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MK4 vs P1S - value for money?  

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Abuk007
(@abuk007)
Active Member
MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

I have MK4 kit order pending shipping but P1S reveal (which is 50$ cheaper) has me on the verge of cancelling my MK4 order...

I've been a long fan of Prusa (had MK3 thru MK3S+), also got a free spool of prusament in my order (been waiting since April for the printer).

I'm questioning now if I'm getting good value for money.

Prusa:

+reliability & quality

+great support

+open source

+nextruder

+easy to fix an modify

+touchscreen

 

-no built in accelerometer for Input Shaper (using a standardized profile instead)*

-wonky wifi

-smaller build size

-no enclosure

-bed slinger

-support for standard E3D nozzles requires extra paid adapter

*board upgrade is planned to include accelerometer, no detailed info for now

 

Bambu:

+speed and quality

+enclosure with filter

+quick assembly

+CoreXY

+included camera

+wifi and BT

 

-closed source

-basic screen

-limited repairability and moddability

-proprietary nozzles

-questionable support / future

 

Do you think Prusa will include any free upgrades to MK4 early adopters?

I want to avoid a situation that future orders will get upgrades or price drops, while I had my money frozen for 4 months and will be forced to purchase upgraded parts 1-3 months after I get the printer.

Should I stick with my MK4 order? Do you think P1S blows it out of the water for the price?

This topic was modified 1 year ago by Abuk007
Posted : 13/07/2023 10:45 pm
vhubbard
(@vhubbard)
Estimable Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

I have been evaluating, maintaining and buying technology for 40+ years.  Quality, reliability and support are critical. 

My first 3D printer was in the very early days of home 3D printing.  It was recommended by a profesional 3D company.   Support was poor and within a year support totally disappeared.   It became useless very quickly. A lesson I will not forget.  

I tracked 3D printer reviews for a few years.  I often found when a printer got good ratings and popularity went up, quality seemed to disappear.   Prusa did not follow that trend. 

I bought Prusa for quality, reliability and support.    The MK4 is my second Prusa printer.  I have put 7 days of printing through it PLA/PETG and no failures, no need to adjust Z.   I am good at techie tinkering, but I  want a product that will just work.   The MK4 lets me focus on designing parts and building.  

 

Posted : 14/07/2023 1:18 pm
Twok, Gregory Verba, lfachaux and 2 people liked
Rainer
(@rainer-2)
Reputable Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

Where did you get the information that a board upgrade has something to do with the accelerometer?

The current one already has a connection for it.

Another chip manufacturer should be used. There should be no difference in performance.

Posted : 14/07/2023 2:54 pm
iftibashir
(@iftibashir)
Honorable Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

Don’t forget the high noise with the Bambu printers - one of the major deciding factors which swayed me to the MK4.

Click here for Original Prusa VIDEO BUILD GUIDES

--> MK4 - MK4S - MINI+ <--

Posted : 14/07/2023 2:59 pm
Abuk007
(@abuk007)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?
Posted by: @rainer-2

Where did you get the information that a board upgrade has something to do with the accelerometer?

The current one already has a connection for it.

Another chip manufacturer should be used. There should be no difference in performance.

C.S. told me that Prusa is already developing a board to include the accelerometer. They couldn't tell me if that will be a free or paid upgrade.

Posted : 14/07/2023 10:31 pm
YEAHroen
(@yeahroen)
Active Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

Maybe a new version of the loveboard that includes the accelerometer?

And is the connector on the xbuddy for the accelerometer on the Y-carriage(heatbed)?

Posted : 15/07/2023 7:39 am
cwbullet
(@cwbullet)
Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

I would add - Noisy as hell.  Also, my P1P appears to Jam more often.  This is especially true with non-Bambu filament.  I am not on my third partial clog in 6 months and I have yet to have one one on my MK4 (2-3 weeks) and or in couple my my Mk3 (years).  I think it has to do with the fact that the Bambys heat to 250 when changing any filament.  

Posted by: @iftibashir

Don’t forget the high noise with the Bambu printers - one of the major deciding factors which swayed me to the MK4.

 

--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog

Posted : 15/07/2023 12:23 pm
cwbullet
(@cwbullet)
Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

I have used several printers with Klipper with and without an accelerometer.  It is a plus, but you can get good results without it.  I hope they add one, but I will operate without one.  One other thing with Bambu.  I am pretty sure the start up take longer to print, but I could be wrong.  

Posted by: @rainer-2

Where did you get the information that a board upgrade has something to do with the accelerometer?

The current one already has a connection for it.

Another chip manufacturer should be used. There should be no difference in performance.

 

--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog

Posted : 15/07/2023 12:26 pm
Yasar
(@yasar)
Trusted Member
RE:

the mk4 is already boring because it prints perfectly the only thing with other filaments you have to determine the flow that was you 🙂 .... it runs and runs ...and the input shaper is awesome... just as fast as klipper and core xy.... lol

i would stick with prusa for the software and spare parts....

Posted : 16/07/2023 6:15 pm
Neolker liked
Antimix
(@antimix)
Reputable Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

I took my MK4 as kit, because I wanted to know how it was done till the last screw 😊 

After throwing away almost all my inket printers (proprietary, closed source, no replacement parts available, and then either the consumables were not available any more) when I purchased a 3D printer I did not wanted to do the same error and throw away money again.

Taking a BambuLab is like to go back to the closed-hardware of an EPSON, HP, CANON or any other inkjet printer, and I did not want to repeat the same experience (and do not forget the incredible noise they do, that would not allow me to have a X1C/P1P/P1S at home)

If would ever existed a PRUSA Inkejet printer I would have purchased instead of all that closed-hardware short life printers.

Posted : 19/08/2023 10:50 pm
Renze and vhubbard liked
str0gg
(@str0gg)
Eminent Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

Nextruder is not a great design it can accumulate heat and filament jams in it due to being to soft push through curve. Dual gears design with straight filament path is way to go.  Next thing with nextruder i don’t know why they did not adapt revo since nextruder use revo design which was made longer.
Adapter is not the best design if filament jams in it. There is expend chamber which normally does not got hot enough to make any problems but if heat accumulation happens expect problems. I’ve already killed one aluminum block and  adapter (adapter is very soft…). Original revo also has this problem but due easy nozzle swap you can just remove nozzle use heat gun to warm it and after 5 minutes including cooling you are back in business. With nextruder design after 30 minutes you are in still in fight and very angry. 

 

Next thing bed temperatures advertised vs what you got, both printers from my signature operate 10C lower then you set but report that set temperature was reached…
Material compatibility I did not manage to work PC with mk4 even glue for PC did not manage to stop warping, ABS/ASA only with glue.
Only PA11-cf is working as advertised with special sheet.

What do i thing about prusa after buying mk4? it was second and last printer I bough from them.

mini+ [bondtech dual drive, revo, reprinted with PA11-CF and ASA] lives in photo tent.
mk4 stock (with some parts reprinted) lives in prusa enclosure.

Posted : 20/08/2023 7:24 am
cwbullet
(@cwbullet)
Member
RE: MK4 vs P1S - value for money?

Sorry to hear of your issues.  Your experience is not the experience of the majority.  How are you using the adaptor and printer from the rest of the users that is different?  I have used the Mk4 for about a month and have had zero issues.  No jams.  No adhesion issues.  

It is widely publicized to use a glue stick with PC and PC Blend.  I have not had to use anything with ABS or ASA.  It sticks well.  

Posted by: @str0gg

Nextruder is not a great design it can accumulate heat and filament jams in it due to being to soft push through curve. Dual gears design with straight filament path is way to go.  Next thing with nextruder i don’t know why they did not adapt revo since nextruder use revo design which was made longer.
Adapter is not the best design if filament jams in it. There is expend chamber which normally does not got hot enough to make any problems but if heat accumulation happens expect problems. I’ve already killed one aluminum block and  adapter (adapter is very soft…). Original revo also has this problem but due easy nozzle swap you can just remove nozzle use heat gun to warm it and after 5 minutes including cooling you are back in business. With nextruder design after 30 minutes you are in still in fight and very angry. 

 

Next thing bed temperatures advertised vs what you got, both printers from my signature operate 10C lower then you set but report that set temperature was reached…
Material compatibility I did not manage to work PC with mk4 even glue for PC did not manage to stop warping, ABS/ASA only with glue.
Only PA11-cf is working as advertised with special sheet.

What do i thing about prusa after buying mk4? it was second and last printer I bough from them.

 

--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog

Posted : 20/08/2023 2:05 pm
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