I have been away for a while. My X1 carbon shows
Version: 01.08.02.00 → 01.09.01.00
AMS1 Version: 00.00.06.44 → 00.00.06.75
I’m getting nagged to upgrade every time I turn the printer on. But frankly, I’m afraid to upgrade. I use Fusion 360 → Orca Slicer → X1C. I remember that there was an issue that upgrading broke this simple setup.
So the question, am I being paranoid, or is it now safe to upgrade?
All of my Bambu Printers are on the latest Firmware without issue
I think it was the 01.09. upgrade which forced me to activate developer/LAN mode on the X1.
It was not a problem though. Been printing through Orca using that without issues.
Short answer: No.
This ultimately comes down to what you value most:
If you chose #1, upgrading is a hard NO. Bambu Labs is actively closing off third-party support, despite their public denials. They once endorsed Orca Slicer - now they’ve burned that bridge. This is Apple-level gatekeeping.
If you chose #2, and you’re comfortable staying inside their walled garden, then upgrade. Just know what you’re buying into.
Bambu Connect is central to this shift - designed to lock users into their auth system, forcing all slicing and print management through their tools.
Given Bambu’s behavior, I see a likely scenario progressing moving forward.
It’s likely only a matter of time before Bambu Studio introduces technical hurdles that discourage use of third-party filaments - whether through whitelist enforcement, performance degradation, or user nags. As one EU judge described in a recent Apple ruling, this is “transactional friction” - in plain terms: making it harder for customers to choose freely.
I predict Bambu will eventually introduce advertising into their slicer interface. Orca allows users to disable automatic redirection to the Bambu Makerworld page - so why doesn’t Bambu offer the same option?
You don’t need to read all 1,200 posts in this thread, but the first few pages here show how deep the backlash runs(posted here in January of this year):
Orca Slicer, who supported Bambu since the start, has now officially walked away:
Here is link #1: https://www.3printr.com/orca-slicer-rejects-bambu-connect-dispute-over-third-party-integration-4177010/
Here is links #2: Bambu Lab controversy continues: Orca Slicer rejects new Bambu Connect - 3D Printing Industry
Here’s a more detailed interaction between The Verge and a Bambu spokesperson outlining what will and won’t be supported. In my view, their response is pure sugar-coating - and a textbook example of why the community has accused Bambu of gaslighting us and insisting that we “just misunderstand them.”
This exchange is worth reading, and then you be the judge. To me, the outright falsehoods and misrepresentations from their spokesperson are outrageous. The community has rightly called them out on this conduct - and Bambu’s response? Deafening silence.
The 3D Printer community- who supported Bambu in the early days - is not confused. We’re not misinformed. We see exactly what’s happening - and we’re not buying it.
As a wise man once said: “All the people cannot be wrong.”
I’m intrigued by LAN mode. I just watched youtube and can see that its easy to implement. I assume that I can always keep the X1+AMS on the latest firmware versions and I can continue to use OrcaSlicer (and even Bambu studio). But @Olias writes that OrcaSlicer has officially walked away. What does this mean, does it mean no more updates from them?
Thank you very much for taking the time to provide all the detail. Its been quite a long time, but it was the long thread that you pointed to that convinced me to not upgrade (ever), this was months ago. But I dont like the nag screen each time wanting me to update. I have just expressed interest in the LAN mode. It seems that I could try this, and revert back to my current setup without needing to upgrade. I can see that I need to do some more reading before doing anything. My setup right now works great, I would hate to break it.
Tbh, I usually follow @Olias lead. In particular on IT matters. That was also the case on the 01.09. upgrade.
Until there was a particular test series I wanted to do (Minimum Layer Height Limbo: How low can we go?) which Studio is unable to accomodate (“combine infill” does not work adequately in Studio, only in Orca), I had little time.but multiple issues between Sd card prob’s, firmware updates, Studio, … all combined with a lack of own IT expertise.
So I bit the lemon and ran the gauntlet.
It worked exactly as advertised.
But, and I think this may be pretty.important, I have no idea how I would go about reverting back to a pre-01.09. version without Bambu Connect… I expect that could be quite a chore…
Personally, I am not too worried about Bambu locking down filaments. It’d require a really stable supply chain with only very short and limied lack of material stocks possible and eliminate their own procurement flexibility. So I expect that it’ll not happen before they feel that they have well and truly saturated and dominated the market. I expect there’s still plenty of room.
What I am however worried about is being locked into a data stream that could be impeded by measures beyond my (or Bambu’s) control. It does not even need to be a world changing event. Just an economic downturn, a little bad luck, … would I still be able to print if Bambu is not able to update Studio, Connect, etc? Certainly for a while, but equall certainly: not indefinitely.
I probably would have tried harder not to need to upgrade if I did not have a Plus 4 sitting opposite the X1C 
. Its Qidi Box (aka: AMS) should have touched down in Frankfurt earlier today 
.