The Bambu Lab A1 Mini (entry) and Qidi Tech Plus4 (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. Note that the Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new. The Plus4 costs $480 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF on its materials list) and 347% more build volume.
Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners who want Bambu's ease of use and multicolor printing in a compact footprint.
Full details →This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Plus5.
Best for: Makers and small businesses who need a large enclosed build volume for engineering materials at a prosumer price — particularly those printing PA-CF, ABS, and PC at scale. Look for clearance deals — the Plus5 is the current model.
Full details →| Bambu Lab A1 Mini | Qidi Tech Plus4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $219 | $699 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 180 × 180 × 180 mm | ★ 305 × 305 × 280 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Oct 19, 2023 | Sep 20, 2024 |
| Cycle length | ~365 days | ~408 days |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Superseded |
| Deals advice | Buy | Clearance |
| Next model | — | — |
The A1 Mini was released on Oct 19, 2023, 1,120 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 365 days; it is now 755 days past that point and no successor has been announced.
The Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.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 A1 Mini is the safer buy right now — it is 755 days past its ~365-day cycle with no successor announced, while the Plus4 has already been replaced by the Plus5.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The A1 Mini lists at $219 and the Plus4 at $699 — $480 apart, so the Plus4 costs 219% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $38 for the A1 Mini versus $27 for the Plus4 — so the pricier Plus4 actually gives you more build space per dollar.
Buy the A1 Mini. The Plus4 has already been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price. If the Plus4 appealed to you, the fair comparison today is the A1 Mini against the Plus5.
Compare Bambu Lab A1 Mini vs Qidi Tech Plus5 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The A1 Mini sets up in minutes with automatic calibration and Bambu's guided first-print workflow.
Up to 4 colors with the AMS Lite accessory — Bambu's filament switching system with minimal waste purging.
Fits on a desk or shelf without taking over your workspace, while still printing at 500 mm/s.
One of the largest build volumes in the prosumer enclosed category — 40% more printable area than the Bambu X1C at a lower price point.
The second-generation active heating delivers consistent chamber temperatures for PA, PA-CF, ABS, ASA, and PC with minimal warping across the full build plate.
Handles high-performance engineering composites including PA-CF, PET-CF, and PPS-CF without requiring a separate hotend upgrade.