Price, availability and store terms
Bambu's US store shows the A1 Combo at $359 against a $399 typical price during a Black Friday sale. The A1 alone is listed from $259 [3][4]. The page shows 30-day returns, a 2-year warranty and 30-day price protection [3].
Creality's store lists the Hi Combo at $449 against $599 and the Hi alone at $299, and marks both Sold Out [1]. Its badges show a 14-day return and refund and up to 12 months of warranty [1]. A sold-out listing can return at a different price, so re-check before deciding.
Specifications side by side
Both are open-frame printers; Creality's parameter table lists an open frame, i3 gantry and direct extruder for the Hi [2], and Bambu advises against enclosing the A1 [3]. Rows come from each maker's specification table.
| Item | Creality Hi Combo | Bambu Lab A1 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Listed US price | $449, sold out [1] | $359, available [3] |
| Build volume | 260 × 260 × 300 mm [2] | 256 × 256 × 256 mm [3] |
| Printer size; weight | 483 × 379 × 390 mm; 9.2 kg [2] | 465 × 410 × 430 mm; 8.3 kg [3] |
| Max speed; acceleration | 500 mm/s; ≤12,000 mm/s² [2] | 500 mm/s; 10,000 mm/s² [3] |
| Nozzle; max temperature | Tri-metal; ≤300 °C [2] | Stainless steel; 300 °C [3] |
| Heated bed | ≤100 °C [2] | 100 °C [3] |
| Listed filaments | PLA, TPU95A, BVOH, PLA-CF, PVA, PETG, ABS [2] | Ideal: PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA. Not recommended: ABS, ASA, PC, PA, PET, CF/GF [3] |
| Colour unit and drying | CFS; desiccant drying [2] | AMS lite, one unit, 4 colours [3][5] |
| Screen | 3.2-inch [2] | Not compared here |
| Slicer listed | Creality Print [2] | Bambu Studio [9] |
Colour slots and expansion
The A1's FAQ is explicit: it supports one AMS lite, so it prints at most four colours that way [3]. It can connect to the larger AMS, AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT through an AMS HUB accessory, which turns a four-colour budget machine into an expandable one at extra cost [3].
Creality's Hi listing advertises CFS×4 for up to 16-colour printing [1], and its CFS FAQ describes 16 colours as four connected CFS units [6]. Each CFS holds four spools, so going past four colours means buying more units; confirm what the bundle you order includes. Neither feeder is for TPU: the AMS lite FAQ warns against TPU, TPE and absorbent PVA [5], and Creality's CFS FAQ rules out TPU [6].
Slicer and ecosystem
Both slicers are open source under AGPL-3.0. Bambu Studio is based on PrusaSlicer, and Creality Print was originally forked from Orca Slicer [9][8]. Bambu's A1 page highlights one-click MakerWorld printing and a LAN-only mode for people who prefer not to use the cloud [3]. Creality's Hi parameter table lists Creality Cloud integration and USB or Wi-Fi file transfer [2].
The Hi table lists RFID sensing in the printer [2], which pairs with Creality's RFID filament. One caution: the same table lists AI camera monitoring features, and we could not confirm a built-in camera from the other pages we read. Treat that row as unconfirmed until you see a camera in the listing.
Who should skip multicolour entirely
Every colour change flushes filament. Bambu's wiki explains that flush volume depends on the colour pair and that a prime tower adds more material [7]. If most of what you print is single-colour functional parts, a multicolour combo mostly adds cost, desk space and waste.
In that case the A1 alone at $259 is the cheaper route on today's listings, $100 less than the Combo [4][3]. Fictional example: a reader printing PETG garden clips and PLA spare parts would spend that $100 better on filament. A reader printing two-colour signs and keychains every week is the Combo buyer.
Who fits each
The A1 Combo fits a buyer who wants something available now, longer store protection, PLA and PETG multicolour, and the option to expand through an AMS hub later. The Hi Combo, if it returns to stock, fits someone who wants up to 300 mm of height, ABS or PLA-CF on the official list, and a feeder that doubles as a dry box. Either way, an open frame is not ideal for ABS; see our open-versus-enclosed guide.
- Re-check the Hi Combo listing; it was sold out on 30 October 2026.
- Count the colours you would use per model; four covers most hobby work.
- Plan an external spool for TPU on either printer.
- Measure your desk for the printer plus its feeder.
- Prefer a 30-day return window if this is your first printer.
Questions before you decide
Can I buy the Creality Hi Combo right now?
Not from Creality’s US store on 30 October 2026: the Hi Combo and Hi were both marked Sold Out. Re-check the listing, because price and stock can change.
How many colours can the A1 Combo print?
Four with the included AMS lite, because the A1 supports only one AMS lite. Bambu says the A1 can connect to the AMS, AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT through an AMS HUB accessory.
Can either print ABS?
Creality lists ABS for the Hi. Bambu lists ABS as not recommended for the A1. Both are open-frame printers, which makes ABS harder.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Creality store: Creality Hi Combo listing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality: Creality Hi Combo support page and parameters Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: A1 listing, specifications and FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: A1 series collection Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab Wiki: AMS lite FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality store blog: K2 Plus and CFS FAQs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab Wiki: Reduce waste during filament change Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality Print source repository (GitHub) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Studio source repository (GitHub) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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