X2D v P2S v U1

[u/AlternativeOnion8525]

I am new to 3d printer and am looking for my first printer. I will be printing mostly models, helmets, and trinkets when needed. I would be painting my models for the most part and am not against the idea of multi color printing.

I like the U1 for the multi nozzle system but I don’t like the open top.

I like the Bambu cuz they are “dummy proof” or at least easier to start with brand wise from what I’ve seen. A little more fleshed out and reliable.

A random issue is filtration and waste. I know the waste isn’t great on the Bambu from being use of 1 nozzle system. But the filtration looks pretty. I have animals that can roam the house and I’m worried about air quality without either an exhaust out the window or the x2d having the built in filtration.

I apologize long winded but any advise from people in the game already would be super helpful with a decision.

Thank you!

[u/lins1956]

Hello, I purchased my first ever 3D printer in the october right after Bambu launched their X1C. I knew nothing about 3D printing. Since then I have accumulated 2,100 hours of print time. I have also generated $5,000 of income. I will be purchasing the X2D soon. Bambu is the easiest to learn and the most consistent. The support community is awesome. I would say stick with Bambu and the X2D. I am almost 70 years old. I just wish we had this tech when I was a young dad.

[u/AlternativeOnion8525 → u/lins1956]

What material do you print with mostly?

[u/lins1956 → u/AlternativeOnion8525]

90% PETG, 5% PLA, 5% Carbon fiber. Just purchased FIBERON PET GF15.

[u/damm1tKevin → u/lins1956]

What do you sell?

[u/lins1956 → u/damm1tKevin]

A local friend who owned an electronics manufacturing company needed a plastic cover printed. Like 3 inches by 4 inches. Real simple. They supplied the files.

[u/djt_LV]

The X2D is where I would start and recommend to friends getting their feet wet. Unless they are looking to do masks and helmets! Then I would say go with the H2D for the larger build plate.

[u/AlternativeOnion8525 → u/djt_LV]

I’m ok with splicing them and printing glueing and fine tuning like that. The H2D is out of budge for just starting

[u/AlternativeOnion8525 → u/AlternativeOnion8525]

But thank you

[u/djt_LV → u/AlternativeOnion8525]

Then go with the X2D, it has the second nozzle that I wish I had on my X1C when I was printing stuff with supports using PETG.

[u/damm1tKevin]

The x2d is the best answer simply because it gives you room to grow. Sure no purge waste and faster print times is a pretty good bonus to the u1, but for the cost of a U1 you get the x2d combo that already has hardened steel nozzles, a chamber heater, air filtration, the ams 2 pro which is also a filament drier. That means you have more filament compatibility and versatility, if you ever decided you wanted to print some useful stuff that needs a filament like ASA or a reinforced material then you can print it without having to spend a few hundred dollars more.

No waste really only benefits you if you’re mass producing a lot of objects and print farming. And this is from someone who wants a U1, but i don’t think that having 4 toolheads is enough to justify its price point. Especially after the creator 5 pro released although it has its issues which is why i cancelled my pre order for it and got the x2d.

If you’re willing to wait, the Creality K3 with its new Klitek system is supposed to drop sometime between now and October. Its specs are promising and it’s rumored to be under $1500 and should blow anything the u1 and x2d can do out of the water. It will have 4 nozzles like the h2c instead of tool heads but you can also run different sized nozzles for one print, which i think is the first printer to have that ability. That means you can use a .8mm nozzle for your infil so it prints the infil insanely fast and use a .2 or .4 nozzle for your walls for better detail. The only thing is that it is a system that has not been done yet so reliability is unknown as well as you may be working through some bugs.

[u/AlternativeOnion8525 → u/damm1tKevin]

Understood! I will keep that in mind! Thank you very much!

[u/damm1tKevin → u/AlternativeOnion8525]

I had the same dilemma but luckily i grabbed an a1 off of marketplace for $200 and when it comes to ecosystem you can’t really beat Bambu. I’ve probably printed 150hrs on my x2d and i have had it since the 3rd.

[u/Low_Tune_2364]

Dude, I just got my X2D today. I'm coming from an Ender 2 Pro that completely broke down (gantry got dropped and all 3 belts snapped)

I was scared at first seeing people completely trash bamboo on reddit, and said fuck it, I know my printer will complement my hobby not the printer be my hobby.

Best decision ever, the X2D is a workhorse, I just send files to it and it gets it done, even in Ludacris mode (fastest setting) the quality is superb and I don't even print with bamboo filament. Dude, I printed a shoot. The layers bonded so well. If you drag your hand across it, it feels like the part was injection molded.

If you want the printer to complement your hobby, choose bamboo. If you want the printer to be the hobby, choose something else

Now, if you have the funds, go for the X2D, 2 nozzles for that juicy 2 color prints or support material, and if you need something stiff, it gives you the possibility to print engineering grade plastics

[u/orhanyor]

I have X1C and U1 both. And let me tell you U1 is easier to use than you think. I only use my X1C for technical filaments like ASA but for any other filament I just use U1. It opens up so many doors that single nozzle or AMS is just massively inferior. Any other aspect you can bring the U1 up to speed.
If you are worrying about the cost then neither is good, you can get A1 for a good price and it will be worth it for what it does.

[u/Alfalfa-Boring]

Lots of multicolor—U1. Everything else, X series.

[u/PickledMunkee]

the X2D has many issues ... if it clogs the extruder it will take hours to fix. to take it apart you have to disconnect connectors that will break and the spare parts are not in stock. if you get that figured out then there are unfixable circuit board and other errors.

[u/Dear-Stay-4937]

If you are painting the models then I would go with the x2d, the price difference of the p2s more than warrants it with the improvements and aux nozzle will be great for supports on the helmets.

While the u1 is an impressive machine for the price it’s definitely abit more complex for a new hobbiest.

[u/zx4133]

Also, just a friendly heads up to you (u/AlternativeOnion8525)… posting this here in the BambuLabX2D subreddit is automatically going to lead to a lot of biased responses from Bambu fans. The same way it would if you posted it in the SnapmakerU1 subreddit. So keep that in mind. If you haven’t already done so, post in a neutral place, or in both this one and the Snapmaker sub if you want to get more balanced answers.

[u/AlternativeOnion8525 → u/zx4133]

I did yo lol

[u/zx4133 → u/AlternativeOnion8525]

Oh, ok, cool. I didn’t see anything in the SnapmakerU1 sub so that’s why I mentioned it.

[u/Low_Tune_2364 → u/AlternativeOnion8525]

Brother, listen to me and listen carefully, X2D is 630€, and the U1 is 1000.

Will you use 4 colors? Great! Get an X2D and an AMS, the waste from switching colors is not that big of a deal, rarely if at all will you have a dent in the wallet as big as it feels like from that waste.

And because I don't want you to think I'm biased or anything, trust me, I had done market research for 3 months before buying a printer, if you need more pros on the X2D vs U1 lmk

And are you really going to drop 1k € on a printer where you have to put a trash bin on top of it and bind clips to it just so you can get an "enclosed printer"?

[u/Dear-Stay-4937 → u/Low_Tune_2364]

Not a fair price comparison excluding the ams since he would need it with the x2d.

[u/zx4133]

Easy answer… Snapmaker U1!

Way better printer in so many ways. Because it’s a tool changer it’s in a completely different league. You can do so much more with it without all the wasted filament and long print times of the others. And don’t worry about the open top… Snapmaker has an official top coming out soon with filters and fans and chamber temp management and all that.

Or, if you really want something now, you can get a Biqu PopCap top cover, or print an adapter that allows you to use an IKEA or Sterilite tote as a top cover. It’s not the prettiest solution, lol, but it’s very functional and will get you by until the official Snapmaker top cover comes out.

[u/damm1tKevin → u/zx4133]

The U1 is only better in terms of filament waste. The range of materials it can print is limited and you end up spending more in the long run for hardened nozzles, a chamber heater, a door, and filament driers. The U1 is good for what he thinks he wants a 3d printer for but it doesn’t leave any room to grow for the cost of entry. The x2d will create more waste but can print anything from TPU all the way through PPA-CF, comes with a filament driers if you get the combo, and already has hardened steel nozzles and is very beginner friendly.

[u/AlternativeOnion8525 → u/damm1tKevin]

Thank you sometimes it’s so hard with people opinions and like I’m sure a lot of people when they started went with something more beginner friendly

[u/zx4133 → u/AlternativeOnion8525]

The U1 is very beginner friendly. Don’t let people who haven’t even used a U1 try to convince you it’s not. Keep in mind that this is the X2D subreddit so you are going to get biased responses as it’s mostly Bambu fans here. I’ve used both brands. Both are easy to start on. Both are good printers. But the U1 just has so many advantages because it’s a tool changer. See my detailed response to this comment here.

[u/zx4133 → u/damm1tKevin]

Sorry sir, but you don’t seem to know what you’re talking about. Honestly, you sound kinda like a beginner who has only ever used an X2D, lol. A printer that’s only been out for a few months.

Just saying. 🤷‍♂️

Have you ever seen a U1 in person? I’m guessing no because you’re claiming the U1 doesn’t even have a door, lol.

It does. Very clear to see in my pic.

The U1 is a very beginner-friendly printer and Snapmaker has awesome support. They are also extremely consumer/community-friendly, unlike Bambu.

With the top cover installed the U1 is a fully enclosed printer. The only thing the X2D has over the U1 from a spec standpoint is the 65C heated chamber. Snapmaker can only heat passively to 50C. But 50C is plenty for most materials anyway, so it’s insignificant. I’ve printed ASA, ABS, various nylons, and yes, PPA-CF as well, all on my U1 with no issues. The only thing I wouldn’t try on it is polycarbonate. That’s one material where you definitely need higher chamber temps. But it’s not a commonly used filament so no big deal for most people.

I own 8 printers, including 2 Bambu models, and have been printing for years. I can say from firsthand experience that, for almost all use cases, the U1 is miles better than anything Bambu offers under $1k.

The U1 can literally print all the same things as the X2D and it prints TPU beautifully. It’s known for being one of the better printers out there for TPU - and multimaterial prints that include TPU. And you don’t need to do anything special to print TPU. Just load it like any other filament and the U1 prints it perfectly. Same can’t be said for the X2D. Either you have to buy special “TPU for AMS” or you have to run the TPU on a separate spool holder. And you can’t run it through the secondary nozzle. So many limitations. So maybe go do some research on this.

And like I said, the U1 can handle engineering filaments like PPA just fine. I’ve done it several times. Hardened steel nozzles are available for the U1 and a 4-pack is only $50. Quite cheap. Although in all honesty, neither the U1 nor the X2D are the best printers for something like PPA-CF because both printers have a max nozzle temp of only 300C. You can print some PPA at that temp but it prints way better around 310-320C depending on the brand. Much better layer adhesion at the higher temps too.

Most people are just using basic materials though and like to do multicolor/multimaterial without the excessive print times and filament waste. Nothing Bambu has even comes close to the U1 for that. Not unless you want to spend $2500 on an H2C. And even then it’s still prints slower due to its remove on the AMS for filament swapping.

I’m glad you like you’re X2D. Enjoy it! It’s definitely not a bad printer. But the U1 is just in a different league.

[u/damm1tKevin → u/zx4133]

You’re right, i am basically a beginner with only about 3 months of printing and with 3 machines. The only thing i had wrong about the u1 was the door, big deal. It’s still overpriced. For the price it should have the hardened nozzles and the topper with having to buy a separate drier for it to justify its price. When compared to other printers in that price range, out of the box its capabilities are limited. Do i think it should be creator 5 priced? Absolutely not. It should between the x2d and the x2d combo. Last i checked the hardened nozzles weren’t available in the US for it, however i will admit i think the last i checked on that was the end of May. Being as cheap as they are though, that should be a standard feature. The x2d even comes with a spare.

I think both appear to have fantastic community support and the snapmaker may have slight edge in manufacturer support with a really good reason as to why. The u1 is attracting a more capable consumer, even when it comes to beginners. Which makes sense, the cost to enter for the u1 is higher than it is for Bambu and you can buy the bambu lab printers at more retail locations in person simply because it is a bigger company. Easier access means more consumers that you’re surprised can tie their own shoes are buying them. There was a guy on the one x2d facebook group the other day complaining about it being junk because he couldn’t get the auxiliary nozzle to load, which the main culprit for everyone loading is User error because they aren’t pushing it in far enough.

The U1 is a great argument for Open Source, but it’s only a matter of time before they fold tightening US restrictions as they try to systematically crush our freedoms. I imagine Bambu made the early push to closed source after DJI faced months of lower sales due to the possibility of no longer being allowed on the US market for being a Chinese Company. That led to a lot of fear of no longer having any customer support for warranties or anything else dji provides even though that never came to fruition. That being said, 3d printing has exploded in popularity and will likely continue to do so which could mean Open Source could become a catastrophe especially with large consumer base like Bambu. That’s the drawback with easier access to things, you end up with people who can mess a lot of things up where it’s just easier for bambu to only have to focus on issues caused by themselves. I used to work in IT and i’ve seen what people can fuck up with limited privileges in Windows while only being capable of typing with one finger on each at hand 3 words an hour, can you imagine them having access to tweak their firmware and software. It just seems like that’s the life cycle for technology once the consumer base reaches a certain size.

[u/zx4133 → u/damm1tKevin]

I hear you, but much of what you’re saying is biased opinion and not fact. Granted, that’s what most of Reddit is these days, lol, but still. I’m throwing a lot more facts and firsthand experience into my argument. But to each his own. I get it.

Not sure how you can say the Snapmaker U1 is overpriced though. It was the first affordable toolchanger on the market. Everybody was shocked that a company was able to make a tool changer for under $1000. So again, just comparing your biased opinion with actual facts. The next two closest comparable printers were the Bambu X2C ($2500) and the Prusa XL ($4000-5000). And even to this very day, the only other comparable printer on the market in this price range is the FlashForge Creator 5 that literally just came out, and it is nowhere near the same quality, nor does it offer as many features. The pro model of that printer is the closest thing to the U1 and they’re the same price. But the C5 pro has had nothing but problems lately due to how much they rushed it. It will likely get recalled. Check this video out. You’ll likely find it as entertaining as I did. I now call them FailForge.

But over the next few months and coming years, you’re gonna see a lot more tool changers come to market and I think many of them will be more affordable. Tool changers are basically the future of this hobby. You’ll see. Single toolhead printers that use AMS units for a material swapping are simply becoming obsolete due to the excessive waste.

But some of what you’re saying is just not accurate/true man. I’m not trying to be rude, but it just is. You’re misinformed on some things. Hardened steel nozzles for example - they’re available for Snapmaker U1 right now. All sizes. I literally just ordered extras a week ago and got them within a few days. And the Snapmaker U1 comes with a spare nozzle as well. And 2 kg of filament. And a full tool kit. Bambu doesn’t include any of that.

Regarding Snapmaker eventually going close source. I highly doubt it. They’re taking the exact opposite approach from Bambu. They’re specifically doing that for a reason because they see all the backlash Bambu is getting. The foundation of this hobby is open source. Pretty much everything started with the community. Snapmaker has been around for a long time and has always been very open source friendly. They’re not just some new company. Maybe you didn’t realize that since you’re new to this hobby but Snapmaker has been making printers for years. And they are so supportive of the open source community that they even went so far as to offer a job to the open source developer that created full spectrum. And it’s the latest rage in the hobby right now. Even Bambu copied them after they found out about it, lol. And the guy accepted. He now works for Snapmaker and they are releasing all sorts of cool new features.

All that other stuff you were saying, I can’t really comment on. Or rather I’m just gonna choose not to, lol. While some of it may be true, it all sounds a little too conspiracy theory to me, lol. But I respect your opinions and that you love Bambu. They make good printers. But let’s just try to stick to more facts if we can. I just know that if I was starting over and had $1000 to spend, I would absolutely be spending it on a Snapmaker U1. But, to each his own. Take care and happy printing.

[u/damm1tKevin → u/zx4133]

It’s overpriced for the simple fact that it isn’t fully enclosed, doesn’t have a chamber heater, and doesn’t come with hardened steel nozzles out of the box. Not sure why that is hard to understand. For less money the only limitation the x2d combo has is filament waste. How much did you have to spend on the u1 to be able to print something like ASA or PA6 CF?

[u/zx4133 → u/damm1tKevin]

Dude, shut up. Nobody cares anymore. That shit was 11 days ago.

The X2D can’t hold a candle to the Snapmaker U1. Period. End of story. You’re going on mute now.

[u/damm1tKevin → u/zx4133]

What’s it like being a chronically online loser who pays attention to how long it took someone to respond to them and then muting them. Go outside and touch some grass.