The Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo is a closed CoreXY 3D printer that promises high-end performance while remaining affordable. Billed as a direct competitor to the Bambu Lab X1, it offers multi-material printing (up to 8 colors) and a top speed of 600 mm/s, all for a price about half that of the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon. But does it live up to its promises?
Overview and Technical Specifications
Right out of the box, the Kobra S1 Combo impresses with its "all-in-one" concept. The device comes practically pre-assembled in a large box: there are only a few elements to attach (support, ACE Pro multi-filament module, etc.), others to unscrew (security screws), and a few cables to connect. In just half an hour, the machine is ready to go, a good point for beginners who dread tedious assembly.
The design is simple and modern, with a closed chassis with translucent panels on the front and top (plexiglass), which offer good visibility of the printing in progress. Note, however, that these panels are made of plastic and not glass, which reduces the "premium" feel a little. The whole thing remains robust and space-saving for a machine of this type: the base occupies approximately 40x41 cm, with a height of approximately 49 cm (excluding the upper module). Once the multi-filament unit is installed on top, the height exceeds 70 cm, and can reach almost 93 cm with the lid open, a detail to be expected depending on the available space.
Under the hood, the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo boasts a muscular technical sheet. Its CoreXY architecture (with Z-shaped movable plate) gives it speed and precision, aided by axes on linear rails for precise movements. The print volume is 250x250x250 mm, sufficient for most projects. The print head is equipped with a standard 0.4 mm nozzle (easily interchangeable without tools) capable of reaching up to 320 °C, coupled with a dual-gear direct extruder. This allows you to print a wide range of materials: from simple PLA to PETG, including flexible TPU, ABS and even ASA for parts that are resistant to outdoor use. The heated bed can reach 120 °C, essential for these technical filaments.
We appreciate that the closed chamber allows you to maintain a stable temperature for ABS/ASA, while knowing that it is advisable to open the front door slightly when printing PLA to avoid overheating this material. The other significant advantage is of course the multi-color capacity: thanks to the Anycubic ACE Pro module, the Kobra S1 Combo can automatically manage up to 4 filaments as standard, expandable to 8 if you add a second module. This system works like competing solutions: the printer changes filaments midstream to produce prints in several shades (or different materials), with purge sequences to avoid color mixing. Note that the purge waste, nicknamed “printer poop” by some users, is ejected through a chute at the rear of the machine, a design choice that may surprise you (the previous Kobra 3 Combo model evacuated it to the side) but which remains functional if you place a container behind the printer, or if you print a collector like we did!
Another welcome detail: the Kobra S1 introduces its Kobra OS firmware, with a 4.3″ color touchscreen to control the machine. The interface is quite intuitive, with advanced options such as flow calibration and an automatic bed leveling function. In concrete terms, the machine measures and corrects any flatness defects in the print bed itself, so the first calibration is child’s play. In our tests, we were able to start a print on the first try without any manual adjustment of the level or the Z offset. A camera is also integrated, coupled with an AI monitoring system capable of detecting filament overflows (spaghetti detection) and possible print failures: if a problem is detected, the print can be paused automatically to avoid wasting filament. On paper, this function is reassuring, even if its effectiveness has proven to be uneven in practice.
Handling and ease of use
The Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo is designed to be accessible to beginners while still satisfying the experienced enthusiast. Initial setup, as we've seen, is quick and well-guided. The instructions clearly explain the few remaining assembly steps. Upon powering it on, the touchscreen guides you through an initial automatic calibration. It's possible to connect the printer via Wi-Fi to the Anycubic mobile app, which offers practical features (remote monitoring via the camera, print completion notifications, sending files from your PC or app), but this isn't a requirement: you can easily use the machine independently, launching prints from a USB drive. This flexibility is valuable for those who don't want to rely on the cloud or a computer to print.
Once the machine is ready, the on-screen interface makes it very easy to load filaments into the ACE Pro unit. The ACE Pro module combines an automatic material hub and a filament dryer. Insert up to 4 spools into this (closed and ventilated) enclosure, and the system detects, loads, and unloads the necessary filament according to the slicer's instructions.
Moreover, real-time filament drying is a real plus: the ACE Pro enclosure heats slightly and evacuates moisture during printing, thus maintaining the spools at an ideal humidity level. According to our tests, this improves print quality, especially with moisture-sensitive materials like nylon or some technical PLAs. This is a unique advantage in this price range; neither Bambu Lab, Creality, nor Prusa currently offer an integrated drying solution in their multi-material systems. In use, the ACE Pro's drying mode emits a slight fan noise when active, but it can be deactivated at any time if necessary.
Operating noise is also a strong point of the Kobra S1 Combo. Anycubic announces a noise level of approximately 46 dB in standard mode and 44 dB in silent mode, which is generally confirmed in use: the machine, once the door is closed, is very discreet. Only a few whistling sounds from the motors and movements are perceptible, the fans being almost inaudible in silent mode. For a home office or family environment, this is a real advantage: you can start printing without fear of being disturbed, especially since the closed enclosure muffles the sound well. At full speed, however, in performance mode, ultra-fast movements can generate more noise and vibrations; but at the recommended speed (300 mm/s) operation remains stable and relatively quiet.
Printing performance: quality, speed, precision... and reliability
Let's move on to printing performance, the lifeblood of a 3D printer! After several tests, one thing is clear: the Kobra S1 Combo's print quality is there, and even excellent for its category. The layers are deposited with precision and regularity, resulting in clean parts with well-defined details. In any case, our tests confirm that standard PLA prints come out flawlessly with the default profiles: no problem with adhesion to the bed (the latter, made of removable carborundum glass, ensures good adhesion when hot and easy removal once cooled), and no need to fumble with the settings to obtain a good result from the first test print. In a word, the Kobra S1 works right out of the box, which will reassure beginners.
Speed is another key argument for this machine. Anycubic credits it with a top speed of 600 mm/s, with a crazy acceleration of 20,000 mm/s. In practice, these maximum values are only reached on very short movements, but it is undeniable that the Kobra S1 prints faster than a conventional printer. On a small test object (the famous 3D boat), it can go under the 20 minute mark in supercharged mode, where an ordinary machine would take more than an hour.
However, it's important to note that when using multi-color printers, the actual speed inevitably drops. Each filament change requires a purge sequence (to clean the extruder of the previous color), which slows down the process considerably and generates waste. On a complex 4-color part, the printing time can easily double compared to single-material printing. The Kobra S1 certainly excels at fast monofilament printing, but it becomes much more sedate in multi-color mode. This is also a point to remember: if your top priority is speed in multi-material printing, this printer (like its competitors) doesn't work miracles, because current technology imposes these purge constraints.
However, Anycubic engineers had the good idea of allowing the purge volume to be adjusted in the ACE Pro's settings: you can thus adjust the amount of filament "flushed" with each spool change. Increasing this volume ensures color purity (less risk of mixing), at the cost of increased waste; decreasing it saves filament and time, but beware of slight color mixing from an insufficient transition. During our tests, we were able to moderately reduce the flush without visible consequences, but below a certain threshold, a “bleeding” effect (residual tint of the previous color) began to appear, confirming that this parameter must be judiciously dosed.
In terms of reliability, the Kobra S1 Combo proved generally stable throughout our prints. Safety features such as filament end detection and restart after power failure work as expected (fortunately, they are rarely used on a daily basis, but offer additional peace of mind). The AI camera error detection system had mixed fortunes for us: twice, the print paused even though there were no major issues, and in one case, a simple, slightly stretched filament in its spool triggered a false alarm. Conversely, another time, a large filament tangle (spaghetti) was not detected and the machine continued to print in a vacuum. This rather random rate of false positives/negatives did not convince us about Anycubic's AI, which can stop a print for an insignificant detail, and miss a real plastic blob at other times. While waiting for possible software improvements, we therefore advise using this function with discernment (very useful for monitoring a long print remotely during the night, for example, but not infallible).
On the extruder and material flow side, the Anycubic Kobra S1 does not suffer from any fatal flaws. The dual-gear direct extrusion ensures precise feeding, even with flexible TPU that passes smoothly at moderate speeds. The all-metal hotend helps prevent frequent clogging, especially since it can be quickly disassembled for maintenance if necessary.
Anycubic has a decent reputation for its previous models, and the Kobra S1 is in line with this: a fairly reliable machine with good factory settings, but which can sometimes require a little patience or tinkering in the event of an unforeseen event (such as adjusting the PTFE tube that was rubbing the cover on our unit, quickly corrected by adding a small printed protection). For everyday use, this printer inspires confidence: we had no axis shifts, no leveling issues, and the internally managed Pressure Advance calibration effectively smooths transitions to avoid bulging effects during acceleration.
Material and printing software compatibility
On the materials side, as we have seen, the Kobra S1 Combo is extremely versatile for a consumer printer. It accepts all standard filaments from 1.75 mm: PLA and PLA+ of course, PETG, ABS, TPU, ASA… Having a closed and heated enclosure opens the door to ABS/ASA without too much difficulty (parts less prone to warping), and the high-temperature direct extruder even allows tests with nylon or polycarbonate provided you stay within the temperature limits (320 °C nozzle, 120 °C bed) and change the nozzle if you use filaments loaded with carbon fiber or glass. Indeed, the nozzle supplied is standard brass: to print abrasive filaments, it will have to be replaced by a model in hardened steel or ruby, otherwise it will wear out very quickly.
The S1 Combo's multi-material compatibility isn't limited to different colors: you can imagine combining, for example, PLA and TPU in the same part (for joints or rigid/flexible bi-material parts) or using a soluble filament to support a technical filament. As long as these materials print in similar conditions, the ACE Pro manages their successive loading. However, be careful with exotic mixtures: switching from a high-temperature filament to a more fragile one may require extensive purging to completely clean the hotend. This kind of somewhat extreme scenario is not the machine's primary target, but it illustrates the possibilities offered by a 4 to 8 reel system.
As for printing software, Anycubic offers its own slicer, called Anycubic Slicer Next. This is software based on the excellent Cura, adapted to support ACE Pro and multi-color. Anycubic's slicer interface allows you to assign different colors or materials to a 3D model in just a few clicks, for example by importing a model cut into several parts or by painting certain areas. Those familiar with PrusaSlicer or Cura will get the hang of it pretty quickly, but complete beginners will need to plan for a bit of learning to master multi-materials.
Indeed, segmenting an object into multiple colors or inserting filament changes at precise heights are operations that are a little more complex than slicing a classic model. Anycubic provides ready-made profiles for the main filaments (their own brands of PLA, PETG, etc.) and these profiles are well optimized to get started. During our tests, exporting files from Anycubic Slicer to the machine was seamless: you can send the G-code directly via Wi-Fi to the printer, or use a USB key.
The Anycubic slicer does the job, although it is a little less sharp than Bambu Studio, for example, in terms of ergonomics. The mobile application, meanwhile, is mainly used to monitor prints remotely via the camera and to launch prints in the cloud. During our tests, we noticed some bugs connecting the camera to the smartphone app. On PC via the web interface, the connection was more stable.
Kobra S1 vs Bambu Lab X1: the lightning match
It’s impossible to conclude this test without comparing it to the Bambu Lab X1, the current benchmark for multi-material consumer CoreXY printers. Anycubic makes no secret of it: the Kobra S1 Combo was designed to offer a more economical alternative to Bambu’s X1 Carbon (with AMS module). On paper, the two machines share many similarities: *comparable print volume (around 25 cm³), closed CoreXY architecture, multi-spool capacity (4 basic, expandable to 8 for the Kobra; 4 basic expandable to 16 for the Bambu via several AMS), very high speeds (300 mm/s recommended on both sides, peaks at 500-600 mm/s in ultra-fast mode) and a range of sensors (end of filament, restart on cut, jam detection, surveillance camera, etc.). In fact, the Bambu Lab X1 remains ahead in certain areas, so it is not yet a Bambu Lab killer, but we are getting closer.
First, the X1 Carbon has more advanced technical elements, such as a lidar and a camera dedicated to calibrating the first layer and real-time quality control. The Kobra S1 is content with very effective inductive sensor leveling (LeviQ), but does not have the equivalent of lidar to check extrusion or measure chassis vibrations. Bambu has also refined its software ecosystem: the Bambu Studio slicer is more mature and complete than Anycubic's, and the AMS (Bambu multi-filament system) is perfectly integrated into the X1's firmware from the outset, whereas Anycubic is still rolling out updates to refine its ACE Pro.
In terms of print quality, it's difficult to separate the two: the Bambu X1 Carbon has proven itself with prints of remarkable quality, and the Kobra S1 Combo manages to come very close to it according to our observations. Moreover, sometimes we can barely distinguish a difference in finish between a part coming from the Bambu and the Kobra. Dimensional accuracy and sharpness of detail are excellent in both cases.
The Kobra S1, however, scores points on filament management: its real-time spool drying feature is a plus that the X1 doesn't offer without external additions. For those who print a lot in ABS or nylon, having filament that's always dry can avoid a lot of quality issues (and nozzle clogging).
On the other hand, the Bambu X1 retains the advantage of proven hardware: released since 2022, it has benefited from numerous updates and customer feedback, so its multi-color system is now very reliable and optimized. The Kobra S1, freshly arrived in 2024, still has a little way to mature. The rare issues like camera or detection bugs will probably be resolved via firmware, but at the moment the X1 offers a slightly more turnkey experience, whereas the S1 may require a little more attention (for example, regularly emptying the purge tray at the back of the Kobra, which is not as practical as the Bambu's one located on the side, or monitoring the correct insertion of filaments in the ACE Pro while the Bambu AMS is quite infallible on this point).
Finally, the price clearly plays in Anycubic's favor. A Bambu Lab X1 Carbon with its AMS costs around €1300 to €1500 depending on the options, while the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo costs between €600 and €750. This difference of almost double gives food for thought: the Bambu certainly offers the best of the moment, but the Kobra S1 offers 80-90% of its capabilities for 50% of the price. For an individual or a fablab on a tight budget, the sensible choice could be the Kobra S1 Combo, accepting small compromises. On the other hand, professionals or ultra-demanding users, for whom every minute counts and every % more reliability is worth the investment, will probably continue to favor the Bambu Lab solution.
The Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo is currently available at Geekbuying for 569 euros thanks to the code NNNFRALS1C + 4kg of Pantone PLA offered!
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