Bambu Lab P2S Review: Is the P1S Successor Worth It?
Hands-on review of the Bambu Lab P2S from a 6-printer fleet operator. What's new vs the P1S, who should upgrade, and who should skip it.
Bambu Lab P2S Review: Is the P1S Successor Worth It?
The Bambu Lab P2S is the refreshed P1S — same core design with meaningful upgrades to the toolhead, bed system, and software integration. I’ve been running one alongside my P1S for direct comparison. Here’s the honest take.
What Changed from P1S to P2S
New toolhead design: The P2S has an updated hotend with better thermal management. Flow rate is improved for high-speed printing, and the nozzle swap mechanism is slightly easier. In practice, this means smoother high-speed prints and fewer jams at maximum throughput.
Updated bed leveling: The P2S uses a refined auto-leveling system with faster mesh generation. Calibration takes about 30 seconds less than the P1S. Not groundbreaking, but a quality-of-life improvement when you’re recalibrating after nozzle changes.
AMS 2 compatibility: The P2S works with the newer AMS 2 system, which has improved spool rollers, better filament feeding, and enhanced humidity monitoring. It’s also backward-compatible with the original AMS.
Improved noise levels: The P2S is noticeably quieter at full speed. The stepper drivers and fan profiles have been refined. In the same room, the difference is audible — the P2S hums where the P1S buzzes.
Same price point: At launch, the P2S slots into the same $599 (printer only) / $749 (with AMS) price range as the P1S. The P1S is now discounted at some retailers.
Print Quality Comparison
Side by side, the P2S produces very slightly better prints than the P1S at maximum speed. At standard speeds, the difference is negligible. The toolhead improvement really shows at Sport and Ludicrous profiles where the P1S sometimes struggles with flow consistency.
For 95% of prints, you won’t see a meaningful quality difference. Both printers produce excellent results.
Who Should Buy the P2S
First-time buyer: If you’re choosing between P1S and P2S at similar prices, get the P2S. It’s the newer design with a longer support window.
P1S owners considering upgrade: Don’t. The improvement isn’t worth $600. Your P1S is still an excellent printer and will remain so for years. Spend that money on an A1 Mini fleet instead.
Print farm operators: If you’re buying multiple printers for production, the P2S’s quieter operation and AMS 2 compatibility are worth the marginal premium over discounted P1S units.
The Real Competition
The P2S doesn’t compete with the P1S — it competes with the X1C. At $599 vs $1,199, the P2S offers 85% of the X1C’s capability at half the price. The only things you truly miss are the built-in camera with AI failure detection and active chamber heating.
If you don’t need those two features (and most people don’t), the P2S is the smarter buy.
My Fleet Verdict
I run both the P1S and P2S in my production fleet. The P2S gets the PETG and engineering material jobs because of its slightly better flow consistency at speed. The P1S handles PLA production. Both perform excellently.
If I was buying today for a new fleet: P2S for the main workhorse, A1 Minis for volume. The P1S era is over — the P2S is just better at the same price.
Buy the Bambu Lab P2S if you want the current-gen enclosed workhorse. Or grab a discounted P1S if you find one under $500 — still a phenomenal printer.
ADP Industries P2S Calibration Workflow
If you already own a P2S and want the exact paid workflow we use to tighten first layer reliability, flow calibration order, and production-ready tuning, grab the ADP Industries P2S Calibration Guide.
More buyer guides: X1C vs P1S, P1S vs A1 Mini, Best 3D Printer 2026.