Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo vs Bambu Lab A1 Combo

  • The Bambu Lab A1 Combo wins, 9.2 vs 8 out of 10.
  • Near-same build volume (256³ vs 250³ mm, 1.07×).
  • The Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo is faster (600 ÷ 500 = 1.2×) but costs more.
  • Pick the A1 Combo unless print time is your bottleneck.

Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.

The verdict

Buy the A1 Combo.

9.2/10 vs Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo's 8/10, and it wins 3 of 5 categories. One printer. This one. The A1 Combo does multi-color, does speed, does software polish, all at a price that embarrasses the competition. The open frame is the only real compromise and most people won't care.

Specs, side by side

Teal wins the row.

Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro ComboAnycubic · FDM
vs
A1 ComboBambu Lab · FDM
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo and A1 Combo compared: specs
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro ComboSpecA1 Combo
15.6 LBuild volume16.8 L (wins)
600 mm/s (wins)Top speed500 mm/s
0.05 mmFinest layer0.05 mm
13 kgWeight9.65 kg

Features

Features of the Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo and A1 Combo
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro ComboFeatureA1 Combo
YesACE 2 Pro multi-color system (up to 16 colors)No
YesFully-enclosed CoreXY architectureNo
YesUpgraded hotend (all-filament compatible)No
YesQuiet print mode (~44dB)No
Yes600mm/s ultra-fast printingNo
Yes250x250x250mm build volumeNo
NoAuto bed levelingYes
NoMulti-color (AMS Lite)Yes
NoWiFiYes
NoCameraYes
NoVibration compensationYes

Scores out of 10

Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo and A1 Combo compared: PrintPick scores out of 10
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro ComboSpecA1 Combo
9Value9
7Beginner Friendliness10 (wins)
8Print Quality9 (wins)
9Speed9
7Reliability9 (wins)
8Overall9.2 (wins)

Build space, front view, to one scale

  • 250 × 250 × 250 mm
  • 256 × 256 × 256 mm

What owners say

  • 16 colors on an enclosed CoreXY [at this price] 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 reviews
  • The A1 Combo is the printer I recommend to literally everyone who asks.
    A1 Combo owner, r/3Dprinting
  • Multi-color out of the box at this price is insane. Changed how I think about printing.
    A1 Combo owner, Make Anything (YouTube)
  • Bambu did it again, this is the new gold standard for consumer 3D printing.
    A1 Combo owner, All3DP

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

A1 Combo

  • +AMS Lite ships in the box, not as a $75 upsell
  • +Bambu Studio slices and sends in under a minute
  • +500mm/s speed that actually holds up at 0.2mm layers
  • −Open frame means ABS is borderline without an enclosure
  • −AMS Lite tops out at 4 colors; want more, buy a different system

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo better than the Bambu Lab A1 Combo?

By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 Combo scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo may be the smarter buy if you need multi-color.

Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo or Bambu Lab A1 Combo?

The Bambu Lab A1 Combo is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.

Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo worth paying more for over the Bambu Lab A1 Combo?

The Bambu Lab A1 Combo actually scores higher (9.2/10) despite costing less. The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo only makes sense if you specifically need multi-color.

What's the main difference between Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo and Bambu Lab A1 Combo?

Build volume (250x250x250mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (600 vs 500 mm/s). The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo is best for multi-color; the Bambu Lab A1 Combo targets beginners.

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