The Bambu Lab X1C and Qidi Tech Max4 are cross-brand rivals: both are professional-tier printers, listed $150 apart. Note that the X1C has been replaced by the X2D and is no longer sold new. Both are enclosed CoreXY printers with 4-slot multicolor and automatic calibration. The X1C costs $150 more, without a hardware advantage on the specs we track; the Max4 answers with 208% more build volume and a top speed of 800 mm/s (vs 500).
This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Bambu Lab X2D.
Best for: Professional makers seeking the X1C should now consider the X2D (its direct successor) or P2S (prosumer enclosed). Clearance X1C units offer the LiDAR and AI monitoring features at a reduced price.
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 →| Bambu Lab X1C | Qidi Tech Max4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | $1,199 | ★ $1,049 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Professional | Professional |
| Motion | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | ★ 390 × 390 × 340 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 800 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ✅ | ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Jul 25, 2022 | Dec 1, 2025 |
| Cycle length | ~365 days | — |
| Cycle advice | Superseded | Buy |
| Deals advice | Clearance | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The X1C has been replaced by the X2D and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.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 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On timing alone, the Max4 is the safer buy right now — it launched only 346 days ago, while the X1C has already been replaced by the X2D.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Max4 lists at $1,049 and the X1C at $1,199 — $150 apart, so the X1C costs 14% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $71 for the X1C versus $20 for the Max4 — the Max4 is both cheaper and roomier, so it wins on value outright.
Buy the Max4. The X1C has already been replaced by the X2D and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price. If the X1C appealed to you, the fair comparison today is the Max4 against the X2D.
Compare Bambu Lab X2D vs Qidi Tech Max4 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The X1C's LiDAR sensor maps bed surface deviation and adjusts in real time — the most reliable first-layer consistency in its class.
The built-in camera with spaghetti detection pauses prints automatically when failures are detected — critical for unattended production runs.
The X1C uses a die-cast metal frame and carbon-fiber-reinforced structure for rigidity at high speeds.
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.