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Comparing the Creality Ender 3 V2 and Bambu Lab A1 Mini

Creality Ender 3 V2

Released:
2020
Build Volume:
220 x 220 x 250 mm
(~8.75 x 8.75 x 10 in)
Price Range:
$275 - 300

Vs.

Bambu Lab A1 Mini

Released:
2023
Build Volume:
180 x 180 x 180 mm
(~7.25 x 7.25 x 7.25 in)
Price Range:
$275 - 300

About the Creality Ender 3 V2

The Creality Ender 3 V2 is a budget-friendly 3D printer that offers modern features without breaking the bank. With its affordable price point, this printer still delivers excellent print quality. It has a decent print volume of 220 x 220 x 250 mm, making it suitable for printing models and small parts while not taking up too much space on a desk. One standout feature of the Creality Ender 3 V2 is its Carborundum Glass bed, which provides a smooth and durable surface for printing. However, it is worth noting that this printer requires manual bed leveling using nuts on each corner of the print bed, which may require periodic adjustments for optimal first layer adhesion. Additionally, the printer does not come with a touch screen interface or newer mainboard features like print resume after power failure or silent stepper motor drivers for quieter printing. It also lacks safety features such as thermal runaway protection. Despite these drawbacks, the Creality Ender 3 V2 offers a good printing experience at a low price point. It may not have all the premium features of more expensive printers, but it still delivers reliable performance for those willing to put up with some missing quality of life features.


About the Bambu Lab A1 Mini

The Bambu Lab A1 Mini is an entry-level 3D printer with advanced sensors and printing features that are typically only found on machines in higher price tiers. Its build volume of 180 x 180 x 180 mm (7.1" x 7.1" x 7.1") is smaller than average, and the single Z column design doesn't offer the same physical stability of the standard 2-column or enclosed frame designs found on many other printers. However, the calibration and monitoring features of the A1 Mini may make up for these shortcomings. The A1 Mini includes a direct drive extruder with an all-metal hot end that can heat up to 300°C, allowing it to print most standard filament types, including flexible filament. However, the PEI build plate can only heat up to 80°C, which will limit the printer's ability to print certain materials such as ABS. The Bambu Lab A1 Mini includes advanced firmware features such as vibration compensation and pressure advance, improving print quality. The A1 Mini also includes automatic bed leveling and Z offset calibration to simplify the calibration process. A new flow rate sensor in the hot end allows it to calibrate the flow rate of the filament to further improve printing performance. Similar to other Bambu Lab printers, the A1 Mini includes WiFi connectivity, allowing users to monitor and control the printer with the Bambu Studio computer application or the Bambu Handy smartphone app. A camera mounted in the Z gantry allows for remote monitoring of prints. Our take on the Bambu Lab A1 Mini is that its unconventional design and small build volume may be hard for some users to accept, but the advanced printing features make it worth considering as an entry-level machine. The A1 Mini is more expensive than other entry-level 3D printers, and can't print items as large as some of those machines, but its sensors and firmware features should make it capable of producing higher-quality prints.

Click here to view the Creality Ender 3 V2.

Click here to view the Bambu Lab A1 Mini on the Bambu Lab website.

You can find a side-by-side comparison of the specifications for these two printers in the table below:

Details & Specifications

Creality Ender 3 V2

Bambu Lab A1 Mini

General

Manufacturer
Creality
Bambu Lab
Year Released
2020
2023
Technology
FDM
FDM
Build Volume
220 x 220 x 250 mm
180 x 180 x 180 mm
Bed Material
Carborundum Glass
Bambu Proprietary Flexible
Nominal Maximum Speed
200 mm/s
500 mm/s

Extruder & Hot-end

Extruder Type
Bowden
Direct Drive
Extruder Construction
Plastic Single Gear
-
Hot-end Construction
Standard
All-Metal
Cooling Fan
Single side mount
-

Physical Characteristics

Physical size
475 x 470 x 465 mm
347 x 315 x 365 mm
Kinematics
Cartesian
-
Chassis
Integrated with Side LCD
Cantilever

Usability

Auto Leveling
-
Strain Based
Assembly Time
🔧🔧🔧 1 hour
Fully Assembled
Other Features
Integrated tool drawer
High speed printing

Electronics

Base Voltage
24 V
24 V
Quiet Motor Drivers
-
-

Where to Buy

Brands Overview

Creality

Creality is the largest manufacturer of consumer 3D printers, and is a well-known brand in the 3D printing industry, offering a range of printers for various budgets and needs. Creality, based in Shenzhen, China, was founded in 2014. Their initial product was the CR-3, followed by the CR-10 in 2017 with a much larger build volume than anything else in the same price range. The Creality Ender 3, released in 2019, greatly expanded the market for low cost 3D printers. Creality has an extensive lineup of 3D printers, covering budget, midrange, premium, and professional categories. Their cost-effective approach includes using off-the-shelf components, open design, shipping printers in kit form, and aluminum extrusions for frames and gantries. Creality offers so many options that it can be overwhelming to choose between all of the available models, so its important to have an understanding of what features are important to you when shopping for a Creality 3D printer.

Learn more about Creality.

Bambu Lab

Bambu Lab, based in Shenzhen, China, and founded by five ex-DJI engineers, has made notable strides in the 3D printing arena with their unique combination of innovation and user-friendly interfaces. They launched their journey with a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2022, securing over $7 million in funding. Their printer lineup, from the flagship Bambu X1-Carbon to the more affordable Bambu P1P, showcases their commitment to high-performance features while ensuring ease of use, making them a rising competitor in the 3D printing industry.

Learn more about Bambu Lab.

Brands At a Glance

Creality

Bambu Lab

Year Founded
2014
2021
Category
Midrange
Premium
Country of Origin
China
China
Size of Online Community
Extensive
Large
Manufacturer Support
Poor
Limited
Availability of Parts
Widely available
Available from manufacturer only

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