The Bambu Lab X1C (professional) and Qidi Tech Plus5 (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 Note that the X1C has been replaced by the X2D and is no longer sold new.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 $450 more, without a hardware advantage on the specs we track; the Plus5 answers with 83% more build volume and a top speed of 600 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 It has been replaced by the Bambu Lab X2D.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 →Just released — full support runway ahead
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.
Full details →| Bambu Lab X1C | Qidi Tech Plus5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | $1,199 | ★ $749 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Professional | Prosumer |
| Motion | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | ★ 320 × 320 × 300 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 25, 2022 | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~365 days | ~684 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| Cycle advice | Superseded | Buy |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The X1C has been replaced by the X2D and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.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 Plus5 was released on Aug 5, 2026, 99 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 684 days, so it is 14% of the way through — roughly 585 days before a successor would be due at that pace.
On timing alone, the Plus5 is the safer buy right now — it is only 14% of the way through its expected cycle, while the X1C has already been replaced by the X2D.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Plus5 lists at $749 and the X1C at $1,199 — $450 apart, so the X1C costs 60% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $71 for the X1C versus $24 for the Plus5 — the Plus5 is both cheaper and roomier, so it wins on value outright.
Buy the Plus5. 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 Plus5 against the X2D.
Compare Bambu Lab X2D vs Qidi Tech Plus5 →
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.
An 18% larger build volume than the Plus4's 305×305×280 mm, in the same enclosed prosumer class.
A 550 W third-generation chamber heater holds 65°C for PA, PA-CF, ABS, ASA, and PC with minimal warping across the build plate.
Handles high-performance engineering composites including carbon- and glass-fiber reinforced filaments and PPS-CF without a separate hotend upgrade.