Kind of on the fence between the two. I’m coming from a Neptune 3 Pro running Klipper and using Orcaslicer so either option would be a definite upgrade.
I was pretty dead-set on getting the P1S since I’ve heard how good the Bambu printers are for so long now, but now reading into the issues with privacy a bit more I’m somewhat skeptical. I’m pretty handy with networking so I’m sure I could set up some firewall rules to exempt it from phoning home while allowing me to use their slicer, but it’s still a concern of mine.
I’ve seen a lot of people here recommend the Qidi Q2, which uses Klipper and has all the same features as the P1S otherwise, so I’m looking into that a bit too. The P1S with AMS is for sale at Microcenter near me for $550, but the Qidi Q2 is at $650 (albeit with a filament drier) plus whatever the shipping would be. Should I pick up the P1S this weekend like I was intending or hold out for a sale on the Q2?
I have both a P1S and an older Q1 and love my Q1. I haven’t printed with any fiber filaments yet because I’m lazy and don’t feel like it but I will be printing with Bambu PAHT-CF sometime this week for some super safety mac levers and will be using my Q1 (Q2 is just the Q1 with better appearance, hotend temps, chamber temps, and probably build) due to the heated chamber specifically. I have printed ASA a bunch and its always great. You never know how much you want/need a heater chamber until you need to print it with it. Also on the Q1 (not sure about the Q2) has hardened gears and a bimetal hotend (nickle plated copper with a hardened steel tip) from the factory whereas the P1S you have to buy an extra nozzle and gears (If you buy complete hotend its like $35 and the gears are $20). Just something to add to the price.
I bought the Q2 on sale without the box about a month ago. I haven’t used it with any fancy filament yet but it has worked great with easy set up.
Also, my understanding is that the dry box is just to keep it dry, you’ll need something else to actually dry wet filament.
Appreciate the insight guys, convinced me to go with the Q2. I was going to be looking into a filament dryer and hardened hot end so it definitely makes more sense to spend the extra up front for those features on the Q2. Now I’ll have to look into redoing my projects in Nylon filaments lol.
Though privacy is a concern, Bambu’s LAN mode seems to adequately address it (for now). The real concern with Bambu is the lack of freedom to go outside the Bambu ecosystem. You’re locked into a walled garden and subject to the whims of the company. They’re reasonably benevolent now, but lawsuits or product bans in NY or CA could see them singing a different tune in a not-hard-to-imagine dystopian future.
By contrast, QIDI is happy to let you own the printer that you bought. You can firewall it and it still works (without special LAN-mode shenanigans). You can use any slicer and it still works (without having to sneakernet files on flash media). You can load alternate firmware (even firmware you built yourself) and it still works (assuming you do it right). If those things are important to you, then they tend to make the QIDI a better overall value.
I can say that my Q2 has been a joy to use. Every issue I’ve had with it so far has been user error. (Polymaker recommends no fans on their ASA. No, the ASA yearns for the fans, at least when your chamber is heated.)
And if you’re posting here, you probably want the option to print with high end engineering filaments. The P1S “can” print PA6CF, but you’re gonna need to upgrade it. And if you want to run something like PPACF? Gonna need even more mods.
The Q2 handles everything short of PEEK/PEI like a champ right out of the box.
But the Q2 is a brand new printer released three months ago, so don’t expect it to go on a good discount any time soon. But honestly, $650 isn’t a bad price for what you get. So yeah, I’d say go for the Q2 if you’re posting here. The Q2 is probably dollar for dollar the best guncad printer around.
Note: I can’t speak to how good the Box/Qidi AMS is. Because I ordered the Q2 Combo on week 1 and they still haven’t sent my box yet, apparently because they just released a new revision that fixes the big pain points of the design and they’re shipping that out instead of the v1.0 Box.
Look I have used a P1s ~2.5yr as my main and just bought a q2 (haven’t used it) but price v price, spec v spec pick the q2
