Early in release cycle — no urgency to wait
Best for: Makers and engineers who need reliable printing in ABS, ASA, PA, or carbon-fiber composites and want the best-value enclosed printer under $500.
Full details →Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming soon
Best for: Makers who want large prints and multicolor capability without an enclosure — ideal for PLA, PETG, and flexible materials.
Full details →| Qidi Tech Q2 | Bambu Lab A1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Prosumer | Prosumer |
| Motion | CoreXY | BedSlinger |
| Build Volume | 270 × 270 × 256 mm | 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Max Speed | 600 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ✅ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PA, PA-CF, PC | PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS |
| Released | Aug 20, 2025 | Oct 19, 2023 |
| Cycle length | ~518 days | ~365 days |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Wait |
| Deals advice | Caution | Buy |
| Next model | — | A1 2026 Refresh (Expected Q4 2026) |
The Q2 actively heats the print chamber — not just passively traps heat. This is the key differentiator for reliable ABS, ASA, PA-CF, and PC printing without warping.
Triple-stage filtration removes 99.5% of particulates and VOCs — essential for printing ABS and ASA in a home or office environment.
Handles the full spectrum of engineering filaments including carbon and glass fiber composites without a hotend upgrade.
Unlike the A1 Mini's AMS Lite, the A1 Combo includes the full AMS with support for a wider range of filament types.
The largest build volume available in a Bambu bed-slinger — great for terrain, large cosplay props, and functional parts.
Works with Bambu Studio, Bambu Handy app, and the full Bambu filament ecosystem including multi-material profiles.