Bambu Lab P1S vs X1C: Which One Should You Buy?

Logan F.

The Bambu Dilemma

Bambu Lab's lineup can be confusing: you have the X1 Carbon, the P1S, the P1P, and the A1 Mini, all using similar technology but at different price points. The most common decision point for serious Australian makers is between the X1C and P1S: both are fully enclosed, both handle engineering materials, and both offer exceptional speed. So what's the difference, and does it matter?

What's the Same

Both the X1C and P1S use the same CoreXY motion system, the same 300°C capable hardened steel hotend, the same bed (120°C max.), and the same AMS compatibility. They run identical firmware with input shaping, pressure advance, and automatic bed levelling. Print quality at matched settings is essentially identical. Both handle the full range of materials stocked at OzFDM, PLA through to polycarbonate, with excellent results.

This means for the vast majority of use cases, including engineering materials, multi colour printing, and high speed production, you will not be able to tell the difference between a P1S print and an X1C print.

What the X1C Has That the P1S Doesn't

Lidar first layer inspection: the X1C's Lidar scans the first layer in real time and can detect and compensate for issues automatically. The P1S relies on a traditional vibration based bed sensor. In practice, both produce excellent first layers; the Lidar is a safety net, not a prerequisite for quality. Carbon fibre reinforced frame: the X1C's main gantry uses CF-reinforced rails for higher rigidity. At the speeds both machines operate, this difference is measurable on paper but negligible in practice. AI camera features, the X1C includes cameras with Bambu's cloud AI features for spaghetti detection. Useful if you print unsupervised, but not mission critical.

The Enclosure Matters More Than the Lidar

The single most important capability of both machines, and what separates them from the P1P and open frame competitors, is the full enclosure. Printing ABS, ASA, Nylon, and Polycarybonate without warping requires a stable, draught free chamber temperature. Both the X1C and P1S provide this identically. If your primary reason for buying Bambu is to print engineering materials, you don't need to pay for the X1C premium; the P1S gives you the same enclosure performance at a lower price.

The Price Difference in Context

The P1S typically retails in Australia for AU$1,300–$1,700 depending on where you buy and whether the AMS is included. The X1C runs AU$1,800–$2,200 for the same configuration. That's a difference of AU$400–$600, meaningful money that could alternatively be spent on a year's worth of filament or a spare hardened nozzle set.

Our recommendation: buy the P1S unless you specifically want the Lidar safety net for unsupervised long prints or the CF frame for maximum rigidity at the highest speeds. For most Australian makers, even serious ones printing engineering materials daily, the P1S is the more sensible buy. Check out our P1S print profiles.