Anycubic Kobra X vs Bambu Lab A1 mini
Researched by Riley Hart · prices checked Nov 4, 2026
As of Nov 4, 2026, the Anycubic Kobra X costs $299 and the Bambu Lab A1 mini costs $299. The Anycubic Kobra X has a published review score and ranks #1 in our 3D printers ranking; the Bambu Lab A1 mini is not scored yet. Pick the Anycubic Kobra X for beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints. Pick the Bambu Lab A1 mini for first time buyers printing small PLA parts. The Anycubic Kobra X wins 3 of 6 points we can measure (2 tied).
Who wins, point by point
The Anycubic Kobra X wins 3 of 6 points we can measure (2 tied). Built from today's prices, the specs and independent tests for these two robots.
| Kobra X | A1 mini | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price today | $299 | $299 | Tie |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | A1 mini |
| Build volume | 260 x 260 x 260 mm | 180 x 180 x 180 mm | Kobra X |
| Top print speed | 600 mm/s | 500 mm/s | Kobra X |
| Max nozzle temp | 300°C | 300°C | Tie |
| Release year | 2026 | 2023 | Kobra X |
- You care most about build volume (260 x 260 x 260 mm vs 180 x 180 x 180 mm)
- You care most about top print speed (600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s)
- You want the newer model (2026 vs 2023)
- Best for beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints
- You care most about warranty (2 years vs 1 year)
- Best for first time buyers printing small PLA parts
- Build volume
- 260 x 260 x 260 mm
- Max speed
- Up to 600 mm/s
- Multicolor
- Native 4 colors from
- Enclosure
- No
Budget 4 color printer with fast swaps and no external box
Full Anycubic Kobra X review, pros and cons →- Build volume
- 180 x 180 x 180 mm
- Max speed
- Up to 500 mm/s toolhead
- Multicolor
- Up to 4 colors
- Enclosure
- No
Small, quiet starter 3D printer with optional 4 color AMS lite
Full Bambu Lab A1 mini review, pros and cons →Side by side
| Anycubic Kobra X | Bambu Lab A1 mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $299 |
| 3 year cost | $299 | $299 |
| Our score | 9.1/10 | Not scored yet |
| Rank in 3D printers | #1 | #32 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 1 year on 3D printers, 14 day no reason return (Anycubic store) | 2 years (Bambu Lab US store product page) |
| Build volume | 260 x 260 x 260 mm (Anycubic) | 180 x 180 x 180 mm |
| Print speed | Up to 600 mm/s, 300 mm/s recommended; up to 20,000 mm/s2 acceleration (Anycubic). TechRadar printed a stock Benchy in about 33 minutes | Up to 500 mm/s toolhead speed, 10,000 mm/s2 acceleration (Bambu Lab) |
| Multi color | Native 4 colors from the ACE Gen 2 in the toolhead, up to 19 with ACE 2 Pro units (Anycubic). Swaps took about 35 s versus 90 s or more on a Bambu Lab A1 (Tom's Hardware) | Up to 4 colors with the AMS lite (Combo version); AMS, AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT need the AMS HUB accessory |
| Enclosure | No, open frame | No, open frame |
| Auto leveling | Yes, LeviQ 3.0 auto leveling with automatic Z offset (Anycubic) | Yes, full auto calibration of Z offset, bed level, vibration and nozzle pressure before each print |
| Max nozzle temp | 300 C, 0.4 mm hardened steel nozzle, tool free swap (Anycubic, Tom's Hardware) | 300 C |
| Heated bed | Yes, up to 100 C with PEI spring steel plate (Anycubic); TechRadar listed 110 C | Yes, up to 80 C |
| Filament types | PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, PLA-CF, PETG-CF, ASA; ABS for single material prints (Anycubic) | Ideal: PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA. Not recommended: ABS, ASA, PC, PA, PET, carbon or glass fiber filled |
| Connectivity | Dual band Wi-Fi, app, cloud, LAN and USB (Anycubic, Tom's Hardware) | Wi-Fi, Bambu Bus, microSD card; app and PC control |
| Camera | Yes, 720p with privacy cover and AI spaghetti detection (Tom's Hardware, TechRadar) | Yes, low frame rate camera up to 1080p with timelapse |
| Noise | 48 dB or less (Anycubic claim); Tom's Hardware found it quiet but its unit had a squeak | As low as 49 dB (Bambu Lab claim) |
| Assembly | About 5 minutes to assemble plus about 30 minutes of calibration (TechRadar) | Ships pre assembled; about 20 minutes to the first print (Bambu Lab) |
| Weight | About 9.5 kg; 455.4 x 445.3 x 461.3 mm (Anycubic) | 5.5 kg net; 347 x 315 x 365 mm |
| Best for | beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints | first time buyers printing small PLA parts |
| Skip if | you need an enclosed printer for ABS or ASA parts | you need large prints or ABS and ASA |
Specs are maker claims unless a reviewer is named. Prices from the stores we link, checked daily.
What reviewers found
Anycubic Kobra X
- Tom's Hardware: Editor's Choice. Color swaps averaged about 35 s versus 90 s or more on a Bambu Lab A1. A four color castle took 13 h 10 min with 150 g of purge, versus 23 h 8 min and 229 g on the A1. Source
- TechRadar (4.5/5): Scored 25.5 of 28 in print tests with 0.144 mm average XY error. About 4 kg of filament ran reliably even at around 10 C in a workshop. Purge waste was only slightly lower than on the Kobra 3. Source
Bambu Lab A1 mini
- Tom's Hardware: Called it fast, quiet and easy to use. A speed Benchy took 19 min 15 s on a fast profile. A four color fire truck print took 22 h 25 min versus 4 h 19 min in one color, with 115 g of purge waste after tuning. Source
- All3DP: Found it consistent and reliable with clean multicolor prints. Complaints were a rattling purge wiper, no carry handle, a laggy touchscreen at times and no flexible filament support in the AMS lite. Source
Questions buyers ask
Which is better, the Anycubic Kobra X or the Bambu Lab A1 mini?
The Anycubic Kobra X has a published review score and ranks #1 in our 3D printers ranking; the Bambu Lab A1 mini is not scored yet. Pick the Anycubic Kobra X for beginners who want cheap, fast 4 color PLA prints. Pick the Bambu Lab A1 mini for first time buyers printing small PLA parts.
What is the difference between the Kobra X and the A1 mini?
Build volume: 260 x 260 x 260 mm (Anycubic) on the Kobra X, 180 x 180 x 180 mm on the A1 mini. Print speed: Up to 600 mm/s, 300 mm/s recommended; up to 20,000 mm/s2 acceleration (Anycubic)… on the Kobra X, Up to 500 mm/s toolhead speed, 10,000 mm/s2 acceleration (Bambu Lab) on the A1 mini. Multi color: Native 4 colors from the ACE Gen 2 in the toolhead, up to 19 with ACE 2 Pro units… on the Kobra X, Up to 4 colors with the AMS lite (Combo version); AMS, AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT need the AMS… on the A1 mini.
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