreXY segment — competing with the Qidi Q2 and Bambu P2S, with multicolor and filament drying included at $499.
A practical cubic build volume well-suited for functional mechanical parts, enclosures, and prototypes.
The Max4 offers the largest build volume in Qidi's lineup — enabling large functional parts, architectural models, and production batch runs that exceed Plus5 capacity.
The Max4's closed-loop XY adds positional feedback for improved accuracy at high speeds — a differentiating feature at this price tier that reduces dimensional errors on large prints.
Qidi's proven active chamber heating technology scaled to a 390×390 mm bed — critical for consistent ABS, ASA, PA-CF, and PPS-CF results across the full build plate.