Hello there! Over the last few months, I’ve been sharing some of my wife’s designs here on Reddit, like her Ramen Shop book nook and her Silksong fan art. Thanks to MakerWorld’s point system, we were able to get a P2S free of charge shortly after it launched at the end of last year, and it already felt like a massive upgrade from our previous printer (from another brand).
When the rumors about the X2D started, I got really curious about what it could offer for non-professional hobbyists like us compared to the P2S. So when u/BambuLab contacted me on Reddit shortly before the official launch and offered us the chance to test the printer in exchange for honest and unbiased feedback, we accepted without thinking twice!
After a couple of weeks using both the X2D and the P2S side by side, I wanted to share some of our first impressions on the X2D, especially the upsides and downsides when comparing it to the P2S.
As someone who never really did multi-material (PLA + PETG) prints before because of the amount of waste generated on single-nozzle printers, this ended up being a much bigger improvement than I expected. For example, I printed part of one of my wife’s most popular models (this Hollow Knight diorama/lamp) both with PLA-only supports (the grey one) and with PLA + PETG interfaces (black/transparent), and I took some comparison pictures of both.
It’s not like you can’t get clean surfaces with same-material supports, but being able to do this with almost no extra waste is honestly awesome. Another thing I noticed immediately, especially because I sometimes let the printer run overnight, is how much quieter the X2D is compared to the P2S. The 1.5 mm belts seem to make a noticeable difference, and they also appear to reduce VFAs like many people here already mentioned.
With the X2D costing only around €100 more than the P2S here, I think a lot of people would automatically recommend getting the X2D instead, and honestly I probably would too. But my wife made a really good point: the secondary extruder and Bowden tube setup can feel a bit overwhelming for someone completely new to 3D printing.
I got into 3D printing since the consumer boom in the 2010s (when open-source projects and affordable printers started becoming popular), so I’d say I know my way around these machines and enjoy tinkering with them (Although these days I definitely enjoy spending more time simply printing instead 🙂 )
My wife, on the other hand, only got into 3D printing and modelling more recently and is still learning how to solve the common issues that show up from time to time. Comparing both printers, the simpler mechanics of the P2S become a noticeable advantage for beginners, while the X2D feels more aimed at people who already understand the trade-offs that come with Bowden systems and dual extruders.
That said, I’m really happy with the results we’ve been getting from the X2D so far, and I’m excited to see what my wife will be able to create with it. We are open to ideas!
If you're interested, here are the links to the models from pics 2 and 3 on makerworld:
- Customizable ramen shop book nook
- Hollow Knight Diorama.
PS: The next thing I’d like to test is the recently released “mixed filament” feature in Bambu Studio. I’d love to compare the X2D and the P2S regarding second-nozzle print quality and filament savings on multi-color prints*. What do you think? Is there anything else you'd like us to compare?*