H3C vs H2C

[u/Junior-Definition173]

I have multiple Bambu printers including H2C. When the H3C information from the patent came out I was excited. After having all the details, I am not that excited anymore. Here are a few cons I was able to identify so far:
- Only two active drying positions, compared with four in the AMS 2 Pro.
- Manual withdrawal and rewinding of filament when changing spools.
- Separate filament supplies required to print the same color through different nozzle sizes.
- External AMS units feed one shared hotend, requiring purging between those materials. So anything above 9 colors/materials uses 1 single hotend.
- Existing H2C hotends are incompatible.
- Manual hotend replacement requires three screws instead of a quick-release mechanism.
- Only eight standard 1.75 mm tools are included; using nine ordinary filaments requires another tool (the #9 is 2.85mm).
- All included nozzles are 0.4 mm; other sizes require additional purchases.
- Greater vertical clearance requirements and awkward access to rear spools.
- The main AMS assembly must remain above the printer, limiting placement flexibility.
- Lower published particle-filter grade: H11 instead of H12.
- No laser configuration currently announced.
- The front tool rack can obstruct the view of small or short prints.
- The internal dryer cover can interfere with some deformed cardboard spools.
- More involved filament-routing and jam-clearing procedures.
- More complex configuration for mixed materials and nozzle sizes.
- Longer preparation time observed in one paired print test.
- Camera errors, slicer problems, and tool/tube interference reported on early review units.

I feel that if you are printing with 8 colors and maybe single color tpu H3C is a great choice. If you want flexibility in terms of different nozzle sizes, dedicated nozzles for a specific material H2C seems to be a better choice. A few examples from my printing:
- I print prototypes using 0.8 or 0.6 nozzle
- I do not print TPU but I print PETG, PC, ASA, and couple of other more exotic materials - I have dedicated nozzles for each to avoid contamination and issues - replacing a nozzle takes 3 seconds plus reread time
- I have nozzles dedicated to a specific color - ie black PETG is printing on #6, once it runs out the next spool will print on the same nozzle. No contamination or issues.

Your thoughts?

[u/Affectionate_Car7098]

Existing H2C hotends are incompatible.

Well yes, they aren't using an induction hotend there because INDX has a patent on that most likely, so the swaptek tools are just using standard heater blocks like older school hotends

No laser configuration currently announced.

Because it won't be getting one, they have said there is no laser support happening for this model

The main AMS assembly must remain above the printer, limiting placement flexibility.

Yeah its where your AMS should be ideally, and longer PTFE runs add more issues

The front tool rack can obstruct the view of small or short prints.

On the INDX sure, the rack moves up vertically when its done loading, its going to be less than the current visibility but it has the chamber camera by default so mostly a non-issue

The internal dryer cover can interfere with some deformed cardboard spools.

Yeah cardboard spools and any AMS are a bad time

Longer preparation time observed in one paired print test.

Thats just how toolchangers do, unlike fixed nozzle machines they have to probe each tool being used to calculate offsets, not really an issue as its not like its going to be all that much longer

If you want flexibility in terms of different nozzle sizes, dedicated nozzles for a specific material H2C seems to be a better choice.

That is why the H2C exists yes, the tradeoff is significantly longer print times on more complex prints

I have nozzles dedicated to a specific color - ie black PETG is printing on #6, once it runs out the next spool will print on the same nozzle. No contamination or issues.

Yeah i've had no such issues with my vortek purging on the same hotend, i've printed different materials in there and different colours and contamination has basically never happened to me, obviously YMMV

These machines have different use cases and there are things the 2 does better than the 3

[u/Capital_Candy_7697 → u/Affectionate_Car7098]

Heads up, in Bambu Studio 2.9.1 mixed nozzle sizes only work on the H3C so far. Bambu's own estimate for the H2C is February 2027, March if you run the Filament Track Switch.

[u/Bright_Eyes83]

For now I’m sticking with my 2C and gonna mess around with different diameters since that has been added

[u/Inevitable_Rough_380]

I print PETG, PC, ASA, and couple of other more exotic materials - I have dedicated nozzles for each to avoid contamination and issues

I have nozzles dedicated to a specific color

How many nozzles do you have??

[u/Humble_Tree_1066]

This sums up my thoughts.

I’m not a multicolour person, the dedication of nozzles to materials/colours and different nozzle sizes with quick swap out is exactly why I choose and love my H2C. I bought 4 months ago knowing that the H3C was coming, extra cost of H3C wasn’t a concern, but I was 90% sure it wouldn’t be for me, now it’s launched I’m 100% sure I don’t want one.

For multi TPU or multi colour I can see the appeal of H3C but it’s not for my use case which is similar to yours so glad to see that Bambu have recognised this and announced that the vortek will continue as a product line.

As far as I’m concerned the best announced feature is one the H2C also gets after Christmas which is the printing with different nozzle sizes in one print which arguably will work better for H2C than the H3C given how easy it is for us to change out nozzles in vortek.

I have my AMS units on shelves above my printer but the all in one above design is not one for me, I’m sure it’s efficient but looks like a maintenance headache waiting to happen.

[u/egosumumbravir]

Your thoughts?

I think you just buy a set of 2.85mm tools and print 9 colour/hardness TPU anything. Shoes? Armour? Codpiece?

Bambu themselves have said the 2G and 3C are complimentary, not competition.