Bambu Lab A1 Combo
- Price
- $399
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 3/5
Bambu Lab A1 Combo vs Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
- The Bambu Lab A1 Combo takes the crown with 9.2/10 vs 8.2/10.
- It pulls ahead in Beginner Friendliness, Speed, Reliability.
- That said, the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra saves you $115 and wins on Print Quality.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
- Price
- $284
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 1/5
The verdict
Buy the A1 Combo.
9.2/10 vs Mars 5 Ultra's 8.2/10, 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.
A1 ComboBambu Lab · FDM
vsMars 5 UltraElegoo · RESIN
| A1 Combo | Spec | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| $399 | Price | $284 (wins) |
| 16.8 L (wins) | Build volume | 2.7 L |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 150 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.01 mm (wins) |
| 9.65 kg | Weight | 7.5 kg |
Features
| A1 Combo | Feature | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | Multi-color (AMS Lite) | No |
| Yes | WiFi | Yes |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Vibration compensation | No |
| No | 14K mono LCD | Yes |
| No | Tilt release | Yes |
| No | Air purifier | Yes |
Value math
$399 ÷ 16.8 L and $284 ÷ 2.7 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| A1 Combo | Spec | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| $23.78 (wins) | $ per liter | $104.28 |
Scores out of 10
| A1 Combo | Spec | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 9 |
| 10 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 9 | Print Quality | 10 (wins) |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 7 |
| 9 (wins) | Reliability | 8 |
| 9.2 (wins) | Overall | 8.2 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 153 × 89 × 200 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, All3DPThe detail on my D&D minis is insane. My painting group can't believe these are home-printed.
Mars 5 Ultra owner, r/PrintedMinis14K resolution means you can print things FDM users can only dream about.
Mars 5 Ultra owner, Uncle Jessy (YouTube)
Pros & Cons
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
Mars 5 Ultra
- +14K resolution renders chainmail and sword hilts at a level FDM can't get near
- +Tilt release means fewer ripped FEP films mid-print
- +Built-in air purifier cuts the resin smell noticeably; still needs ventilation but less aggressively
- −Build plate is 153x89mm: anything larger needs to be sliced and assembled
- −Resin printing means gloves, IPA, and a wash station are non-negotiable purchases
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 5 Ultra?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 Combo scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra may be the smarter buy if you need miniatures.
Which is better for beginners, Bambu Lab A1 Combo or Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
The Bambu Lab A1 Combo is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Bambu Lab A1 Combo worth $115 more than the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
The Bambu Lab A1 Combo scores higher overall (9.2/10 vs 8.2/10). The extra $115 gets you ams lite ships in the box, not as a $75 upsell.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab A1 Combo and Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
Technology: the Bambu Lab A1 Combo is FDM (filament) and the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra is RESIN (resin). FDM prints bigger functional parts; resin delivers finer surface detail.