Bambu Lab A1
- Price
- $299
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 4/5
Bambu Lab A1 vs Kingroon KP3S Pro V2
- The Bambu Lab A1 wins, 9.2 vs 7.2 out of 10.
- A1 prints 2.1× the volume (256³ ÷ 200³ = 2.10) for $140 ($299 − $159) more.
- A1 is faster, 500 vs 250 mm/s.
- Pick the KP3S Pro V2 if your prints fit in 20 cm.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Kingroon KP3S Pro V2
- Price
- $159
- Score
- 7.2/10
- Wins
- 1/5
The verdict
Buy the A1.
9.2/10 vs KP3S Pro V2's 7.2/10, and it wins 4 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
vsKP3S Pro V2Kingroon · FDM
| A1 | Spec | KP3S Pro V2 |
|---|---|---|
| $299 | Price | $159 (wins) |
| 16.8 L (wins) | Build volume | 8.0 L |
| 500 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 250 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 9.05 kg | Weight | 6.5 kg |
Features
| A1 | Feature | KP3S Pro V2 |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | Yes |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Vibration compensation | No |
| Yes | Direct drive | Yes |
| Yes | Full-size A1 bed | No |
| No | Linear rails | Yes |
| No | PEI build plate | Yes |
Value math
$299 ÷ 16.8 L and $159 ÷ 8.0 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| A1 | Spec | KP3S Pro V2 |
|---|---|---|
| $17.82 (wins) | $ per liter | $19.88 |
| $0.60 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.64 |
Scores out of 10
| A1 | Spec | KP3S Pro V2 |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 10 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 9 (wins) | Print Quality | 7 |
| 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
- 200 × 200 × 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)Linear rails at $159 is genuinely wild. This is the budget printer the community sleeps on.
KP3S Pro V2 owner, r/3Dprinting
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
KP3S Pro V2
- +Linear rails at $159 is genuinely unusual: this feature normally costs $300+
- +Direct drive handles TPU without the feeding nightmares of a Bowden setup
- +Compact footprint fits on a shelf without dedicating a full desk to it
- −200mm cube limits what you can print in one go
- −Kingroon's community is small: if something breaks, you're mostly solving it alone
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 Kingroon KP3S Pro V2?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Kingroon KP3S Pro V2 may be the smarter buy if you need budget.
Which is better for beginners, Bambu Lab A1 or Kingroon KP3S Pro V2?
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 $140 more than the Kingroon KP3S Pro V2?
The Bambu Lab A1 scores higher overall (9.2/10 vs 7.2/10). The extra $140 gets you full 256mm build volume, same as the combo but $100 cheaper.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab A1 and Kingroon KP3S Pro V2?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 200x200x200mm) and print speed (500 vs 250 mm/s). The Bambu Lab A1 is best for beginners; the Kingroon KP3S Pro V2 targets budget.