Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo
- Price
- $459
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 3/5
Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo vs Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
- The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo takes the crown with 8/10 vs 7.8/10.
- It pulls ahead in Value, Beginner Friendliness, Speed.
- That said, the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s saves you $120 and wins on Print Quality, Reliability.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Anycubic Photon Mono M5sDiscontinued
- Price
- $339
- Score
- 7.8/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Last recorded price, not a current one.
The verdict
Buy the Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo.
8/10 vs Photon Mono M5s's 7.8/10, and it wins 3 of 5 categories. At €459 early bird, this is the most aggressive 16-color enclosed CoreXY on the market. If you already know you want multi-color and don't want Bambu's walled garden, the early bird window (April 24 to May 31) makes this a near-automatic recommendation. For casual multi-color users, the 8-color Kobra S1 Combo remains the better value — 16 colors is overkill unless you print flags, pixel art, or multi-material models regularly.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro ComboAnycubic · FDM
vsPhoton Mono M5sAnycubic · RESIN
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Spec | Photon Mono M5s |
|---|---|---|
| $459 | Price | $339 (wins) |
| 15.6 L (wins) | Build volume | 5.9 L |
| 600 mm/s | Top speed | 150 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.01 mm (wins) |
| 13 kg | Weight | 9.5 kg |
Features
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Feature | Photon Mono M5s |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | ACE 2 Pro multi-color system (up to 16 colors) | No |
| Yes | Fully-enclosed CoreXY architecture | No |
| Yes | Upgraded hotend (all-filament compatible) | No |
| Yes | Quiet print mode (~44dB) | No |
| Yes | 600mm/s ultra-fast printing | No |
| Yes | 250x250x250mm build volume | No |
| No | 14K mono LCD | Yes |
| No | Anti-warping release | Yes |
| No | Dual cooling | Yes |
| No | App monitoring | Yes |
Value math
$459 ÷ 15.6 L and $339 ÷ 5.9 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Spec | Photon Mono M5s |
|---|---|---|
| $29.38 (wins) | $ per liter | $57.47 |
Scores out of 10
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Spec | Photon Mono M5s |
|---|---|---|
| 9 (wins) | Value | 8 |
| 7 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 6 |
| 8 | Print Quality | 10 (wins) |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 7 |
| 7 | Reliability | 8 (wins) |
| 8 (wins) | Overall | 7.8 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 250 × 250 × 250 mm
- 218 × 123 × 220 mm
What owners say
16 colors on an enclosed CoreXY for under €500 was not on my 2026 bingo card. Anycubic is swinging hard at Bambu's multi-color dominance.
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo owner, Press announcement — awaiting independent reviews14K detail on a Saturn-size plate. The M5s punches well above its price.
Photon Mono M5s owner, r/resinprintingAnti-warping release is a real feature, not marketing. My failure rate dropped significantly.
Photon Mono M5s owner, VOG (YouTube)
Pros & Cons
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo
- +16-color capable (4 colors standard; 16 colors requires 4x ACE 2 Pro units purchased separately). Doubles the 8-color S1 Combo and quadruples the Bambu A1 Combo (4)
- +Fully enclosed CoreXY handles ABS, ASA, and engineering filaments without warping
- +44dB quiet mode is unusually low for a 600mm/s CoreXY — apartment-friendly
- −Brand new product — early adopter risk on firmware and ACE 2 Pro reliability
- −Anycubic slicer still trails Bambu Studio on automation and profile polish
Photon Mono M5s
- +14K resolution on a Saturn-size plate is the highest resolution in this build volume class
- +Anti-warping release mechanism measurably reduces failed prints on larger models
- +218x123mm plate handles busts, terrain, and multi-model runs
- −Pricier than the Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra at comparable specs
- −Discontinued: Anycubic support and firmware updates are ending
Buy these with it
A printer does nothing without these. Grab them in the same order.
- ELEGOO PLA filament, 1kgThe easy filament to start on. Prints at low temperatures and warps less.
- ELEGOO PETG filament, 1kgTougher and more heat tolerant than PLA, for parts that get handled or sit in the sun.
- SUNLU filament dryer S1 PlusWet filament causes stringing and rough surfaces. A dryer fixes that before you blame the printer.
Buy these with it
A printer does nothing without these. Grab them in the same order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo better than the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s?
By the numbers, the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo scores higher (8/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s may be the smarter buy if you need resin.
Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo or Anycubic Photon Mono M5s?
The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo is more beginner-friendly (7/10 vs 6/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo worth $120 more than the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s?
The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo scores higher overall (8/10 vs 7.8/10). The extra $120 gets you 16-color capable (4 colors standard; 16 colors requires 4x ace 2 pro units purchased separately). doubles the 8-color s1 combo and quadruples the bambu a1 combo (4).
What's the main difference between Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo and Anycubic Photon Mono M5s?
Technology: the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo is FDM (filament) and the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s is RESIN (resin). FDM prints bigger functional parts; resin delivers finer surface detail.
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