Qidi Plus 4 Vs. Bambu X1C: Which One Is Better?

I vividly remember the frustration of watching a 20-hour ABS print warp off the build plate of my old bed-slinger printer. It was a wasted day and a wasted roll of filament.

That was the moment I knew I needed a CoreXY machine that could handle engineering materials without throwing a tantrum. Naturally, my research led me to the two titans of the current market: the polished, AI-driven Bambu Lab X1 Carbon (X1C) and the spec-heavy, wallet-friendly Qidi Tech Plus 4.

If you are currently sitting with your credit card in hand, paralyzed by the choice between the “Apple of 3D printing” and the industrial powerhouse that promises to kill it, you are not alone. The main intent of this article is to strip away the marketing hype and tell you exactly which machine belongs in your workshop. By the end, you will know whether the AI features of the X1C are worth the premium, or if the heated chamber of the Qidi Plus 4 makes it the superior choice for serious making.

A Brief Comparison Table

My Experience With Qidi Plus 4

When the Qidi Plus 4 arrived, the first thing that struck me was the sheer presence of the machine.

It doesn’t try to look like a sleek home appliance in the same way the Bambu does; it looks like a tool meant for a garage or a dedicated workshop.

Setting it up was surprisingly straightforward, though it lacked the refined “unboxing experience” of its competitor.

However, the moment I fired it up, I knew this machine was built for a different purpose.

I bought the Qidi Plus 4 specifically because I wanted to print large Nylon and ABS parts for a drone project I was working on. My previous printers always struggled with layer adhesion on tall thin parts. I loaded up a roll of carbon-fiber-filled Nylon, set the active chamber heater to 60°C, and hit print. The smell of the heating element kicking in was reassuring. Watching the first layer go down, I noticed the Klipper screen was incredibly responsive. Unlike locked-down systems, I felt like I had full access to the engine room. I could tweak pressure advance and input shaping on the fly.

The print quality on that first run was nothing short of industrial. The active heated chamber is a game-changer. There was zero warping—absolutely none. The parts came out dimensionally accurate and incredibly strong. However, I did miss the convenience of an automatic material handling system. Changing filaments meant manually unloading and reloading, which felt a bit archaic after using other modern machines. But every time I pulled a massive, flawless ASA part off that plate, the minor inconvenience faded away. The Qidi Plus 4 felt like a reliable tank that just wanted to work, asking for very little pampering in return.

Also read: My Thoughts On LJUREN Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

Pros Of Qidi Plus 4

• Active Heated Chamber Technology: The absolute standout feature of the Qidi Plus 4 is its active heated chamber, capable of reaching 65°C. Most consumer printers, including the Bambu X1C, rely on “passive” heating, where the heat from the print bed slowly warms up the air inside the box. This is inefficient and uneven. The Qidi has a dedicated heating element and fan system that actively pumps hot air into the build volume. For anyone printing engineering-grade materials like ABS, ASA, PC, or Nylon, this is non-negotiable. It ensures that the internal temperature is uniform from the bottom of the print to the top, effectively eliminating layer delamination and warping on large parts. I have printed full-helmet cosplay props in ABS on this machine without a single corner lifting, something that is nearly impossible on passive-chamber machines without using copious amounts of glue and luck.
• Massive Build Volume: Space is luxury in 3D printing, and the Qidi Plus 4 offers a generous 305 x 305 x 280 mm build area. Compared to the standard 256mm cubed volume of the X1C, this extra space opens up significant possibilities. It means you can print full-sized helmets in one piece, or batch print more parts at once. I found this particularly useful for architectural models where splitting the model would ruin the aesthetic. The extra 50mm on the X and Y axis might not sound like much on paper, but in practice, it is the difference between fitting a part diagonally and having to cut it in half.
• Open Source Klipper Freedom: Unlike the “walled garden” approach of Bambu Lab, the Qidi Plus 4 runs on a fairly open version of Klipper. This is a massive pro for power users and tinkerers. You have root access to the machine. This means you can install your own webcams, add custom macros, tweak the configuration files to your heart’s content, and use third-party interfaces like Fluidd or Mainsail without jumping through hoops. If you want to change the input shaping algorithms or experiment with different pressure advance settings beyond what the manufacturer recommends, the machine lets you. You truly own the hardware and the software running on it.
• High-Temperature Capability: The hotend on the Qidi Plus 4 is rated for 370°C. This is significantly higher than the 300°C limit of the X1C. While most users will rarely go above 280°C for standard filaments, this overhead allows for exotic high-performance polymers like PPS-CF or PEEK (with some modifications). It also means the hotend is robust and over-engineered for daily tasks. The bimetallic nozzle included is durable and handles abrasive carbon-fiber filled filaments right out of the box without wearing down, ensuring consistent extrusion over hundreds of hours of printing.
• Cost-to-Performance Ratio: Perhaps the most compelling argument for the Qidi Plus 4 is the price. It typically retails for significantly less than the X1 Carbon combo. For the price of one X1C, you could almost buy two Qidi machines (depending on sales). If your workflow does not require multi-color printing, you are getting a machine with better thermal properties and a larger build volume for a fraction of the cost. For print farms or businesses that need to churn out functional black ABS parts, the Qidi offers a much faster return on investment.

Cons Of Qidi Plus 4

• Lack of Native Multi-Color System: The biggest omission on the Qidi Plus 4 compared to the X1C is the lack of a tightly integrated multi-material system like the AMS. While Qidi has announced a “Qidi Box,” as of my writing, the integration is not as seamless or mature as Bambu’s offering. If you want to print multi-color models, you are largely stuck with manual filament swaps or complex external setups. For users who primarily print functional parts in a single color, this doesn’t matter, but if you want to print soluble supports or colorful logos, the Qidi lags behind significantly in convenience.
• Industrial Aesthetics and Size: The Qidi Plus 4 is a beast. It is physically larger and bulkier than the X1C. It looks like a piece of industrial machinery, often with a stark black aesthetic that might not fit the “vibe” of a modern home office or living room. It takes up a lot of desk depth. Additionally, the fit and finish, while sturdy, lack the premium injection-molded polish of the Bambu. The doors might feel a bit lighter, and the panels are more utilitarian. It is a machine designed for function over form, which might be a turn-off for some design-conscious users.
• Noise Levels: The active chamber heater requires fans, the high-speed printing requires powerful auxiliary cooling fans, and the motherboard has its own fan. All of this adds up to a noisy machine. When the Qidi Plus 4 is running at full tilt with the chamber heater on, it generates a significant amount of white noise. It is noticeably louder than a standard bed-slinger and can be intrusive if you are working in the same room. While the X1C is also loud, the specific pitch of the Qidi’s fans can be grating during long prints.
• Software Polish is Catching Up: While Klipper is powerful, Qidi’s specific implementation and their slicer (which is a fork of PrusaSlicer/OrcaSlicer) can sometimes feel a bit less cohesive than Bambu Studio. You might encounter occasional bugs in the UI or translation errors in the menu system. Setting up the Wi-Fi or transferring files can sometimes require a few more clicks than on the Bambu. It is not “bad” by any means, but it lacks the buttery smoothness of the Bambu software experience where every button is exactly where you expect it to be.
• Z-Offset Sensitivity: Despite having inductive and piezo sensors, I found that I occasionally had to manually “baby step” the Z-offset on the Qidi Plus 4 to get the perfect first layer squish, especially when switching between different nozzle types or build plates. The X1C’s Lidar automates this almost perfectly every time. On the Qidi, you still need to have a bit of that “3D printer intuition” to recognize when the nozzle is slightly too high or too low and adjust it on the fly, which can be daunting for absolute beginners.

My Experience With Bambu X1C

Unboxing the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon was less like setting up a printer and more like unboxing a high-end laptop. The polish is undeniable. From the moment I peeled off the protective film and plugged in the AMS (Automatic Material System), the machine took over. It ran a self-diagnostic, vibrated to calibrate resonance, and used its Lidar to scan the bed. I didn’t have to level a single thing or tweak a single Z-offset value. It just told me it was ready.

I immediately threw a four-color print at it—a complex articulated dragon that usually fails on other machines due to retraction issues. Watching the AMS swap filaments was mesmerizing. The X1C moves with a violence that is scary at first; the print head zips around at speeds that seem impossible. But the Lidar flow calibration worked magic. The first layer was smooth as glass. I monitored the print from my phone while at the grocery store, and at one point, the AI actually paused the print because it detected a potential spaghetti failure (which turned out to be a loose support). I was able to resume it remotely.

However, the noise is real. The X1C is loud—fan noise, motor noise, and the “poop” chute clatter as it purges filament. It is not a machine I would want running in my bedroom while I sleep. Also, while the PLA and PETG prints were perfection, I found that printing large ABS parts required me to pre-heat the machine for about 30 minutes to get the internal temperature up, as it relies on the bed to heat the chamber. It works, but it’s not as instantaneous or effective as the Qidi’s active heater. The X1C is a marvel of convenience and speed, designed for the user who wants the print, not the tinkering process.

Pros Of Bambu X1C

• The AMS (Automatic Material System): The AMS is the killer app of the Bambu ecosystem. It is not just about printing colorful toys; it is about workflow efficiency. The ability to have four different rolls of filament loaded and ready to go is invaluable. If I run out of black PLA mid-print, the AMS automatically switches to the next spool of black PLA without pausing the print. The support interface capability is also a professional feature—using cheaper PLA for the model and specialized “Support W” filament for the interface layers makes removing supports effortless and leaves a pristine surface finish. It turns multi-material printing from a headache into a “click and forget” process.
• Lidar and AI Failure Detection: The X1 Carbon is packed with sensors that actually work. The Micro Lidar sensor scans the first layer to ensure it is perfect. If it detects a blob or an area where the filament didn’t stick, it alerts you immediately, saving you from wasting filament on a doomed print. It also uses the Lidar for flow calibration, automatically adjusting how much plastic it squirts out for every new roll of filament. This eliminates the need for manual flow rate calibration cubes. The “spaghetti detection” uses the internal camera to watch for print failures and pauses the machine if things go wrong. I have saved hundreds of dollars in filament thanks to this feature catching a failure early.
• Unmatched User Experience and Ecosystem: Bambu Lab has successfully “Apple-ified” 3D printing. The Bambu Studio slicer is intuitive, powerful, and syncs wirelessly with the printer. The Bambu Handy mobile app allows you to browse models, slice them in the cloud, and start printing from your phone without ever touching a computer. The integration is seamless. You don’t need to know what a “baud rate” is or how to flash firmware. The machine updates itself over Wi-Fi. For professionals who just want a tool that works, or for beginners who are intimidated by the technical side of printing, this polished ecosystem is worth the extra cost.
• Speed and Motion System: While other printers are catching up, the CoreXY motion system on the X1C is incredibly refined. It uses ultra-lightweight carbon fiber rods for the X-axis, allowing for insane acceleration. It can print a high-quality Benchy in under 20 minutes effortlessly. But it’s not just about top speed; it’s about how it handles corners and fine details at those speeds. The vibration compensation is tuned perfectly at the factory. I have thrown incredibly complex geometries at this printer at 300mm/s, and the surfaces come out smooth with sharp corners, free of the “ringing” or “ghosting” artifacts that plague slower machines.
• Plug-and-Play Reliability: There is a reason this printer took the world by storm. It just works. I have gone months without re-leveling the bed or doing major maintenance. The automated routines handle almost everything. When you hit print, you have a 99% confidence level that the part will be there when you come back. This reliability changes how you use a 3D printer. It stops being a hobby project that you tinker with and becomes a utility device like a microwave or a 2D paper printer. You stop worrying about if it will print and start focusing on what to print.

Cons Of Bambu X1C

• Closed Ecosystem and Repairability: The X1C is a “black box.” The firmware is encrypted and closed. You cannot modify the startup code significantly, you cannot change the thermal runaways protections (not that you should), and you rely entirely on Bambu Lab for updates. If they decide to stop supporting a feature, it’s gone. Furthermore, many parts are proprietary. If a specialized board or sensor fails, you often have to buy the replacement directly from Bambu. You cannot just swap in a generic stepper motor or hotend from Amazon as easily as you can with open-source machines. This raises concerns about the long-term longevity of the machine 5 or 10 years down the line.
• Smaller Build Volume: The 256 x 256 x 256 mm build volume is decent, but it is becoming the bare minimum for “large” printers. In a world where 300mm is becoming the standard for mid-range CoreXY machines (like the Qidi), the X1C feels a bit cramped. If you want to print a Mandalorian helmet, you will likely have to slice it into pieces and glue it together, which involves sanding and post-processing. For a machine that costs this much, the inability to print larger single-piece objects is a significant limitation for cosplayers and prop makers.
• Poop Chute Waste: The AMS system creates a lot of waste. Every time the printer switches colors, it cuts the filament and purges a “poop” of plastic out the back to clear the nozzle. On a complex multi-color print with thousands of layer changes, you can end up wasting more filament in purge blocks and poop than is actually in the model itself. It feels wasteful and adds to the cost of every print. While you can tune the flushing volumes, it is an inherent downside of single-nozzle multi-material printing that takes some joy out of the process.
• Price: There is no getting around it—the X1 Carbon is expensive. You are paying a premium for the AI, the Lidar, and the brand name. For the price of the X1C Combo, you could buy a very capable farm of cheaper printers. For a hobbyist on a budget, it is a hard pill to swallow. You have to ask yourself if the time saved by the automated features is worth the extra $500-$800 over competitors like the Qidi or the Creality K1 series.
• Passive Chamber Heating Limitations: While the X1C is enclosed, it does not have an active heater. It relies on the heat radiating from the bed to warm the chamber. This means that for materials like ABS, the chamber rarely gets above 45-50°C, and it takes a long time to get there. For really large, warp-prone parts, this isn’t always enough to prevent the corners from lifting. I have had to use extra brim and glue stick on the X1C for parts that the Qidi prints effortlessly on a bare plate, simply because the Qidi’s chamber is 15-20 degrees hotter.

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Maintenance Tips For Qidi Plus 4 And Bambu X1C

• Rod Cleaning is Crucial (But Different for Each): The motion systems on these printers are their lifelines. For the Bambu X1C, the X-axis uses carbon fiber rods. Do not grease these. Greasing them will ruin the bushings and cause print failures. Instead, you must clean them with Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and a microfiber cloth to remove dust and carbon buildup. For the Qidi Plus 4, which typically uses steel linear rods or rails, you do want to apply a light lithium grease periodically. Confusing these two maintenance routines can destroy your printer, so always check the manual for your specific machine before applying lubricant.
• Belt Tensioning: Both printers run at high accelerations, which can stretch belts over time. If your circles start looking like ovals, it’s time to check tension. On the Qidi Plus 4, there are usually tensioning screws on the gantry that you adjust manually while plucking the belt to hear a specific frequency (or just feeling for firmness). The Bambu X1C has a semi-automated tensioning system where you loosen screws on the back, move the head, and retighten them. I recommend doing a tension check every 300 printing hours to ensure dimensional accuracy.
• Nozzle and Extruder Gear Care: Printing with carbon fiber or glow-in-the-dark filament is abrasive. Even hardened nozzles wear out eventually. I make it a habit to check the nozzle tip for deformation every few months. More importantly, check the extruder gears. Filament dust can build up in the teeth of the gears, causing slippage and under-extrusion. Open the extruder assembly (both printers make this relatively accessible) and brush out the gear teeth with a stiff toothbrush or compressed air. This is especially important on the Bambu X1C if you use the AMS, as the retraction grinding can create fine dust.
• Chamber Heater/Fan Filter Maintenance: For the Qidi Plus 4, since it has an active heater, you need to ensure the intake and exhaust vents for the heater module are not clogged with dust or stray filament strands. A clogged heater can overheat and fail. For the Bambu X1C, there is a carbon filter and a main board fan filter. These get clogged rapidly, especially if printing ABS. A clogged board fan can cause the printer’s computer to overheat and shut down mid-print. Vacuum these vents out regularly.
• Bed Adhesion Management: Both printers use PEI sheets, which are fantastic, but they degrade with oil from your fingers. Wash your build plates with warm water and plain dish soap (Dawn is great) every dozen prints. IPA is good for a quick wipe, but it just spreads grease around eventually; soap and water actually remove it. If you use glue stick on the Bambu X1C (often recommended for the Cool Plate or Engineering Plate), wash the buildup off frequently to maintain a smooth bottom surface on your prints.

Comparison with other brands

• Creality K1 Max vs. Qidi Plus 4/Bambu X1C: The Creality K1 Max is the most direct competitor to the Qidi Plus 4. It also offers a large 300mm build volume and runs Klipper. However, in my experience, the K1 Max lacks the active heated chamber of the Qidi. It relies on passive heating like the Bambu. The K1 Max is often cheaper than both, but Creality’s quality control can be hit-or-miss. The extruder on the K1 series has gone through several revisions to fix jamming issues. If you want the cheapest route to a big, fast CoreXY, the K1 Max is an option, but the Qidi Plus 4 is a more refined machine for engineering materials due to that active heater.
• Prusa MK4 vs. Bambu X1C: The Prusa MK4 is the complete opposite philosophy of the X1C. It is a “bed slinger” (the bed moves back and forth), it is open source, and it is built to be repaired forever. The print quality on the MK4 is phenomenal, matching the X1C, but it is significantly slower. The main reason to buy a Prusa over a Bambu is longevity and silence. The MK4 is whisper quiet compared to the jet-engine noise of the X1C. However, the MK4 lacks an enclosure out of the box, making it poor for ABS printing compared to the enclosed X1C or Qidi. If you only print PLA and PETG and value silence, get the Prusa. If you need speed and advanced materials, get the Bambu or Qidi.
• Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro vs. Qidi Plus 4: Flashforge and Qidi share some DNA (Qidi started by cloning Flashforge), but they have diverged. The 5M Pro is a smaller, budget-friendly CoreXY. It is significantly smaller than the Qidi Plus 4. It is a great entry-level enclosed printer, but it lacks the thermal mass and the active heating of the Qidi. The 5M Pro is more of a competitor to the Bambu P1S. If you are looking for a massive build volume, the Flashforge doesn’t compete here. The Qidi is in a higher weight class regarding capability.
• Voron 2.4 vs. Qidi Plus 4: The Voron is a DIY kit. You build it from scratch. A well-tuned Voron is arguably better than both the Qidi and the Bambu because it is built exactly to your specs. However, building a Voron takes 40+ hours of labor and immense technical skill. The Qidi Plus 4 is essentially a “pre-built Voron” for people who want to print, not build printers. It gives you 90% of the performance of a custom Voron with 0% of the assembly time. Unless you enjoy the act of building the machine more than using it, the Qidi is the smarter choice for a production workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

Deciding between these two machines comes down to a simple question: Are you a Maker or a Manager?

If you are a Manager of your workflow—someone who needs to prototype parts rapidly, values a “set it and forget it” experience, and needs the ability to print multi-color models for clients or aesthetics—you should buy the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon. It is the safest bet. The ecosystem is unmatched, the AMS is a revolutionary convenience, and the resale value holds up well. It is the printer for people who want results with zero friction.

However, if you are a Maker—someone who needs strong, functional parts made of ABS or Nylon, who needs the extra space for large props or enclosures, and who appreciates the freedom of open-source software—you should choose the Qidi Plus 4. You get a machine that is mechanically superior for engineering plastics thanks to that active heated chamber. You get more build volume. And you keep a significant chunk of cash in your pocket. The Qidi Plus 4 is the heavy lifter of the workshop, and for pure functional printing, it punches well above its weight class.