First off, this community is great compared to the limited FlashForge activity!
I am a relative newbie (9 months) to 3D printing. I currently have a FlashForge ADM3 Pro2 printer and am thinking about upgrading to a P1S with AMS. The ADM3 has allowed me to print many items PLA items for around the house or for the grandkids to play with but I have run into some limitations. I don’t plan to sell any prints, but would like more options with materials and colors.
The ADM3 print size is 150mm cubed and I would like to go a little bigger.
The ADM3 is a bed slinger, so many taller prints have fallen over unless I take measures (slow down, rafts, etc.).
It would be convenient to automatically change filament color without haveing to set pauses in the slicer.
Very limited PET-G success; much platform layer warping and stringiness. Plus it is necessary to swap to a hotter nozzle and recalibrate the bed when switching from PLA.
Is the P1S Combo a good upgrade choice?
The P1S has been released for over 1 year; Is there a newer version around the corner?
I see many posts that P1S was bought during last year’s Black Friday sales; Is it wise to wait?
Will the current sales be soon gone because of the lawsuit?
That’s a loaded question. Are you asking if the bundle is a better bargain than buying it separate; yes.
While there are no guarantees. Bambu’s release cycle has over the past two years been in and around July-September but they surprised everyone with the A1 in November. That said, if you look at their product road map, at the low end you have the A1 Mini and at the high end the X1C with no gaps in between. It would be hard to conceive of what they would do next that wouldn’t cannibalize their existing sales. So I’d say, it’s unlikely you’ll see anything new in the next 6 months but you might see accessories released. Perhaps the quick change nozzle that they advertised here a couple of days ago. Maybe even a kit to support the A1 AMS for the P1 perhaps but I can’t conceive of what they would do on the printer front at the moment. This would all change if some other player got their ■■■■ together but so far, even Prusa has been sitting on their ass when it comes to releasing a Bambu killer.
Get your magic 8 ball out. It is as likely a predictor of sales promotions as anything else.
Yes, you should likely see that effect somewhere between 2027 and 2031. It’s unlikely that this will even see a court room for at least two years. That gives both parties a lot of time and space to negotiate.
Thanks for the response. I was asking a lot of questions that could only be answered with some insider knowledge, so they were unlikely to get a definite answer.
I am mostly concerned with whether the P1S will address the FlashForge short comings without presenting other difficulties. Just moving from a FF ADM3 to a ADM5 should address the concerns but moving to a P1S Combo seems to be a real leap forward (on paper, at least).
If you’re looking for options. The reviews for the QIDI PLUS4 are starting to roll in and at $799, it’s looking like it may be well positioned to take on the X1C. I just saw the reviews yesterday and if you note what I said about there not being a gap in Bambu’s roadmap, I have to now take that back. Here’s how that stacks up
Price
X1C
$1,199
QIDI PLUS4
$799
P1S
$599
This puts that printer in that gap between the P1 and the X1 and it has a lot of features neither the X1 or P1 has.
USB, Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity
Active chamber heating to 65c
305x305x280mm build volume
Bed Temp 120c
Print head up to 370c
This is the first printer I’ve seen in this realm that can easily print more exotic materials like Nylon and PEEK without the need for a PLA, PETG, or ASA blend. The question is: do you really need those extra items? Truth be told, what won me over was the wired Ethernet and USB connectivity. This is one aspect of Bambulab’s arrogance that I’ve never been able to get past—they simply won’t give us non-cloud, no-strings-attached connectivity. The LAN-only mode was just there to pacify us, but it’s still not the same as wired connectivity. Bambu’s 2.5GHz-only implementation is problematic when troubleshooting connectivity, not to mention the lack of the ability to set our own network parameters, such as a static IP. I also like that it’s supported by Orca; it gives you the best of both worlds.
I’ve had the P1S combo for a few months coming from the Prusa side of the isle and really like it. I’ve added another AMS because they work so well and gives you so many more options on your prints.
The only thing I’m still running into “problems” with is the slicer. They aren’t really problems because it works really well, it’s just different. I’m used to how PrusaSlicer works and it’s in and outs where I’m still learning the quirks in Studio.
I like them, convenient, fast, small size (if you put the AMS above.
Can have multiple AMS units (I do).
What isn’t to love.
I like the A1 mini as well. Made even better when paired with the Swap Mod I have been testing that turns it into a workhorse with automatic plate removal and replacement.
It’s unlikely that this will even see a court room for at least two years. That gives both parties a lot of time and space to negotiate.