Bambu Lab made waves recently when the desktop 3D printer manufacturer unveiled its latest system, the A1. Hot on the heels of its A1 Mini release this fall, the A1’s rollout had a bit more fanfare than one would expect. Not only did Bambu promise consumers they could have it by Christmas, they also sent review models to a slew of popular YouTubers and makers to build hype for the release. All the reviews dropped over the last week and the response has been largely positive. That’s to say nothing of the slick ads that are all over YouTube, as well.
Notable improvements:
- Quality improvements to the Mini AMS
- Redesigned hotend with quick-swap nozzles
- Bed heats faster
- Increased build plate size from 180 to 256 mm
- Touchscreen with an improved user interface
- Calibration to reduce printing noise
Reviewers have also praised its speed of assembly and the quality of prints from the device with its stock settings. By all accounts, every effort seems to have been taken to smooth out any possible wrinkle a user could have have out of the box before they get printing. All of Bambu’s design talent seems to have gone into producing what is being lauded as “the first and only option for bed-slingers.”
Nonetheless, the company known for its significant attention to detail is under scrutiny once more. So, what’s the controversy?
Bambu’s A1 Mini was released just two months ago. Many printing enthusiasts have been lamenting that they’d already purchased an A1 mini (or two) since then, had only just placed their Christmas orders for one, or opted for a different printer with a large build volume altogether. Not just that, but with Black Friday & Cyber Monday in the rearview, many enthusiasts have already made their large purchases for the year. And that’s to say nothing of the retailers with a stock of A1 Minis that might be harder to move with the new and improved device sitting at at just $100 more.
While only the most brand-loyal consumers can find a way to spin rapid product releases negatively, someone getting ready to invest in an A1 might seriously have to ask, “Is this going to be improved on in a few months?” Because, as it stands Bambu is one of the few companies in the industry that can be expected to quickly iterate and improve upon fan-favorite products. As long as Bambu maintains its attention to user-experience and product rollouts in conjunction with popular creators, it should be able to win back any fans it loses with in-opportune product releases.
With forum users buzzing that Creality is soon to announce a new printer to join the K1 & K1 Max, we might be entering a new era of rapid release, high-speed printers aimed at the home user.