My journey into the world of 3D printing began about five years ago with a Prusa Mk3. It was a robust machine, incredibly reliable. However, my initial excitement didn’t last. The appeal of 3D printing faded as my workshop got cluttered. Once the novelty of printing small trinkets wore off, it ended up in the closet, forgotten.
Then, about a year ago, the Bambu Lab X1 burst onto the scene. It was marketed as the epitome of speed and reliability, packed with features that promised to make 3D printing as simple as plug-and-play. I was completely drawn in by their marketing.
And the Bambu Lab X1 genuinely impressed me. Prints that used to take three hours were now completed in under an hour, and the printer seemed just as dependable as my old MK3. There were other significant advantages too:
While Bambu Lab utilizes Prusa’s open-source slicer, they’ve enhanced it so much that it feels like a much more advanced piece of software. Unlike the MK3, you can actually send print jobs to the printer from your computer via the cloud. No more transferring SD cards! Moreover, the X1 includes a built-in camera, allowing you to monitor your prints from anywhere with an internet connection.
Furthermore, the X1 is fully enclosed. This opened the door to printing with advanced filaments that were previously challenging to handle. Materials like ABS, ASA, and various carbon fiber blends could be printed easily, almost as effortlessly as common filaments like PLA. My X1 also came with an AMS (Automatic Material System), which made multi-color printing incredibly convenient.
I was ready to declare the X1 the perfect 3D printer for me… until things went wrong. In January, my AMS system malfunctioned, effectively disabling the printer. I immediately contacted Bambu Lab support and waited. And waited. Three weeks passed before I received any response from them. It took over six weeks and numerous hours of my own effort before my printer was operational again. Ultimately, I had to disassemble the AMS myself, diagnose the problem, and then request the necessary replacement parts from Bambu Lab to fix it.
It was a frustrating ordeal. I voiced my complaints on various forums, Reddit, and anywhere else I thought Bambu Lab might notice. Ironically, it wasn’t Bambu Lab’s attention I attracted; it was Prusa’s. A few weeks after I finally got my Bambu Lab X1 working again, a package arrived from Prusa.
“Ryan, we saw your difficulties with the Bambu Lab and thought you might want to try out the MK4.”
Now, the MK4 isn’t a brand-new printer. Many might consider it a step behind the Bambu Lab X1. It uses a bed-slinger design (compared to the X1’s CoreXY), lacks an enclosure out of the box (though one is available separately), and uses the same familiar slicer as the MK3. While it does offer network printing capabilities, it requires a bit more setup than the X1.
Despite these differences, the MK4 is just as fast as the X1, and the print quality is equally excellent, perhaps even slightly better. This thing simply prints, and prints, and prints. And while setting up prints on the MK4 may require a touch more manual effort, the results are consistently rewarding.
Alt: The Prusa MK4 3D printer showcasing its print bed and extruder, emphasizing its robust build for reliable home 3D printing.
I’ve owned Prusa printers in the past and have never needed to contact their support. However, feedback from others consistently praises their support as exceptional and highly responsive. Prusa essentially built the desktop 3D printing industry as we know it today, and they’ve earned their reputation for customer care.
This brings up another important point: Bambu Lab is a relatively new company based in China. While this isn’t inherently a problem, their data collection practices are a concern. As mentioned earlier, most of your prints are processed through the cloud, which is owned and managed by Bambu Lab. The full extent of their data gathering remains unclear, raising potential privacy issues in my view.
Currently, both the X1 and the MK4 are in my workshop. Since its repair, the X1 has been performing well, handling every print job I give it. The MK4, as always, consistently produces flawless prints. But the question remains: “If you have $1500 to spend, which printer should you buy?”
Without hesitation, I would recommend the MK4. It’s the Toyota of 3D printers – unassuming, unpretentious, and reliable in any situation. And if something does go wrong, Prusa’s support is there to quickly resolve it.
On the other hand, the Bambu Lab X1 is like the Lamborghini of 3D printers. It’s stylish, incredibly fast, and very appealing. But if problems arise, you might find their “service department” is less than helpful, perhaps too busy enjoying their lattes.
Alt: The Bambu Lab X1 Carbon Combo 3D printer with its AMS unit, highlighting its enclosed design and multi-color printing capabilities for advanced home 3D printing.
If you have any questions about these printers or 3D printing in general, feel free to ask. I’m happy to share my experiences and insights.
