3D Printing Info

Printer comparison

Bambu Lab P1S vs FlashForge Creator 4

Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.

2 selected · all documented properties

Bambu Lab P1S vs FlashForge Creator 4 — documented properties and sources
PropertyBambu Lab P1SCOREXYFlashForge Creator 4IDEX
Identity
BrandBambu LabFlashForge
ClassCOREXYIDEX
Identity & Market
Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first)Bambu Lab P1S. Store title: "Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer"[1]Flashforge Creator 4, sold in A and S configurations (Creator 4A, Creator 4S)[2]
Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry)From $369.00 (base P1S) on the Bambu Lab US store, Aug 2026, against a stated typical price of $399.00; with the P1S AMS 2 Pro Combo variant selected the same page shows $539.00 against a typical $579.00[3][1]$10,999.00 at Top 3D Shop with a 2-3 week lead time, checked Aug 2026[2]
Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk)Enclosed version of the P1P and mechanically the same motion platform. Three SKUs on one product page: P1S, P1S AMS Combo and P1S AMS 2 Pro Combo (the AMS 2 Pro adds active filament drying). Sibling figures that get mixed up: net weight 12.95 kg (P1S) vs 9.65 kg (P1P); depth 389 mm vs 386 mm; ABS/ASA Ideal (P1S) vs Capable (P1P). Also distinct from the 2026 P2S, which is a different machine (600 mm/s, 110 C bed, 5-inch touchscreen, 14.9 kg)[1][4]Two factory configurations that share the chassis but not the temperature ceiling: Creator 4A ships 2 x HT extruders (320 °C max, no composite support), Creator 4S ships 1 x HT + 1 x HS (360 °C max, supports PA-CF, PA-GF, PP-CF, PPS-CF). A third extruder type, F, is rated 265 °C and intended for flexibles. Any published "360 °C" figure applies only to the HS head[2]
Market position: superseded? successor announced?Still sold in Aug 2026, but Bambu now markets the P2S as "The Classic Evolves" above it in the same enclosed-CoreXY slot[3][5]Not documented
Physical & Frame
Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable256 x 256 x 256 mm advertised. Bambu's own footnote sets the default printable height in Bambu Studio to 250 mm to prevent heatbed collisions, and notes the collapsible filament-cutter stopper occupies part of the print area when popped out[1]400 x 350 x 500 mm[2]
Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang)389 x 389 x 458 mm; package 485 x 480 x 530 mm[1]840 x 675 x 1000 mm (1050 mm on the stand). FlashForge specifies an installation space of at least 1400 x 1500 x 1600 mm[2]
Net weight (kg)12.95 kg net, 17.60 kg gross; the AMS Combo ships at 21.60 kg gross and the AMS 2 Pro Combo at 21 kg gross[1]90 kg net[2]
Frame construction & materialSteel chassis (shared with the P1P) inside plastic and glass panels[1]Fully enclosed professional chassis on a stand[2]
Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lidFully enclosed - plastic and glass panels with a glass front door and lid, plus an activated-carbon air filter. No active chamber heater; the chamber temperature regulator fan is closed-loop controlled[1]Fully enclosed with HEPA 13 filtration and an actively controlled chamber[2]
Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred)Not documentedUp to 65 °C, actively controlled (manufacturer claim)[2]
Kinematics & Motion Hardware
Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other)CoreXY driven by two stepper motors, each with an independent belt to the printhead; the P1P and P1S share the same motion system[6]IDEX — two independently driven extruders on the same gantry[2]
Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlashThree leadscrews belt-driven from a single stepper motor, whole bed moving in Z; manual tramming by three knobs under the bed, no motorised Z-tilt[6]Not documented
Belts (type, width, e.g. Gates?)Rear adjustable belt tensioners with a Belt Tension Monitor[6]Not documented
Speed & Acceleration
Max print speed (claimed, mm/s)500 mm/s max toolhead speed (manufacturer claim); no independent measurement found[1]10-200 mm/s, adjustable per material. On the 4S the HS head is quoted 100-150 mm/s and the HT head 100-200 mm/s (manufacturer figures)[2]
Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²)20 m/s2 = 20000 mm/s2 max toolhead acceleration (manufacturer claim)[1]Not documented
Extruder
Type (direct drive / bowden) & design nameDirect drive; the service part is the "Stainless Steel Extruder Unit (P1 series)"[6]Direct drive, two independent extruders, interchangeable modules (F / HT / HS)[2]
Hotend & Nozzle
Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?)All-metal all-in-one hotend with the nozzle integrated into the heatblock, replaced as a unit; 0.4 mm stainless-steel nozzle included, 0.2/0.6/0.8 mm optional[1][6]Not documented
Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values)300 C claimed max hot-end temperature[1]Depends on the fitted extruder module: F 265 °C, HT 320 °C, HS 360 °C[2]
Stock nozzle size & sizes included in boxNot documented0.4 mm default; 0.6 and 0.8 mm optional[2]
Heated Bed & Surface
Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit100 C max build-plate temperature[1]130 °C maximum (manufacturer claim)[2]
Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sidedTextured PEI plate; Cool Plate, Engineering Plate and High Temperature Plate compatible[1]Not documented
Leveling & Z-Offset
Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe)Nozzle-touch probing using three ceramic force (piezo) sensors mounted under the heatbed - Z homing is done by detecting the force of the nozzle contacting the bed[7][6]Automatic bed levelling; FlashForge does not name the probe technology in this spec table[2]
Filament Handling & Detection
Filament runout sensor (type, location)Yes - filament run-out sensor[1]Not documented
Spool holder location & max spool size; drybox compatibilityNot documentedTwo spool bays, 1 kg and 2 kg capacity[2]
Multi-material/multi-color capability or official upgrade pathAMS-compatible; sold as P1S AMS Combo and P1S AMS 2 Pro Combo, up to 16 colours with four AMS units[1]Not documented
Cooling & Air Handling
Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting designPart-cooling fan plus auxiliary part-cooling fan, control-board fan and chamber temperature regulator fan, all closed-loop controlled (all four are merely Optional on the P1P)[1]Not documented
Chamber/exhaust fan & filtration (activated carbon / HEPA)Chamber temperature regulator fan with an activated-carbon air filter[1]Not documented
Electronics & Power
Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto)Not documentedAC 100-130 V / 200-240 V, 50-60 Hz, 30 A overcurrent protection[2]
Total rated power draw100-240 VAC 50/60 Hz; 1000 W at 220 V, 350 W at 110 V[1]2320 W rated[2]
Firmware & Openness
Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary)Closed-source proprietary firmware - not a Klipper or Marlin derivative, and no printer-firmware source is published. The bambulab GitHub organisation carries 11 repositories (Bambu Studio, wxWidgets/boost/ffmpeg forks, the wiki); none is printer firmware. Updates are delivered over the air via Bambu Studio / Bambu Handy[8]Not named; the supported slicer is FlashPrint[2]
Connectivity, UI & Camera
Display: size, type, touch?2.7-inch 192x64 monochrome screen, not a touchscreen; control by button, app or PC application (P1 series)[6]7-inch touchscreen, 1024 x 600[2]
On-device UI capabilities (model preview, per-object controls, etc.)Button-driven monochrome on-device UI; job setup happens in Bambu Studio or Bambu Handy[6]Not documented
WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-driveWi-Fi, Bluetooth and Bambu-Bus, microSD card storage, 5 V/1.5 A USB output power (P1 series)[6]USB flash drive, Ethernet, Wi-Fi[2]
Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps)Low-rate chamber monitoring camera, 1280x720 at 0.5 fps, timelapse supported[1]Not documented
Materials Support
Officially supported filament listIdeal: PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, PET, ABS, ASA. Capable: PA, PC[1]Standard and engineering plastics on the HT head; the HS head adds PA-CF, PA-GF, PP-CF and PPS-CF. Materials such as PC, PA and carbon fibre are the stated targets for the 130 °C bed[2]
Reliability, Support & Ecosystem
Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes)2-year limited warranty for consumers in the US, Canada, the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland; 1 year in the rest of the world. Bambu Lab's own policy records the US/Canada term as a 2026 extension from one year to two[9]12 months on the printer, 3 months on extruder parts[2]

Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Bambu Lab P1S store page - 'Parameters Comparison' table giving P1P and P1S in separate columns us.store.bambulab.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. Flashforge Creator 4 (A/S) product listing with full spec table top3dshop.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Bambu Lab US Store - 3D Printers collection listing (base prices, Aug 2026) us.store.bambulab.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Bambu Lab P2S Spec Sheet (PDF) store.bblcdn.com · 2026-08 · doc
  5. Bambu Lab P2S store page us.store.bambulab.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Bambu Lab Wiki - Introduction to P1 series wiki.bambulab.com · 2026-08 · doc
  7. Bambu Lab Wiki - Replace the Heatbed Sensor Unit / Heatbed Piezo Interface Board wiki.bambulab.com · 2026-08 · doc
  8. GitHub - bambulab organisation repository list (11 repos, checked Aug 2026) github.com · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Bambu Lab Warranty Policy bambulab.com · 2026-08 · vendor