First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who want built-in 4-color multicolor printing under $400 — primarily for PLA and PETG. Open frame, so not suited for ABS or engineering filaments without the add-on enclosure.
Full details →First-generation product — no release history to base predictions on
Best for: Makers who want an enclosed CoreXY at a prosumer price for PLA, PETG, ABS, and ASA — and prefer the Anycubic ecosystem. For reliable PA or PC printing, consider the Kobra S1 Max or Qidi Q2 which offer active chamber heating.
Full details →| Flashforge AD5X | Anycubic Kobra S1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Prosumer | Prosumer |
| Motion | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 220 mm | 250 × 250 × 250 mm |
| Max Speed | 600 mm/s | 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, PLA-CF, PA-CF, PETG-CF | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PA |
| Released | Sep 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Cycle length | — | — |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Caution |
| Deals advice | Caution | Caution |
| Next model | — | — |
The AD5X undercuts comparable multicolor setups on price with IFS built directly into the printer — no separate accessory needed.
No cloud dependency or mandatory account. OrcaSlicer is community-standard open-source slicer software — familiar to most experienced makers.
Ships ready for PLA-CF and PETG-CF without requiring a nozzle upgrade — a genuine differentiator at this price point.
The Kobra S1 combines an enclosed build chamber with 600 mm/s CoreXY motion — offering improved heat retention over open-frame printers for ABS and ASA.
Brings Anycubic's value-focused approach to the enclosed CoreXY segment — competing with Qidi Q2C and Bambu P2S at a lower price point.
A practical cubic build volume well-suited for functional mechanical parts, enclosures, and prototypes.