If you’ve been thinking FDM 3D printers are starting to feel a little too similar lately… Anycubic may have other plans.
Wwe stopped by Anycubic to check out some of their newest FDM printers, and they’re clearly focused on solving some of the biggest pain points makers deal with every day. We’re talking larger build volumes, faster multi-color printing, less filament waste, integrated color systems, and more affordable entry points into multi-color printing.
And honestly? Some of the design choices here are pretty interesting.
The S1 Max Combo Is Built for Bigger Engineering Prints
One of the first printers Anycubic showed off was the S1 Max Combo, which is currently their largest CoreXY-style FDM printer.
This thing comes in with a massive:
- 350 x 350 x 350 mm build volume
- 350°C hot end
- 120°C heated bed
- 65°C active chamber heater
That combination makes it clear this printer is aimed beyond casual PLA printing. The heated chamber and high-temperature setup are designed for engineering-grade filaments and larger functional prints.
And yes… they were literally printing a giant Benchy on the machine at the booth.
The combo system also includes the new generation of their ACE Pro system, which now features:
- Four individual motors
- Updated filament drying functionality
- Temperature control
- Humidity management
That last part is actually pretty important because filament moisture continues to be one of the most overlooked problems in FDM printing. Having drying integrated directly into the workflow is something more companies are starting to focus on.
Anycubic also claims:
- Recommended speeds around 300 mm/s
- Maximum speeds up to 600 mm/s
Which puts it firmly into the modern high-speed printer category.
The Cobra X Takes a Different Approach to Multi-Color Printing
The printer that may have been the most interesting was the Cobra X.
At first glance, it looks like another multi-color printer… but the print head system is doing something different.
Instead of retracting filament long distances during color swaps, the filament stays inside the feeder system much closer to the nozzle. That means:
- Faster color changes
- Less downtime
- Less filament purge waste
And honestly, that’s one of the biggest complaints people have with current multi-color systems. Some printers create incredible prints… but also generate piles of filament waste during color swaps.
Anycubic also shortened the nozzle path itself, which further reduces the amount of purge material needed during transitions.
That may not sound flashy at first… but if you’ve ever watched a printer spend hours purging filament into a waste tower, you immediately understand why this matters.
The Cobra X supports:
- PLA
- PETG
- TPU
- ABS
- ASA
And it can even mix materials like PLA and TPU in the same print workflow.
The printer itself supports four colors out of the box, but it can apparently scale up to 19 colors with additional accessories.
Another interesting part of the design is that the color system is integrated directly into the machine itself, helping reduce the extra space required by external AMS-style systems.
The Cobra 4 Brings Multi-Color Printing to a Lower Price Point
Anycubic also showed off the Cobra 4, which is aimed more toward the entry-level market.
Compared to the Cobra X:
- It uses a more traditional print head setup
- Multi-color changes are closer to standard systems
- Single-color performance remains competitive
- The price is significantly lower
The pricing they discussed at the booth was approximately:
- $239 for the printer
- Around $339 for the combo version
And honestly, that price range could make multi-color printing far more accessible for newer makers who don’t want to jump directly into premium-priced systems.
Anycubic Seems Focused on Real-World Printing Problems
One thing that stood out during the conversation is that Anycubic doesn’t seem focused only on flashy features.
A lot of what they’re working on appears to target practical workflow improvements:
- Reducing filament waste
- Faster color changes
- Integrated drying systems
- Larger build volumes
- Better support for engineering materials
- More compact multi-color systems
And in many ways, those are the upgrades that actually matter long term.
Because the biggest improvements in 3D printing usually aren’t the loudest ones.
They’re the features that quietly remove the frustrations makers have learned to live with.