Bambu Lab X1E vs UltiMaker S3
The Bambu Lab X1E (2023, €2,499) and the UltiMaker S3 (2019, €3,995) are two FDM 3D printers many people compare before buying.
The Bambu Lab X1E is the more affordable of the two, with a gap of about 1496 (~37%) versus the other.
On the technical side, only the Bambu Lab X1E is enclosed (better for ABS and technical materials), and only the Bambu Lab X1E supports multicolor (AMS).
Below is the full spec table with the best value of each feature highlighted, plus a verdict by use case.
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| Bambu Lab X1E €2,499 | UltiMaker S3 €3,995 | |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | ||
| Build volume | 256³ mm 🏆 | 230×190×200 mm |
| Weight | 14.13 kg | 14.4 kg |
| Speed | ||
| Max speed | 500 mm/s 🏆 | — |
| Max acceleration | 20,000 mm/s² 🏆 | — |
| Hot-end | ||
| Max nozzle temp | 320 °C 🏆 | 280 °C |
| Nozzle material | hardened steel | — |
| Drive type | direct | bowden |
| Flow rate | 32 mm³/s 🏆 | — |
| Bed | ||
| Max bed temp | 110 °C | 140 °C 🏆 |
| Bed material | Dual-Sided Textured PEI Plate | glass |
| Auto-leveling | LIDAR + load cell | active automatic |
| Enclosed | Yes 🏆 | No |
| Heated chamber | Yes 🏆 | No |
| Multimaterial | ||
| AMS compatible | Yes 🏆 | No |
| AMS type | standard | — |
| AMS slots | 4 🏆 | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| Ethernet | Yes | — |
| Camera | Yes (1080p) | Yes () |
| Calibration | ||
| Vibration compensation | Yes | — |
| Flow calibration | Yes | — |
| Input shaping | Yes | — |
| Pressure advance | Yes | — |
| Software | ||
| Official slicer | Bambu Studio | UltiMaker Cura |
| OrcaSlicer | Yes | — |
| Noise | ||
| Noise | — | 50 dB 🏆 |
| Power | 750 W | 350 W 🏆 |
Verdict
- If speed matters most, the Bambu Lab X1E wins (500 mm/s vs null mm/s).
- On price, Bambu Lab X1E is cheaper.
Frequently asked
- Which has better value: Bambu Lab X1E or UltiMaker S3?
- See the full spec table for the best decision based on your use case.
- Which has the larger build volume?
- Bambu Lab X1E with 256³ mm.