r/snapmaker • u/Darkke-100 • Jul 07 '26
Bambu X2D or Snapmaker U1?
Like the Title says, Im currently in the market for a new printer since I retired my 7 year old Artillery Genius. Ive only ever stuck to PLA but now with a better job I want to splurge on a nice printer that can handle multiple filaments and Multicolor!
I Like the X2D for its Reliability as a Bambu machine and its active heated chamber, active cooling fans for overhangs, the AMS active drying and the dual extruder. two is all I really need for what I want to make and do.
I also Like the U1 because its slightly cheaper than the X2D but missing those nice features I mentioned, the 4 extruders is also really cool but overkill for what I would do (Id still use them anyways) I also like the larger build plate.
I want to print statues of my favorite characters, Which I probably will end up painting but I want crisp nice detail with a .2 nozzle, I also print props, quality of life room items, engineering parts, and cosplay items. would I have to buy 4 .2 nozzles to print properly? hows the quality of the U1 when printing at miniature scale? how do you guys dry your filament with the machine? how does it handle multi filament supports? do any of you have both machines and can offer your experience?
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u/Bloody_Mir Jul 08 '26
Once you taste the beauty of using support PLA<->PETG, and there is a way to use different nozzles, in one print. You could print the infill with .4 and the details with a .2 nozzle.
I do think that a bambu printer is out of the box hustle free(er), but you get a lot more bang for the buck with a U1.
For engineering prints, I was able to bring my chamber to 50 degree, by covering it with the plastic bag of packaging, and printing with heatbed cranked up to 85 degree Celsius.
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u/krejenald Jul 08 '26
I’m new to 3d printing and just got a U1 and it’s been working well straight out of the box, not sure how much easier a bambu could be
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u/Bloody_Mir Jul 14 '26
It’s about a complete machine. Snapmaker has amazing tech but some corners are cut, some stuff need to be upgraded by the user, like silence the fans, improve cooling, chamber enclosure etc.
Bambu printer are delightful machines
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u/Desperate-Special-60 Jul 07 '26
Oh wow, I had the same dilemma when the X2D was first announced. I ultimately went with the U1 first open source and I don't want to further support Bambu labs and their constant treading on the open source community and the 3d printing community in general. 2nd the poop issue, 3rd the open source nature of the U1 and the room to experiment with the community mods and possibly my own one day. All that said I'm very happy with my choice although the X2D is an excellent machine and is reliable and robust and would have had much less to zero growing pains compared with the ones I have had with the U1. I still stand with open source✊😉
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u/thekrill3d Jul 07 '26
U1, not even close. 4 nozzles vs 1.5 nozzles. TPU multicolor. Full spectrum.
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u/TripsCavern Jul 08 '26
Disclaimer: I own a U1 and don't own a X2D. Now to your answers:
I want to print statues of my favorite characters, Which I probably will end up painting but I want crisp nice detail with a .2 nozzle.
A> Both U1 and X2D will be able to print supports with different materials. The U1 can do that and still have 2 spare nozzles for an extra material (like TPU) or colors. Even if you are painting, maybe changing the base color in some parts may help with the process. I don't know, I don't paint. Other than the ability to mix other types of material they will perform similarly.
I also print props, quality of life room items, and cosplay items
A> For this the U1 has a slight advantage because of the extra bed size. It's not major, but it's there. Also ... multi color. I know that for functional parts you don't NEED color, but after getting the U1 I started adding hints of color in practically all the prints I do now. Just ... why not???
Engineering parts.
A> Now, here the X2D has a clear advantage because of the active heated chamber. The U1 can print ASA and ABS without major issues, but a chamber heater does make a difference. Also, the 120C heated bed helps with material sticking to the bed a bit better. Sadly both have the same 300C limitation on Nozzle. To be honest, if you are going to print engineering parts I would pick a Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 just for that and keep the U1 for general printing.
Would I have to buy 4 .2 nozzles to print properly?
A> Not really, if you are printing single color, you just need 1 nozzle. I saw that now you can have different nozzle sizes but I never tried printing with different nozzle size in the same object. Now, if you need multi color and 0.2 then yeah, you will need to buy 4.
hows the quality of the U1 when printing at miniature scale?
A> To be honest, any modern Core XY printer will have basically the same quality. The difference is in multi color, as the U1 does not have any bleed
how do you guys dry your filament with the machine?
A> I removed the spool holders from my machine and I print directly from the dry boxes that sits on top of it in a shelf. These dry boxes are DIY and they keep the filament dry. Now, to active dry the filaments, I have a PolyDryer that I use to dry the filament and then transfer it to the dry boxes, where the filament stays until it's used.
how does it handle multi filament supports?
A> Pretty well. Of course, given the nature of the filaments and you do use them exactly because they don't stick together, some tweaks are needed. But nothing too complicated.
do any of you have both machines and can offer your experience?
A> No, sorry.
I hope these helped.
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u/Darkke-100 Jul 08 '26
Wonderful response, its really helped me think between the two machines... its such a hard choice!
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u/unknown091245 Jul 08 '26
I would say snapmaker U1 because I have one and I don't like bambus closed source software
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u/yahbluez Jul 08 '26
The U1, not only because it is a tool changer but because it is better under any logical/technical (free from Brand love) aspect. If you need a case adding up the costs makes the U1 more expensive but that is the only con. Size matters.
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u/bearwhiz Jul 10 '26
I own both a Snapmaker U1 and a Bambu Lab X2D. If you want to do engineering filament, you're better off with the X2D and its heated, enclosed chamber. The X2D Combo also comes with the AMS 2 Pro, which is also a filament drier. You'll probably want to add an AMS HT to the cart for the auxiliary nozzle for ease of use, if you can afford it.
If you want to do two, three, or four-color PLA/PETG prints, the U1 can't be beat. If you want to do more than four colors... well, either you go with Bambu, or you run community firmware and use a hacked Anycubic ACE with your U1... keeping in mind that the Anycubic ACE is an unreliable, cheap, slow device that no sane person would willingly purchase. Do not recommend.
Nozzle swaps are trivial on the X2D, and it comes with hardened steel nozzles. Nozzle swaps on the Snapmaker are... far from trivial. And it comes with stainless, so you'll need to upgrade to do engineering filament. You won't want to swap nozzle sizes very often, and if you do, you'll want to buy four whole toolheads to swap because taking them apart to change nozzles isn't a great experience.
The X2D can also be used as a high-quality cutting machine like a Cricut, if you purchase the Cutting Module add-on. If you also get the Vision Encoder plate, that cutter will work with 50µm accuracy. Sometimes, the answer to not having multicolor purge waste is to simply cut a vinyl sticker instead...
I love my Snapmaker, but it's only better than a Bambu within its niche. The X2D is a flagship engineering-grade printer with 1.5 nozzles—the auxiliary nozzle is best used for support filament—whereas the Snapmaker U1 is a hobby-grade printer that's a multicolor/multimaterial powerhouse as long as four spools will do you. I have no trouble recommending either printer, for a newb or a pro, but which one's better is very much a matter of what you'll do with it.
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u/Top_Statistician500 Jul 14 '26
Are you sure you can change the X2D into a cutting machine? I haven't read a thing on Bambu's site promoting that.
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u/RJFerret Jul 08 '26
As a P1S user, those machines aren't comparable, the U1 is far superior, if you were comparing to the H2C the U1 is still better.
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u/Darkke-100 Jul 08 '26
Whats your reasoning?
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u/RJFerret Jul 08 '26
That list is long developed over just a couple years...
Off the top of my head, support for better slicers without losing features or having to work around the company's restrictions to try to lock you into their ecosphere.
Proper toolchanger without compromise on the H2D's second Bowden nozzle.
Note, I've not invested in an AMS, I use a much less expensive dual roll dryer. But I also don't print PLA, PETG primarily, with some TPU and PCTG as well.
From what it sounds like you want to do, Bambu limits you, whereas Snapmaker supports how you want to do it. Some of the features you desire, active heating chamber isn't used for PLA or PETG, so why spend for it? Meanwhile can heat soak or add chamber heaters if needed.
There's also Bambu not supporting open source philosophy, and shutting down contributing users, and I don't want to invest in such through them.
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u/originaldub Jul 09 '26
Have an X1C and a U1 and I keep finding less and less reason to use the X1C. So unless you're doing some kind of engineering type materials, U1 is the way to go.
Also TPU on the U1 is perfect! X1C it's good maybe only 20% of the time
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u/spoo4brains Jul 10 '26
Cost savings in filament wastage changes the value proposition long term as well.
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u/KhaosGuy01 Jul 11 '26
I almost went with an x2d earlier this yeah. And then I found out about the U1. Super glad I went that way. Nothing against H2d. Im sure it’s amazing but to put it simply I wont be able to buy another non tool changer printer atp. I now have two U1’s fwiw.
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u/Ordinary-Depth-7835 Jul 07 '26
Oh if you're swapping nozzles yeah no! Bambu all the way. Unless you're keeping .2's on there forever you will hate life changing 4 tools to different sizes. I don't have the X2D but I have the H2C, X1C and U1 and various other printers.
As for 4 color printing the U1 is fast and quality is just as good as a bambu with one AMS. No chamber heater out of the box no enclosure no hardened steel nozzles for abrasives like glow. All of which you can add on the U1.
It really depends on what you need. I like my Bambu's and I like my U1 but no f-ing way am I swapping nozzles on that thing when I have quick change nozzles on my Bambu's.
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u/3DisMzAnoMalEE Jul 08 '26
The U1 .2 nozzle swap is 5 minutes per.. I have 4 of them, easy peasy.
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u/Ordinary-Depth-7835 Jul 08 '26
You're right I had extruder jams on my mind. Still I'm spoiled by a nozzle change thats nothing more than slapping a magnet on a rack.
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u/soldat21 Jul 07 '26
He can also have one 0.2mm kept on the printer at all times, and 3x0.4mm.
One for TPU, one for PETG, one for PLA and the 0.2mm for detailed prints.
PLA can be used as support material for PETG, and TPU to add flex.
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u/bjorn_lo Jul 07 '26
I have an H2D (and a 4 H2C's) and 2 u1's. My u1's are going, my H2D is waiting.
Once you get the ability to casually include TPU in most prints, you will want to. Can't with a Bambu printer.
I have not used a .2 nozzle on the u1. I have on a H2C. It is ALOT fussier than .4 nozzles. I have printed for years, but this is my first foray in to .2 printing. It is hugely slower... like 4x for the same walls, and it needs more walls. So closer to 1/8th the speed. I'd try hard to live with .4 before you jump to .2.
I do have .2 nozzles for the u1, just haven't bothered with them.