Bambu Lab H2S vs. X1C

I upgraded my three year old 3d Printer, the Bambu Lab X1C with the newly released H2S. There are multiple reasons I choose to upgrade and wanted to scribble down my thoughts here for others.

X1C vs H2S

• Bigger build plate
  The H2S offers a significantly larger build volume compared to the X1C, allowing for bigger single-piece prints without tiling.  This was my biggest reason for the upgrade. Some of my 3D models, like the Elite Plus Headphone stand will benefit from the large build volume. It'll also allow me to work on more sophisticated designs.
• Anti-vibration feet
  The H2S includes better vibration isolation (anti-vibration feet or internal damping) to reduce ghosting or ringing at high speeds. But the biggest benefit is the reduced sound. It's almost silent and I wasn't aware that the anti-vibration feets were responsible for those. However, it also shakes the H2S quite a bit, and I'm not sure if that is something I like. We'll see.
• No spools/filament included in H2S
  Out of the box, the H2S ships without filament spools or starter material. This was something I noted, the X1C had examples filaments.
• Bottom frame is straight, very easy to clean
  The H2S has a flat, unobstructed bottom frame (no cutouts or under-hanging parts), which makes wiping or cleaning the base easier. This caught me by surprise. If you're owning a X1C you know that the bottom frame has some obstructions, the H2S don't have anything and it's just a flat surface. It's easier to clean it.
• Brighter LED, easier to watch
  The lighting inside the H2S (for chamber or build area) is enhanced, which makes observing prints in progress more convenient.
• Comes default with textured plate
  The H2S ships with a textured build plate surface (e.g. textured PEI) to help prints adhere better. For the X1C I had to buy it additionally.
• Plate has cutout for easy placement
  The build plate includes a cutout or recess so it’s easier to align it. This was another small detail I really loved. The X1C plate is a simple Square, so when you put it on the magnetic plate, it's sometimes hard to align it. With the H2S that's improved and easier.
• Heated chamber
  The H2S has an actively heated chamber ( the ability to maintain elevated ambient temperature inside) which helps with warpage on higher-temperature materials like ABS, nylon, etc.  It also improves the overall stability of the print because the temperature also doesn't change.
• Air vents
  This is something I really appreciate. Sometimes I had to open the front door of the printer to allow the chamber to cool down. The H2S has two actively vents it can automatically close or open.
  

You can see how small the X1C is compared to the H2S, which almost takes half of my table.

AMS 2 Pro vs AMS

The second biggest reason I wanted to upgrade is also to get the new AMS units. I know that I could upgrade the AMS with the X1C, but it was just an excuse. For me there are several small improvements, and I think long term users would appreciate these more:

• Exposed tubes
  The AMS2 design exposes the filament path tubing (the PTFE or guiding tubes), making it easier to inspect filament flow and detect issues. Power users know that with the regular AMS, you had take the whole unit, and dissemble to reach the tubes if somehow a filament was stuck inside the tubes.
• Easy way to remove tube from back
  In the AMS2, the back end tubing connection is designed to be more accessible, so you can more quickly remove or replace the tube. With the regular AMS, you have to open the lid, and press the release button from inside. With the AMS 2 Pro, you can take out the tube without opening the lid.
• Dryer
  The AMS2 adds active filament drying — it can heat and dehumidify filaments while storing them, which is especially helpful for moisture-sensitive materials like Nylon or TPU.  Some say it's not as efficient as it should be, but it's an additional plus for more.
• Better motors
  AMS2 uses improved motors or gearing for more reliable filament feeding (less skipping, more consistent tension), which helps reduce under-extrusion or feeding errors.

If you're a power user and are using X1C, want a bigger build plate, the H2S is a no-brainer. Not only does is it provide a bigger build volume, but it also comes with multiple improvements that makes 3D printing a joy. Bambu Lab's 3D printers are already one of the bests in the industry, and H2S shows that there are still improvements to made.

You might ask, "Why not the H2D?". There were two reasons. First I don't do multi filaments prints that often, and I don't think the higher price justify for the dual nozzle system. For my needs, the H2S was a better choice.

Printing 3D models is not an hobby for me. I really dislike also fiddling around with 3D printers. I know that wasn't the case 5-10 years ago, but for me 3D printers are just tools for me to work on my side projects. I want them to work when I need them, and that's it. Bambu lab knows that people like me are out there, and I'm glad they are catering for our needs.