1.0 The Main Question Buyers Face
You're ready to buy a Bambu Lab P-series 3D printer in 2025. You've decided the P1 platform gives you the best mix of speed, quality, and price. But now you face an important choice: should you buy the open P1P printer and add an enclosure later, or should you buy the complete P1S right away?
This isn't just about comparing starting prices. You need to think about the total cost, how much time you'll spend, and whether your printer will meet your future needs. You're choosing between a project you build yourself and a finished product.
This article breaks down both options completely. We'll look at the real costs, the time and work needed, and how well each choice performs. Our goal is to give you the facts you need to decide what's truly the best value for your needs and workspace.
2.0 Understanding Both Printers
To make a smart choice, let's first understand what these two excellent machines offer in 2025. They use the same basic technology, have the same build size, and print at high speeds, but they're designed for different uses.
The Bambu Lab P1P
This is the open-frame workhorse. It's built to be a fast, super-reliable printer that works great with common, low-temperature materials. It's excellent at printing PLA, PETG, and TPU. The open design gives maximum airflow to cool parts and lets you easily reach the build area and print head, making it perfect for quick prototyping with standard materials.
The Bambu Lab P1S
This is the enclosed, all-materials solution. The P1S takes the P1P's strong foundation and adds a factory-built enclosure with supporting systems. It's designed to handle any material right out of the box. Its main features include:
- A complete enclosure with plastic side panels, glass door, and glass top
- An extra part cooling fan
- A chamber temperature control fan
- A control board fan
- An activated carbon filter
This factory integration means the P1S can effectively handle both basic materials and high-temperature, professional-grade materials like ABS, ASA, and Polycarbonate from day one.
3.0 The P1P Upgrade Path
This option means buying the P1P and later turning it into an enclosed printer. We need to understand the "real cost" of this path, which goes far beyond the starting price.
3.1 The Money Cost
There are two main ways to enclose a P1P, each costing different amounts.
Option 1: Official Upgrade Kit
Bambu Lab sells an official kit to convert a P1P into a P1S. In 2025, this kit includes the enclosure panels, the needed fans for temperature control, the carbon filter, an upgraded tool head cable, and a cable chain. To find the total cost, add the printer price and kit price:
Cost of P1P + Cost of Official Upgrade Kit = Total Investment
As of early 2025, this total often comes very close to, or sometimes costs more than, buying a P1S directly.
Option 2: The Do-It-Yourself Route
For hands-on users, building your own enclosure is popular. This path has variable costs:
- Printed Parts: You need to print various brackets, hinges, and mounts. The cost is the filament used and the hours your printer works.
- Panel Materials: You must buy your own panels. Acrylic is common and affordable, but it cracks more easily and handles less heat. Polycarbonate is stronger and handles more heat but costs more.
- Hardware: Screws, door magnets, and other needed hardware costs add up.
- Extra Features: To truly match P1S features, you'd also need to buy and install an extra fan, chamber fan, and carbon filter system.
A realistic cost range for a complete DIY build can be anywhere from 40% to 80% of the official upgrade kit cost, depending on materials and parts chosen.
3.2 Time and Effort Cost
This non-money cost, or "sweat equity," is the biggest difference.
- Printing Time: Printing all needed parts for a solid DIY enclosure can take 10 to 20+ hours of machine time.
- Finding Parts and Assembly: You must spend time finding and ordering the right panels, screws, and electronics. The assembly itself can take several hours and may involve trial and error. This is the "tinkering" part that some enjoy and others want to avoid.
- Fine-tuning and Problem-solving: A DIY enclosure isn't factory-tuned. You may need extra time adjusting fan speeds and print settings to properly manage chamber temperature and prevent problems like heat creep, especially when printing high-temperature materials.
3.3 Performance and Reliability
How does an upgraded P1P compare to a stock P1S? While a well-built upgrade can work great, there are differences. A DIY enclosure's heat efficiency depends entirely on build quality and materials used. It may not maintain steady chamber temperature as well as the factory-designed P1S.
Also, the P1S's fans and filter are fully built into the control board and software. This means they work automatically based on the material profile selected in the slicer. A DIY setup often needs manual controls or isn't integrated at all, creating a less smooth user experience.
4.0 Buying the P1S Directly
This path represents the "it just works" approach. It focuses on time, simplicity, and guaranteed performance by delivering a fully integrated, factory-assembled solution.
4.1 Upfront Money Cost
The 2025 price of the P1S is one fixed number. When you compare this directly to the P1P + Official Upgrade Kit total, you often find the price difference is small, and in many cases, the P1S costs less. This makes the financial argument for upgrading less appealing than it might first appear.
4.2 The Value of Simplicity
The main value of the P1S is the time it saves you.
- Unbox-to-Print: Setup time for a P1S is about 15-20 minutes. There's no multi-hour assembly project, no parts to print for the printer itself, and no materials to find. You can print your first advanced material on day one.
- Peace of Mind: The machine is assembled and tested in a factory. The entire integrated system is covered by one complete warranty. For professionals, print farms, or hobbyists who aren't interested in tinkering, this reliability has huge value.
4.3 The Integrated Advantage
It's wrong to think of the P1S as just a P1P with panels. It's a complete system where each additional part serves a critical, integrated purpose.
- Extra Part Cooling Fan: This is essential for high-speed prints with clean overhangs and bridges. It provides focused air that hardens melted material instantly, preventing droops and curls.
- Chamber and Control Board Fans: These are vital for temperature management. When printing ABS or ASA, the chamber fan controls internal temperature to create a stable, warm environment that prevents warping and layer splitting. At the same time, the control board fan ensures the printer's sensitive electronics don't overheat inside the enclosed space.
- Activated Carbon Filter: This is a major quality-of-life feature. It actively removes harmful fumes and bad smells from air leaving the chamber. This is crucial for users printing ABS and ASA in homes, offices, or poorly ventilated spaces.
5.0 Direct Value Comparison
To clarify the decision, we can directly compare the two paths across the most important value measures. The Bambu Lab P1S vs Bambu Lab P1P choice becomes clearer when viewed this way.
| Value Measure | Path A: Upgrading the P1P | Path B: Buying the P1S Directly |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Cost | Lower initial printer cost, but total cost can equal or exceed P1S after upgrades. | Higher initial printer cost, but represents the total, all-inclusive price. |
| Total Money Cost | Variable. Can be slightly less than a P1S if using a basic DIY approach, but often similar or higher when including all necessary parts. | Fixed and predictable. Often represents the best financial value when all features are considered. |
| Time Investment | High. Includes printing, finding parts, assembly, and potential troubleshooting. Measured in hours or days. | Minimal. Setup is typically under 30 minutes. |
| Performance | Good to Excellent, but depends heavily on the quality of the DIY build and parts used. May require user adjustments. | Excellent and consistent out-of-the-box. System is factory-tuned for best performance. |
| Reliability & Warranty | Printer warranty is standard; warranty on upgrade parts may be separate or non-existent for DIY parts. | Complete warranty covers the entire integrated system. |
| User Experience | Ideal for tinkerers and those who enjoy the process of building and customizing. | "Appliance-like" reliability. Turn it on and print. Ideal for professionals or hobbyists who want to focus on results. |
6.0 Matching Printer to Person
The best choice depends entirely on you. Let's make this personal with clear scenarios.
6.1 You Should Buy the P1S
- You plan to print with ABS, ASA, Nylon, or PC now or in the near future.
- Your time is your most valuable resource, and you prefer a "plug-and-play" experience.
- You are new to 3D printing and want to minimize variables and potential problems.
- The printer will be in a living or office space, where noise and fume reduction are priorities.
- Your printing environment has temperature changes, drafts, or dust that could impact print quality.
6.2 Consider Upgrading a P1P
- You are on a strict starting budget and can only afford the P1P right now, with plans to upgrade gradually over time.
- You genuinely enjoy the process of tinkering, modifying, and building your machines. The project is part of the hobby for you.
- You will print almost only with PLA and PETG and only have a rare, occasional need for an enclosure for a specific project.
- You already have materials like acrylic sheets or spare parts on hand, which significantly reduces the cost of a DIY enclosure.
7.0 The Final, Informed Decision
We have analyzed the Bambu Lab P1S vs Bambu Lab P1P debate not as a simple product comparison, but as a choice between two distinct paths. The decision is not merely P1P vs. P1S, but rather (P1P + Time + Effort + Variable Cost) vs. (P1S).
For most users in 2025, the value of the P1S is overwhelmingly clear. The small, if any, upfront price difference is paid back almost immediately in time saved, guaranteed performance, and the inclusion of critical features like enhanced cooling and air filtration. The P1S is an investment in results.
The P1P upgrade path remains a good and rewarding option for a specific type of user: the dedicated hobbyist who values the journey of building as much as the destination. For those who enjoy the process of modification and customization, turning a P1P into a fully enclosed machine is a satisfying project.
By considering your budget, your technical interest, your available time, and the materials you plan to print, you now have all the information needed to choose the path that delivers the absolute best value for your workshop.