Which one fits how you print?
Two questions, then the printer and why.
Printers
Bambu Lab A1 vs P1S
Both print the same 256 mm cube at the same top speed. The difference is the enclosure, and what it lets you print.
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Side by side
From Bambu Lab's own specification pages. The P2S, Bambu's newer enclosed printer, is included as the step up.
| Printer | Build volume | Max nozzle temp | Max bed temp | Max speed | Max hotend flow | Enclosure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab A1 | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | 300 °C | 100 °C | 500 mm/s | 28 mm³/s (ABS) | Open | Bambu Lab |
| Bambu Lab P1S | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | 300 °C | 100 °C | 500 mm/s | Not published | Enclosed | Bambu Lab store |
| Bambu Lab P2S | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | 300 °C | 110 °C | 600 mm/s | 40 mm³/s (ABS) | Enclosed | Bambu Lab |
Choose the A1 if you print PLA and PETG
Bambu Lab lists PLA, PETG, TPU and PVA as ideal on the A1, and ABS, ASA, PC and nylon as not recommended. If your prints are figures, household parts and prototypes in PLA or PETG, the A1 covers them at the same 256 mm build size as the P1S.
It calibrates itself, including bed leveling and Z offset, and the nozzle swaps with one clip. For multi-color printing it takes the AMS lite, sold with it as the A1 Combo.
The trade-offs are room and acceleration. The moving bed needs a 465 × 410 mm footprint, and Bambu Lab rates the A1 at 10,000 mm/s² against 20,000 mm/s² for the P1S.
Choose the P1S for ABS, ASA or a smaller footprint
The enclosure is the reason to pay more. Bambu Lab lists ABS and ASA as ideal on the P1S, and those are the filaments for outdoor parts, car parts and anything that has to survive heat. It also has an activated carbon filter for the smell they give off.
It is the more compact of the two, 389 × 389 mm, because the bed only moves down. For multi-color it takes the full AMS, which Bambu Lab says chains up to 16 colors.
What it will not do out of the box is carbon or glass fiber. Its nozzle and extruder gears are stainless steel, and Bambu's own upgrade guide says abrasive filaments wear them quickly.
Step up to the P2S for fiber-filled filaments
The P2S ships with a hardened steel nozzle and extruder gear, and its spec page lists carbon and glass fiber filaments among those it supports. It is also faster, rated at 600 mm/s, with a 110 °C bed and a 40 mm³/s hotend.
If you already own a P1S, fitting hardened steel parts is the cheaper route to the same filaments. The P1S upgrades guide covers it.
The three printers on Amazon
400×400 · bambu-a1.webp
Open-frame printer
Bambu Lab A1
Open-frame printer with a 256 mm build volume, full automatic calibration and a quick-swap nozzle. Multi-color printing needs the AMS lite, sold with the A1 Combo.
400×400 · bambu-p1s.webp
Enclosed printer
Bambu Lab P1S
Enclosed printer with a 256 mm build volume and 20,000 mm/s² acceleration. Bambu Lab lists PLA, PETG, ABS and ASA as ideal and carbon or glass fiber filament as not recommended.
400×400 · bambu-p2s-combo.webp
Enclosed printer with AMS 2 Pro
Bambu Lab P2S Combo
Enclosed printer with a hardened steel nozzle and a 600 mm/s top speed, bundled with the AMS 2 Pro for multi-color printing and filament drying at up to 65 °C.
Common questions
If you will ever print ABS or ASA, yes, because Bambu Lab does not recommend either on the A1. For PLA and PETG only, the A1 prints the same size at the same top speed.
Bambu Lab's spec page lists ABS as not recommended on the A1, which has no enclosure of its own. If ABS or ASA matters to you, choose a printer built enclosed.
Yes, with an add-on. The A1 takes the AMS lite and the P1S takes the AMS. Both are sold as a Combo with the printer.
Bambu Lab still sells the P1S alongside the newer P2S. The P2S adds a hardened steel nozzle, a faster top speed and a hotter bed.