Bambu Lab A1
- Price
- $299
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 5/5
Bambu Lab A1 vs Creality Hi Combo
- The Bambu Lab A1 wins, 9.2 vs 7.6 out of 10.
- Hi Combo prints 1.2× the volume (260×260×300 ÷ 256³ = 1.21) for $100 ($399 − $299) more.
- Same 500 mm/s top speed.
- Pick the A1 if your prints fit in 25.6 cm.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Creality Hi Combo
- Price
- $399
- Score
- 7.6/10
- Wins
- 0/5
The verdict
Buy the A1.
9.2/10 vs Hi Combo's 7.6/10, and it wins 5 of 5 categories. If you know you don't care about multi-color, this is the cleanest $299 in 3D printing. The A1 Combo is $100 more and includes multi-color; most people should just spend the extra $100.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
A1Bambu Lab · FDM
vsHi ComboCreality · FDM
| A1 | Spec | Hi Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $299 (wins) | Price | $399 |
| 16.8 L | Build volume | 20.3 L (wins) |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm (wins) | Finest layer | 0.1 mm |
| 9.05 kg | Weight | 13.31 kg |
Features
| A1 | Feature | Hi Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Vibration compensation | No |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | Full-size A1 bed | No |
| No | CoreXY motion system | Yes |
| No | Up to 16-color printing (4x CFS) | Yes |
| No | Die-cast aluminum unibody | Yes |
| No | Tri-metal quick-swap nozzle | Yes |
| No | Auto calibration | Yes |
| No | Direct drive extruder | Yes |
Value math
$299 ÷ 16.8 L and $399 ÷ 20.3 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| A1 | Spec | Hi Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $17.82 (wins) | $ per liter | $19.67 |
| $0.60 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.80 |
Scores out of 10
| A1 | Spec | Hi Combo |
|---|---|---|
| 9 (wins) | Value | 8 |
| 10 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 9 (wins) | Print Quality | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Reliability | 7 |
| 9.2 (wins) | Overall | 7.6 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 260 × 260 × 300 mm
What owners say
The A1 without AMS is the best single-color printer you can buy at this price. Bar none.
A1 owner, r/3DprintingSame great hardware as the Combo, just without the color changer. Perfect for most people.
A1 owner, Make Anything (YouTube)The safer choice with better build quality and more established support than newer competitors.
Hi Combo owner, 3DTechValleyCatching up with color. Creality's multi-color game is improving but the CFS still needs refinement.
Hi Combo owner, Tom's HardwareFor the price, you get a solid CoreXY that handles single-color beautifully. Multi-color is a bonus, not a guarantee.
Hi Combo owner, 3DWithUs
Pros & Cons
A1
- +Full 256mm build volume, same as the Combo but $100 cheaper
- +Bambu's reliability, slicer, and support at $299
- +500mm/s speed that's calibrated and ready without tweaking
- −Open frame: ABS warping is a real problem without modification
- −No multi-color in the box: the Combo is $100 more and includes it
Hi Combo
- +16 colors with 4 CFS modules if you go all-in
- +All-metal CoreXY body that feels solid for $399
- +300mm Z-axis beats most competitors at this price
- −CFS feed reliability is inconsistent on color changes
- −No adaptive purge, fixed volumes waste filament
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bambu Lab A1 better than the Creality Hi Combo?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Creality Hi Combo may be the smarter buy if you need multi-color.
Which is better for beginners, Bambu Lab A1 or Creality Hi Combo?
The Bambu Lab A1 is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Creality Hi Combo worth $100 more than the Bambu Lab A1?
The Bambu Lab A1 actually scores higher (9.2/10) despite costing $100 less. The Creality Hi Combo only makes sense if you specifically need multi-color.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab A1 and Creality Hi Combo?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 260x260x300mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Bambu Lab A1 is best for beginners; the Creality Hi Combo targets multi-color.