Mid-cycle โ watch for announcements before buying
๐ง Upgrade kit available โ from MK4, MK3.5
Best for: Makers who value open-source hardware, community support, long-term repairability, and battle-tested reliability over raw speed or multicolor features.
Full details โFirst-generation product โ recently released, still early days
Best for: Professional makers and small studios who need large-format enclosed printing for engineering filaments at a competitive price โ and want Anycubic's ecosystem over Creality or Qidi alternatives.
Full details โ| Prusa Research MK4S | Anycubic Kobra S1 Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Prosumer | Professional |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 250 ร 210 ร 220 mm | 350 ร 350 ร 350 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | โ No | โ No |
| Enclosure | โ | โ |
| Auto Calibration | โ | โ |
| Open Source | โ | โ |
| Upgrade Kit | ๐ง From MK4, MK3.5 | โ |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PA, PC | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PA |
| Released | Mar 20, 2024 | Nov 1, 2025 |
| Cycle length | ~730 days | โ |
| Cycle advice | Caution | Buy |
| Deals advice | Caution | Caution |
| Next model | Prusa MK5 (Expected 2027) | โ |
MK4 and MK3.5 owners can upgrade to MK4S specs without purchasing a whole new printer. This is Prusa's commitment to owners and is unique in the industry at this level.
Firmware, PCB schematics, hardware designs, and slicing profiles are all published under open licenses. You own the printer completely.
Prusa's forum, knowledge base, and repair guides are unmatched. Parts are stocked and available for years after purchase.
One of the largest enclosed build volumes in the prosumer/professional tier โ suited for large engineering parts, architectural models, and batch production.
Maintaining 65ยฐC across a 350ร350 mm chamber is a meaningful technical achievement โ ensuring consistent results for ABS, ASA, and PA across the full build plate.
The S1 Max extends the Kobra ecosystem into the large-format enclosed segment, enabling Anycubic users to scale up without switching brands.