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 →Just released — full support runway ahead
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners who want CoreXY speed and optional multicolor printing in the trusted Ender 3 form factor — and are comfortable with a hands-on setup experience.
Full details →| Bambu Lab A1 Mini | Creality Ender 3 V4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Entry | Entry |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 180 × 180 × 180 mm | 220 × 220 × 235 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, TPU | PLA, PETG, TPU |
| Released | Oct 19, 2023 | Jan 15, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~365 days | ~854 days |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Caution |
| Next model | — | — |
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.
The V4's rigid frame reduces vibration at high speeds, improving print quality over the V3 KE's lighter structure.
The Combo bundle includes Creality's CFS filament system for 4-color printing, expandable to 16 colors with additional CFS units — one of the most affordable multicolor setups available.
The Ender 3 family has the largest 3D printing community in the world, with extensive documentation, mods, and active Creality firmware updates.