Bambu Lab P1S vs Flashforge AD5X
The Bambu Lab P1S and Flashforge AD5X are cross-brand rivals: both are prosumer-tier printers, listed $150 apart. Note that the P1S has been replaced by the P2S and is no longer sold new. Both are CoreXY printers with 4-slot multicolor and automatic calibration. The P1S costs $150 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ASA, PA and PC on its materials list) and 58% more build volume; the AD5X answers with a top speed of 600 mm/s (vs 500) and support for PLA-CF and PETG-CF.
💰Flashforge AD5X is $150 cheaper (27% less)
📐Bambu Lab P1S has 58% more build volume
⚡Flashforge AD5X tops out at 600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s
🏠Only Bambu Lab P1S has an enclosure — and it adds ASA, PA, PC 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.
Bambu Lab P1S
Buy/Wait:Superseded
This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Bambu Lab P2S.
Best for: Makers who need an enclosed printer for ABS, ASA, PA, and PC at prosumer price — now available at clearance pricing after P2S launch.
Full details →Flashforge AD5X
Buy/Wait:Caution
First-generation product — no release history to base predictions on
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who want built-in 4-color multicolor printing under $400 — primarily for PLA and PETG. Open frame, so not suited for ABS or engineering filaments without the add-on enclosure.
Full details →| Bambu Lab P1S | Flashforge AD5X |
|---|
| Pricing |
| Starting Price | $549 | ★ $399 |
| Print Specs |
| Tier | Prosumer | Prosumer |
| Motion | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | ★ 256 × 256 × 256 mm | 220 × 220 × 220 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ★ ✅ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing |
| Released | Jul 5, 2023 | Jun 15, 2025 |
| Cycle length | ~335 days | — |
| Cycle advice | Superseded | Caution |
| Deals advice | Clearance | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
Timing: When to Buy
The P1S has been replaced by the P2S and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
The AD5X was released on Jun 15, 2025, 515 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
On timing alone, the AD5X is the safer buy right now — it has no release history pointing to a successor yet, while the P1S has already been replaced by the P2S.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
Deals & Pricing
The AD5X lists at $399 and the P1S at $549 — $150 apart, so the P1S costs 38% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $33 for the P1S versus $37 for the AD5X — so the pricier P1S actually gives you more build space per dollar.
- P1S: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track — judge any listing against the P2S's $549 list price.
- AD5X: On sale until Dec 5, 2026. Black Friday 2026 — the best annual window for Flashforge discounts.
Who Should Choose Each
Choose the Bambu Lab P1S if…
- you find it at a clearance price — it is no longer sold new, and the P2S is its replacement
- you want our higher-rated printer — 8.6 vs 8.0 out of 10
- you want to print ASA, PA and PC — it is enclosed and lists them, while the AD5X is open-frame
- you print large parts — its 256 × 256 × 256 mm build volume holds 58% more than the AD5X's 220 × 220 × 220 mm
Choose the Flashforge AD5X if…
- you want to spend less — it is $150 cheaper ($399 vs $549)
- you are buying now — it is the safer pick on timing (no cycle history, vs superseded for the P1S)
- print speed matters — it is rated for 600 mm/s against 500 mm/s
- you want PLA-CF and PETG-CF — listed for the AD5X but not the P1S
- your prints fit within 220 × 220 × 220 mm — then the P1S's extra build volume is money you do not need to spend
- you are buying before Dec 5, 2026 — it is in Black Friday 2026 right now
Our Take
Buy the AD5X. The P1S has already been replaced by the P2S and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price. If the P1S appealed to you, the fair comparison today is the AD5X against the P2S.
Compare Bambu Lab P2S vs Flashforge AD5X →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
Quick Winner by Buyer Type
💰
Budget pick
Flashforge AD5X
$399 vs $549
📐
Large prints
Bambu Lab P1S
256×256×256 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Flashforge AD5X
600 vs 500 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
🧪
Engineering filaments
Bambu Lab P1S
5 vs 2 listed
🎨
Multicolor
Tie
4 slots each
⭐
Editor score
Bambu Lab P1S
8.6 vs 8.0
🗓
Buy-now timing
Flashforge AD5X
No cycle history
The Gaps That Matter
💰PriceAD5X wins
$399 vs $549 — 27% less than the P1S
🏠EnclosureP1S wins
Enclosed P1S vs open-frame AD5X
ASA, PA and PC appear only on the P1S's materials list. ASA needs an enclosure.
📐Build volumeP1S wins
256 × 256 × 256 mm vs 220 × 220 × 220 mm (16.8 L vs 10.6 L)
The AD5X tops out at 220 × 220 × 220 mm; anything larger has to be printed in pieces.
⚡SpeedAD5X wins
600 vs 500 mm/s — 20% higher rated top speed
🗓TimingAD5X wins
AD5X: No cycle history · P1S: Superseded
⭐Editor scoreP1S wins
8.6 vs 8.0 out of 10
Materials
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative — outdoor parts, needs enclosure
PANylon — strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PCPolycarbonate — extremely tough, challenging to print
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
ABSHeat and impact resistant — needs enclosure
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon — very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PLA-CFCarbon-fibre PLA — rigid matte finish, more brittle
PETG-CFCarbon-fibre PETG — stiffer than PETG, easy to print
Why buy each?
Bambu Lab P1S
Full enclosure with chamber heatingActive chamber temperature control enables reliable ABS, ASA, PA, and PC printing without warping.
CoreXY speed and precision500 mm/s print speed with Bambu's vibration compensation delivers fast, accurate prints.
Now at clearance pricesWith the P2S released, P1S prices are at their lowest — an opportunity for budget-conscious buyers.
Flashforge AD5X
Built-in 4-color multicolor at $399The AD5X undercuts comparable multicolor setups on price with IFS built directly into the printer — no separate accessory needed.
OrcaSlicer with local-only controlNo cloud dependency or mandatory account. OrcaSlicer is community-standard open-source slicer software — familiar to most experienced makers.
Hardened steel nozzle as standardShips ready for PLA-CF and PETG-CF without requiring a nozzle upgrade — a genuine differentiator at this price point.