Anycubic Kobra X Combo vs Kobra S1 Combo: Which Multicolor 3D Printer to Buy

Anycubic sells two multicolor bundles that land within $40 of each other in its 2026 Black Friday sale: the Kobra X Combo at $469 and the Kobra S1 + ACE 2 Pro Combo at $429. Both come from the same company, use the same ACE 2 Pro filament unit and run the same Kobra OS and slicer. Their design priorities differ, though, and choosing the wrong one means paying for features you will not use. This comparison is based on Anycubic's published specifications as of November 3, 2026.

The short answer

• Choose the Kobra X Combo if multicolor printing is the main reason you are buying. Anycubic rates it for 7 colors out of the box and up to 19 with four ACE 2 Pro units. It uses Anycubic's newer ACE GEN 2 printhead technology and is much lighter.
• Choose the Kobra S1 Combo if you want an enclosed printer for warmer materials, a hotter bed and a quieter, contained machine. It is $40 cheaper in the sale, prints four colors out of the box, and can expand to 16.

Specs side by side

Both machines share 0.25, 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzle options, LeviQ 3.0 auto-leveling, flow and pressure advance calibration, power loss resume, filament runout and entanglement detection, object skip and the Anycubic app.

Multicolor: the Kobra X's main advantage

The Kobra X is built around what Anycubic calls ACE GEN 2. Anycubic's main claim is that it cuts the filament change length on each color swap by 81.25%. In single-nozzle multicolor printing, every swap means retracting one filament, loading the next and purging the mixed color. A shorter change path means less material to purge and less time per swap. Anycubic markets this as "2X the speed, 2X the material savings". That is the company's own figure, and real savings depend heavily on the model and slicer settings.

Anycubic says the ACE 2 Pro in the Kobra X Combo has four independent brushless motors and a new buffering mechanism. It claims 100% faster filament loading, which it equates to about 47 minutes saved per 100 filament changes. Anycubic also advises against cardboard spools, which it says can interfere with the ACE 2 Pro over time. That is worth knowing if your favorite filament brand ships on cardboard.

The Kobra S1 Combo uses the same ACE 2 Pro unit. It starts at four colors and can expand to 16. For most hobbyists, four colors cover plenty of projects, such as a base color, an accent, text and a support material. If you know you want detailed figurines with many colors, the Kobra X's higher starting count and shorter change path are a better match.

Materials and the enclosure question

The Kobra S1's enclosure is its main hardware advantage. An enclosed chamber holds heat, which helps:

• ASA and ABS, which tend to warp and crack in open air
• Larger flat parts, where the corners lift as they cool
• Noise and fumes, which an enclosure partly contains

The S1's bed also goes to 120°C, against 100°C on the Kobra X. For PLA, PETG and TPU, both are more than enough. ASA appears on the Kobra X's supported list, but without an enclosure, large ASA parts are harder to print cleanly, especially in a cool room.

The Kobra X's open frame has its own advantages. It is easier to reach the nozzle and bed for maintenance. It is roughly half the weight of the S1 (about 9.5 kg versus 18 kg). It also has a slightly larger build volume, at 260 mm per side versus 250 mm. The Kobra X uses a hardened steel nozzle as standard, which resists wear from abrasive carbon-fiber-filled filaments such as PLA-CF and PETG-CF.

Monitoring and convenience

The Kobra X has a 720P camera with AI spaghetti detection and foreign-object detection, which checks the bed for debris before printing. The Kobra S1 has a 480P camera with spaghetti detection. If you plan to watch prints remotely or record timelapses through the Anycubic app, the Kobra X's camera is the better of the two.

The Kobra X lists dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz) and a choice between cloud and local network modes. The Kobra S1 supports control from the printer, the slicer, the app and USB, with a 4.3-inch touchscreen.

Noise

Anycubic rates the Kobra X at 48 dB or lower. It rates the Kobra S1 at 46 dB or lower, or 44 dB in quiet mode. These are manufacturer figures and real-world noise depends on the material, speed and fan settings. Still, an enclosed printer generally sounds quieter than an open-frame one at the same speed.

Space and setup

The two printers occupy a similar desk footprint, about 45 cm square for the Kobra X and 40 × 41 cm for the S1. The ACE 2 Pro sits on top of the Kobra S1. On the Kobra X, the ACE 2 Pro sits beside the printer in Anycubic's product images, and the combo includes a top-mounted spool holder. Check your shelf height and width before ordering either one.

The Kobra X arrives as a gantry frame and base that you join during setup, according to Anycubic's packing list. The Kobra S1 is a single enclosed unit, heavier to lift but with fewer parts to assemble.

Price and value

During the Black Friday sale, Anycubic listed the Kobra X Combo at $469 and the Kobra S1 + ACE 2 Pro Combo at $429. Both had a regular price of $599. If you do not need multicolor, the standalone printers are much cheaper: $279 for the Kobra X and $349 for the Kobra S1. You can add an ACE 2 Pro later for $249 at the sale price.

Anycubic's sale runs in phases until December 7, and prices can change between phases. Our Anycubic Black Friday news records the prices we confirmed and when.

Which one to buy

Kobra X Combo:

• You want as many colors as possible, with less purge waste per swap
• You value the 720P camera and foreign-object detection
• You print mostly PLA, PETG, TPU and carbon-fiber blends
• You want a lighter machine that is easy to move and maintain

Kobra S1 + ACE 2 Pro Combo:

• You want to print ASA or ABS, or large flat parts
• The printer will sit somewhere noise and fumes matter
• Four colors, expandable to 16, are enough
• You want the lower sale price

For a deeper look at the enclosed option, read our Kobra S1 Combo review. Before buying from either, check Anycubic's return window and warranty terms in our Anycubic shopping guide.

References

1. Anycubic. "Anycubic Kobra X Combo" product page and specifications. us.anycubic3d.com/products/kobra-x-combo-3d-printer. Accessed November 3, 2026.
2. Anycubic. "Anycubic Kobra S1 + ACE 2 Pro Combo" product page and tech specs. us.anycubic3d.com/products/kobra-s1-combo. Accessed November 3, 2026.
3. Anycubic. "Black Friday Deals." us.anycubic3d.com/pages/black-friday-deals. Accessed November 3, 2026.
4. Anycubic via PR Newswire. "Anycubic Launches 2026 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale Across 13 Global Markets, with Up to $350 Off 3D Printers." November 3, 2026.