Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming soon
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners who want CoreXY speed without the Bambu ecosystem or Prusa premium — and are comfortable with a more hands-on setup experience.
Full details →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 →| Creality Ender 3 V3 KE | Bambu Lab A1 Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Entry | Entry |
| Motion | CoreXY | BedSlinger |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 240 mm | 180 × 180 × 180 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, TPU | PLA, PETG, TPU |
| Released | Sep 15, 2023 | Oct 19, 2023 |
| Cycle length | ~450 days | ~365 days |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Wait |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | Ender 3 V4 or V3 KE 2 (Expected mid-2026) | — |
The KE brings CoreXY motion to the Ender 3 family — historically a bed-slinger platform — delivering 500 mm/s without the Bambu premium.
The Ender 3 series has one of the largest 3D printer communities in the world, with thousands of documented modifications and upgrades.
If you outgrow the KE, the Creality K1C and K2 Plus are natural next steps within the same brand ecosystem.
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.