Next model already announced — wait for the new release
Best for: Professional makers, studios, and engineers who need large-format printing with genuine multi-material capability, open-source hardware, and Prusa's long-term support.
Full details →Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Budget makers who want 4-color multicolor printing without committing to the Bambu or Prusa ecosystem — and are comfortable with a less mature software experience.
Full details →| Prusa Research XL | Anycubic Kobra 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Professional | Prosumer |
| Motion | CoreXY | BedSlinger |
| Build Volume | 360 × 360 × 360 mm | 255 × 255 × 260 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 5 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ✅ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PA, PA-CF, PC | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU |
| Released | Nov 20, 2023 | May 15, 2025 |
| Cycle length | ~730 days | ~212 days |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Wait |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | XL Pick & Place Toolhead (Late 2026) | — |
Unlike filament-switching AMS/MMU systems, the XL physically swaps print heads. Each material has its own nozzle, eliminating purge towers entirely and enabling true multi-material prints.
One of the largest build volumes available in a CoreXY printer at this price point — suited for large props, architectural models, and batch production.
Every component is documented, parts are stocked for years, and the community has developed hundreds of modifications and improvements.
The V2 expands to 255×255×260 mm — 34% more printable volume than the original Kobra 3 — for larger parts and more batch production.
The V2 includes a 720p camera for real-time print monitoring and AI spaghetti detection, adding reliability features previously absent from the Kobra 3 line.
The Kobra 3 V2 Combo with ACE Pro is one of the most affordable 4-color setups available — often underpricing Bambu's A1 Combo.