X2D or P2S (both with AMS Pro 2) - Looking for advice from the community

Bambu Lab X Series General discussions
1

Hi everyone,

First of all, I’m not completely sure if this is the right category for this topic. If it isn’t, I apologize in advance and kindly ask the moderators to move it where it belongs.

I’m fairly new to the world of 3D printing, but I have to say I’m absolutely loving it so far. The more I learn, the more I want to explore and push further into the hobby.

My current setup is:

  • Bambu Lab A1 with AMS Lite
  • Creality Space Pi 4 filament dryer
  • Sunlu AMS Heater

I’ve been spending a lot of time printing, learning, reading this forum, and experimenting with different materials and settings. It’s been an amazing experience.

Recently, a friend of mine bought a Flashforge Creality 5. He knows very little about 3D printers and technology in general, so I brought the printer to my house to learn how it works and then teach him how to use it properly.

Having two printers at home for a while has made me realize how useful a second machine can be, and now I’m seriously considering buying a second Bambu Lab printer. The problem is that I can’t decide between the P2S and the X2D, both paired with an AMS Pro 2.

I also realize that the community has probably seen dozens, if not hundreds, of “P2S vs X2D” threads already, and I apologize for adding another one to the pile. I’ve spent quite a bit of time reading existing discussions, but I’d still love to hear some fresh opinions based on my particular situation, if anyone has the time and willingness to share their thoughts.

Part of me is wondering if this is just a “new hobby obsession” and whether I’m being a bit crazy for wanting a second printer so soon. On the other hand, having experienced two printers running side by side, I can definitely see the advantages.

My current impression (which may be completely wrong) is that the P2S feels a bit like an A1 on steroids: faster, more capable, and more feature-rich, while still following a similar philosophy. But I’m here to learn, so I’d love to hear from people who have experience with either machine or, even better, both.

If you were in my position, coming from an A1 + AMS Lite setup and looking for a second printer with AMS Pro 2, would you choose the P2S or the X2D, and why?

Thanks in advance for any feedback, advice, or experiences you can share. I’m here to learn and I really appreciate the knowledge that this community shares every day.

And please, don’t hesitate to be completely honest. Feel free to tell me if I’m overthinking this, if buying a second printer at this stage makes perfect sense, or if there’s something I’m missing entirely. I’m genuinely looking for guidance and would love to hear different perspectives from more experienced users.

So go easy on me… or don’t! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: Either way, I’m here to learn and hopefully get some clarity on this decision.

Thanks again!

2

The question can be broken down simply:

Do you need a second nozzle? Do you want to mix different materials? Do you often print with support material, but want to take the next step to make it easier to remove?

I’d say, if you have the money, just go ahead and buy the X2D, because the extra cost isn’t that huge, and as you said, the P2S is more like an A1 on turbo. X2D simply expands your options without having to jump straight into the expensive H2 segment.

I’m looking at the price difference - roughly 100 euros or dollars. Given the small price difference, I would currently go with the X2D. Unless you say you really, truly never need the second nozzle at all… but then you might as well just buy a second A1.

P2S is kind of in a weird spot right now in terms of both price and functionality… but that’s just my personal opinion.

Maybe a video would help you, too?

3

Hi @RetroSharky Thanks for your reply!

To be honest, I think I already had the X2D in the back of my mind before creating this topic. I was mainly looking for feedback from the community to see if I was missing something obvious or if I was just getting carried away by the excitement of the hobby.

Regarding supports, I just finished printing a full Star Wars Stormtrooper helmet, and while it turned out great overall, the supports definitely left some noticeable marks on the surface. Nothing that a bit of sanding can’t fix, but they’re certainly there. That’s one of the reasons why the dual-nozzle system caught my attention in the first place.

The truth is that I don’t need a second nozzle right now. However, when I look at the price difference between the P2S and the X2D, it’s relatively small considering the additional capabilities and future possibilities that the X2D brings.

Another thing I’ve been wondering about is whether the second nozzle could also help reduce filament change times in some prints. I understand it’s not exactly the same as having two identical nozzles available, but I assume there must be situations where the printer can minimize some of the purging and filament swapping compared to a traditional single-nozzle multi-material setup.

Buying a second A1 was also something I considered. From a purely rational point of view, it would probably make a lot of sense… but where’s the fun in that? :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

I enjoy learning new things and exploring different possibilities, and the X2D seems like a machine that would give me more room to grow as I gain experience.

So yes, if I’m being completely honest, I was already leaning towards the X2D, but I wanted to hear the community’s thoughts before making the jump.

I’ll definitely have a look at the video as well. Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts!

4

I have an X2D and have no issues. I use my second nozzle when I need a second color. Typically on prints that have multicolors I’ll use the second nozzle on the color that is used the least. That way the overall print isn’t compromised on quality. I have been very happy with mine. Go for the X2D and you won’t regret it.

5

@gwbruce Thanks for sharing your experience!

That’s actually one of the use cases that makes the most sense to me. Using the second nozzle for the color that appears the least seems like a smart way to reduce unnecessary filament changes while keeping the overall print quality high.

As someone who is still relatively new to 3D printing, I’m probably looking at this more from a “future possibilities” perspective than from an immediate need. Right now, I can’t say I need a second nozzle, but I can definitely see myself finding ways to use it as I gain more experience.

I also like the idea of being able to dedicate one nozzle to support material or a secondary color when needed

The more I read and the more feedback I get, the more it feels like the X2D would give me more room to grow while not being dramatically more expensive than the P2S.

Thanks again. Hearing from actual X2D owners is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping to get when I created this topic. :+1:

6

I had a Flashforge or two, last one was a Creality 5 also. The Bambus are so much better printers. On the X2D vs P2S question, today I’d go with the P2S due to the complexity that the dual extruder setup for Bambu has. You’ll find yourself eventually spending a lot more time fixing the 3D printer issues we all run across with the X2D far more than with the P2S.

My current setup is an H2S, A1mini and X2D. Had regular A1, but it too was problematic as the hours of printing got high. The H2S (which I think will have the most similarities to the P2S in question) is my workhorse. It fails far less often, and is usually much more easier to fix than the other 2. The X2D has been a bit of a disappointment so far. Failing since almost right out of the box with many various issues. All fixable, but that is just more time fixing and less time printing.

7

It sounds like you want to experiment and expand beyond your current capabilities. The P2S helps in that regard, but the X2D will give you much more options for trying new 3D printing materials and techniques. While you can print materials that require chamber heating in the P2S, it’ll be easier and more reliable in the X2D since it has an active chamber heater and a hotter build plate. Two nozzles not only will help reduce filament wastage, but it lets you experiment with using dedicated support materials without worrying about contamination, and you can also play with mixing material types. Since they almost cost the same, I’d be hard pressed to recommend the P2S over the X2D since the X2D is so feature rich.

8

@Narg Thanks for sharing that. This is actually a very valuable and useful perspective,

My A1 has been fantastic so far. Honestly, zero problems up to this point, which is one of the reasons I’ve become such a fan of Bambu printers.

The reliability argument for the P2S definitely makes sense, and it’s something I’ll keep in mind. On the other hand, one thing I really enjoy about this hobby is exploring new features and understanding how the machines work. I don’t mind spending some time learning, tinkering, and figuring things out.

I think that’s partly why I keep leaning towards the X2D. Not because I need the second nozzle today, but because I’m curious about the possibilities it opens up for the future.

That said, your point about complexity and potential maintenance is very valid, and exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping to get from this topic.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your real-world experience.

9

I went with the X2D because I wanted to use some of the engineering filaments and they all require a heated chamber. I have printed a lot of ASA and had no issues at all in my X2D.

10

@RandomKhaos Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.

I think you’ve identified exactly what is pulling me towards the X2D. Again ,iIt’s not really about what I need today, but about having more opportunities to experiment and learn as I progress in the hobby.

The ability to work with dedicated support materials, different material combinations, and a wider range of filaments is definitely appealing. Even if I don’t take advantage of all those features immediately, I like the idea of having them available when I decide to explore further.

If the X2D was significantly more expensive, the decision would probably be much easier. However, with such a small price difference, it’s hard to ignore everything the X2D brings to the table.

Thanks

11

@gwbruce - It was the smartest choice due to yoiur requirements to buy a X2D…

Apart from engineering filaments, did you came across any major issues when printing PLA, PETG TPU etc?

12

The X2D has more possibilities, but it definitely has more headache.

I do not like the bowden extruder and use it as infrequently as possible. It takes too much time to tune it for doing random disparate jobs, I just let it swap thru AMS. I have a specific process that needs a quick swap that included TPU, and the x2d fills that need, but ugh. If you use aux for supports only you still need to tune it a little stronger than you would normally do for a DDE - retraction is a big deal and uhhhh supports are famously not attached to the main model and need retractions… If you dont tune it you get a true disaster of embedded wisps of support material left all over the main model. Fan control is also a little bad if you want to do something offscript, but I’ve actually found all defaults to be fine for pla/tpu. I use a qidi for abs/asa/pc/etc so havent tested those on the x2d.

The software is also not to my taste. The slicer’s “main / aux / mainHF / aux HF” bifurcations is getting silly, and frankly, stupid. I’d love to see usage statistics of how many users hold a profile of all 4. I wager 00.05%

13

@Bullocks - Thanks for the detailed feedback.

This is exactly why I posted my doubt before making a decision. On paper, it’s very easy to look at the X2D and focus only on the extra features and possibilities, but it’s equally important to understand the compromises that come with them.

One thing I’m definitely taking away from all these replies is that the X2D offers more flexibility, but that flexibility comes with additional complexity. As someone who enjoys learning and experimenting, that doesn’t necessarily scare me, but it is something I need to consider.

I appreciate your comments about the auxiliary extruder and the software side of things. Those are the kinds of real-world experiences that aren’t always obvious when reading specifications or watching YouTube reviews.

At the moment, I think I’m still leaning towards the X2D, mainly because of the relatively small price difference, but it’s useful to be reminded that “more features” doesn’t automatically mean “better experience” for every user

14

@Jclacerda I haven’t had any issues with PLA. I print mostly either PLA or ASA. I have some PETG filament but I am on projects that require ASA right now and haven’t had a chance to try it. So far everything has been working fine for me.

15

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated;)

16

Welcome to the forum!

In my case, i had an A1 for 5 months and the P2s was announced. I sold the A1 and bought the P2s. Should I have waited for the X2D? YES. I bought the P2s thinking I would barely need to print in multicolor or multi material, and I was right (until i wasn’t). One day I needed to print a crown for a virgin and I knew removing the supports was going to be impossible, so I decided to use pva for the supports. Problem? 2 purges every layer. It took 2 days nonstop printing and filling up the poop container every hour and I realized that a double nozzle printer would be ideal (H2d back then), for those few times i really needed it. So if you are SURE you are only going to print in one color or basic multicolor prints: P2s. If you don’t know and have a little bit more of money, definitely go buy the X2D. Also the x2 gives you a 90% sure future upgrade to vortek system or similar.

Hope it helps you!

Mprints

17

Thanks for the detailed feedback. I’m sold already :wink:

18

X2D with AMS Pro 2 ordered…Cant wait for it to arrive.

Thanks to everyone who participated in my thread and shared their feedback, experiences, and opinions. Your insights were incredibly helpful and made the decision-making process much easier.

Much appreciated!

19

Hi Everyone

Just to let you know that my X2D just arrived and its alreayd printing a 15hr ABS project.

As for now, im super excited with it.

20

I have had my x2d for 5 mons all of a sudden i start to run in to a lot of problems with it. Im not happy right now and currently have a ticket going tiwth bambu lab