Bambu Lab A1
- Price
- $299
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 3/5
Bambu Lab A1 vs Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
- The Bambu Lab A1 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 $15 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.
9.2/10 vs Mars 5 Ultra's 8.2/10, and it wins 3 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
vsMars 5 UltraElegoo · RESIN
| A1 | Spec | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| $299 | 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) |
| 9.05 kg | Weight | 7.5 kg |
Features
| A1 | Feature | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | WiFi | Yes |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Vibration compensation | No |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | Full-size A1 bed | No |
| No | 14K mono LCD | Yes |
| No | Tilt release | Yes |
| No | Air purifier | Yes |
Value math
$299 ÷ 16.8 L and $284 ÷ 2.7 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| A1 | Spec | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| $17.82 (wins) | $ per liter | $104.28 |
Scores out of 10
| A1 | 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 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 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
- +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
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 better than the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 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 or Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
The Bambu Lab A1 is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Bambu Lab A1 worth $15 more than the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
The Bambu Lab A1 scores higher overall (9.2/10 vs 8.2/10). The extra $15 gets you full 256mm build volume, same as the combo but $100 cheaper.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab A1 and Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra?
Technology: the Bambu Lab A1 is FDM (filament) and the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra is RESIN (resin). FDM prints bigger functional parts; resin delivers finer surface detail.