Bambu Lab A1 Combo
- Speed
- 500 mm/s
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 4/5
Bambu Lab A1 Combo vs Elegoo Mars 4
- The Bambu Lab A1 Combo takes the crown with 9.2/10 vs 7.2/10.
- It pulls ahead in Beginner Friendliness, Print Quality, Speed, Reliability.
- That said, the Elegoo Mars 4 costs less and wins on Value.
Specs from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Elegoo Mars 4Discontinued
- Speed
- 80 mm/h
- Score
- 7.2/10
- Wins
- 1/5
Discontinued. Replaced by the Elegoo Mars 4 Ultra.
The verdict
Buy the A1 Combo.
9.2/10 vs Mars 4's 7.2/10, and it wins 4 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.
A1 ComboBambu Lab · FDM
vsMars 4Elegoo · RESIN
| A1 Combo | Spec | Mars 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 16.8 L (wins) | Build volume | 1.9 L |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 80 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.02 mm (wins) |
| 9.65 kg | Weight | 6.2 kg |
Features
| A1 Combo | Feature | Mars 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | Multi-color (AMS Lite) | No |
| Yes | WiFi | Yes |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Vibration compensation | No |
| No | 7K mono LCD | Yes |
| No | USB | Yes |
Scores out of 10
| A1 Combo | Spec | Mars 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 10 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 6 |
| 9 (wins) | Print Quality | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 5 |
| 9 (wins) | Reliability | 7 |
| 9.2 (wins) | Overall | 7.2 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 153 × 77 × 165 mm
What owners say
The A1 Combo is the printer I recommend to literally everyone who asks.
A1 Combo owner, r/3DprintingMulti-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[...] you're getting a genuinely capable printer. Elegoo's quality control shines even at this price.
Mars 4 owner, r/resinprintingPerfect starter resin printer. Just buy extra FEP films, you'll go through them.
Mars 4 owner, r/PrintedMinis
Pros & Cons
A1 Combo
- +AMS Lite ships in the box, not as a separate purchase
- +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
Mars 4
- +Low-cost entry into Elegoo's quality resin lineup
- +7K resolution is still detailed enough for D&D and Warhammer minis
- +WiFi monitoring included even at this price
- −No tilt release: FEP films will need replacing more often than the Ultra variants
- −7K detail is noticeably softer than the 9K and 12K machines on fine surface textures
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 Bambu Lab A1 Combo better than the Elegoo Mars 4?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 Combo scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Elegoo Mars 4 may be the smarter buy if you need budget.
Which is better for beginners, Bambu Lab A1 Combo or Elegoo Mars 4?
The Bambu Lab A1 Combo is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 6/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Bambu Lab A1 Combo worth paying more for over the Elegoo Mars 4?
The Bambu Lab A1 Combo scores higher overall (9.2/10 vs 7.2/10). The extra money gets you ams lite ships in the box, not as a separate purchase.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab A1 Combo and Elegoo Mars 4?
Technology: the Bambu Lab A1 Combo is FDM (filament) and the Elegoo Mars 4 is RESIN (resin). FDM prints bigger functional parts; resin delivers finer surface detail.