I tested the beginner-friendly Anycubic Kobra X - a 4-color 3D printer that's surprisingly good
· TechRadarTechRadar Verdict
The Kobra X marks a major update to the Anycubic range, offering faster printing and a boost in aesthetics and product design quality. The Anycubic Kobra series has impressed me in the past, and now the Kobra X sees a massive overhaul of its design, bringing fast 4-color printing to the lower mid-range 3D print market. An updated touchscreen interface, multifilament printing, and plenty of extras make this a feature-packed option that’s perfect for beginners and enthusiasts. The machine feels solid, and while the open design limits the potential for utilising engineering materials, for general use on a budget, the printer is a solid choice. Just keep the RFID sticker close if you want to use non-Anycubic filaments.
Pros
- +Budget price point
- +Native 4-color printing
- +Fast and accurate printing
Cons
- -Open-frame limits materials
- -Large amount of purge waste
- -Beyond four color increases the cost
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The Kobra range of 3D printers has continued to impress over the years, and while the aesthetic design of their open-frame Cartesian machines has until now been very workshop-like, the reliability and quality of the prints have never failed to impress. So much so that there are still two old Kobra 2’s still running. They might not be the best machines compared to the latest releases, but after three years, they’re still running strong.
The Kobra X is a further progression forward in quality and design, which really started with the Kobra 3 Combo it’s just now the level of quality, along with the touch screen interface, speed and precision, all take another step forward. Anycubic are running to catch up like all others with the market leaders Bambu Lab, and to offer a solid alternative to the dominance of the Bambu Lab A1.
However, by taking on the A1, the Kobra X has had to refine the Anycubic 3D printers that have come before, and they’re not the only manufacturer that is playing catch-up with similarly cheap and excellent machines such as the Creality Hi, which again, for the price, is another outstanding cheap option. These printers are all very much now on a par; they don’t bring anything other than refinement to the older Cartesian style of FDM bed slinger printers.
What the Kobra X does is stamp Anycubic once again as a serious manufacturer in the 3D FDM arena, with a machine that improves the design quality and function. At this entry level, it’s essential that manufacturers get things right, as these are the machines that will endear users to their product lines. That’s why it seems for around the $300 / £300 mark, you’re getting a machine with literally all the features.
This does mean that any 3D printer at this level has to be simple to use, robust, reliable, aesthetically designed and when it comes to the prints, they need to be good, accurate and multicolored.
The market at this level is packed, and more importantly, the machines at this price point already have a solid and proven track record. Any of the best 3D printers I've tested for entry-level users need to compete needs to impress from the outset.
Getting started with the Kobra X instantly showed that the design and quality were on a par with the competition, and once a few updates and the calibration had run its course, the machine was up and running, the first few prints highlighting that the Kobra X was more than capable of standing its ground against the Creality and Bambu Lab machines.
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