Bambu Lab P1S Review - Enclosed Excellence

The Bambu Lab P1S represents a significant moment in 3D printing: enclosed CoreXY performance at a price that used to buy a bare-bones bed-slinger. At $399 (current sale price, down from $749), it’s the most accessible path to reliable ABS/ASA printing.

Specifications

Spec	Value
Build Volume	256 × 256 × 256 mm
Max Speed	500 mm/s
Max Acceleration	20,000 mm/s²
Nozzle Temp	Up to 300°C
Bed Temp	Up to 110°C
Chamber Temp	~45°C passive
Filtration	Activated carbon
Materials	PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, PC, PA

Why Enclosure Matters

An enclosed print chamber isn’t about aesthetics—it’s functional:

Temperature stability: ABS warps when layers cool unevenly. The enclosure maintains ~40-45°C ambient temperature, preventing warping on parts that would fail on open-frame printers.

Fume management: ABS and ASA release styrene fumes. The activated carbon filter reduces these to safe levels for typical home use. Still ventilate the room, but the filter handles immediate exposure.

Dust protection: 8-hour prints collect less dust. The enclosure keeps particles off wet filament layers where they’d cause surface defects.

Noise reduction: The plastic and glass panels dampen motor and fan noise. Expect 48-52dB during printing—quieter than the open-frame A1.

Material Flexibility

The P1S handles materials the open-frame A1 can’t:

Works excellently:

• PLA (200-220°C): Stock profiles print perfectly
• PETG (230-250°C): Clean results with minimal stringing
• ABS (240-260°C, 90-100°C bed): Reliable with enclosure closed
• ASA (250-265°C): UV-resistant alternative to ABS
• TPU (220-240°C): Flexible prints work well

Possible with care:

• PC (270-300°C): At the edge of capability, but works
• PA/Nylon (250-280°C): Requires dry filament management
• Carbon-filled materials: Works with hardened nozzle upgrade

This material range covers 95% of practical applications. Only exotic engineering grades require more capable (and expensive) printers.

Speed: Same Platform, Better Acceleration

The P1S shares Bambu’s CoreXY motion platform but with upgraded acceleration: 20,000mm/s² vs. 10,000mm/s² on the A1 series. Practical impact is 10-15% faster prints on complex models with lots of direction changes.

Benchy test: 15 minutes at default settings. Quality matches or exceeds budget printers running at one-quarter the speed.

The Interface Trade-off

Unlike the newer P2S and H2 series, the P1S lacks a touchscreen. You get:

• Physical buttons for basic control
• Built-in 720p camera
• Full control via Bambu Studio software or mobile app

This isn’t a significant limitation in practice. Most users slice on a computer and monitor via app. But if you want the touchscreen experience, the P2S costs $150 more.

Filtration System

The activated carbon filter handles:

• ABS/ASA styrene fumes
• General print odors
• Some VOCs from various materials

Replace filters every 2-3 months with regular ABS use (~$15 for replacement filters). The filter reduces but doesn’t eliminate fumes—ventilate when printing high-temp materials in enclosed spaces.

AMS Compatibility

The P1S supports the full AMS (not AMS Lite), enabling up to 4 filaments per unit. Connect multiple AMS units for up to 16-color printing.

The AMS adds roughly $250-300 to your setup. Worth it for multi-color work; overkill if you print single-material functional parts.

Build Quality and Reliability

Construction uses the same quality components as Bambu’s higher-end printers:

• Aluminum frame with glass/plastic panels
• All-metal hotend with stainless steel nozzle
• Linear rails for X/Y motion
• Textured PEI spring steel bed

After extended testing, reliability matches the open-frame models: near-zero first-layer failures, consistent dimensional accuracy, predictable results print after print.

P1S vs A1 vs P2S

Feature	A1 ($299)	P1S ($399)	P2S ($549)
Enclosure	No	Yes	Yes
ABS/ASA	No	Yes	Yes
Max Accel	10k mm/s²	20k mm/s²	20k mm/s²
Touchscreen	No	No	Yes (5”)
Max Nozzle	300°C	300°C	350°C
Servo Extruder	No	No	Yes

Choose A1 if: You only need PLA/PETG and want to save $100.

Choose P1S if: You need ABS capability at the lowest possible price.

Choose P2S if: You want the latest features (touchscreen, servo extruder, 350°C nozzle).

Limitations Worth Noting

No touchscreen: Fine if you control via app, annoying if you prefer standalone operation.

Passive chamber heating: The ~45°C chamber comes from the heated bed. Materials like Nylon that prefer 60°C+ benefit from external chamber heaters or the H2 series.

Standard nozzle only: Ships with stainless steel 0.4mm. Hardened nozzle for abrasive filaments costs $30 extra.

Older feature set: The P1S launched before Bambu’s latest innovations. It works excellently but lacks the servo extruder, AI monitoring, and touchscreen of newer models.

Who Should Buy This

Excellent choice if:

• You need ABS/ASA capability
• $399 is your budget ceiling
• You control prints via computer/phone anyway
• You want enclosed reliability at minimum cost

Look elsewhere if:

• You only print PLA/PETG (A1 saves $100)
• You want the latest features (P2S at $549)
• You need high-temp Nylon/PC regularly (H2S at $1,249)
• You prefer open-source ecosystems (Prusa MK4S + enclosure)

The Bottom Line

The P1S answers a question that didn’t have a good answer until recently: how do you get reliable enclosed printing without spending $1,000+?

At $399, it delivers the same practical capability as printers costing twice as much. The interface is dated, the chamber heating is passive, but the results are excellent. For users who need ABS/ASA capability without breaking the budget, the P1S is the obvious choice.

The only reason to spend more is wanting newer features—not better results.