If you’ve been keeping an eye on the 3D printing world lately, you’ve heard about the Bambu Lab X2D. It launched with a lot of hype — dual tool head, multicolor AMS support, and a price point that raises eyebrows in a good way. I picked one up as soon as it dropped after some of you on Discord started asking about it, and I’ve spent the last week running it non-stop so you don’t have to guess. Below is my complete experience: from the moment I opened the box to a full week of printing.
Unboxing the Bambu Lab X2D (With AMS)
🎬 Watch the full unboxing video above
The X2D comes in two configurations: printer only, or printer with AMS. I went with the AMS bundle — multicolor printing is one of the main reasons to own this machine, and the dual tool head only makes full sense when the AMS is in the picture.
What’s in the Box
Right away, the packaging impressed me. Solid foam inserts, no rattling, and — importantly — the printer arrives almost fully pre-assembled. If you’ve ever spent an hour bolting rails together on an older Creality-style printer, you’ll appreciate this immediately.
Here’s what comes in the box:
- Quick start guide (printed) + QR code for digital instructions
- Allen wrenches, spare hotend, and basic tools
- Touchscreen display
- Power cable + adapter cable
- Spool holder
- 6N AMS connectivity cable
- Exhaust fan + connector
Pro tip: That top cardboard piece sitting over the printer has a QR code on it. Scan it first — it walks you through the entire unboxing step-by-step with photos.
Important: Remove ALL Shipping Restraints First
Before you power anything on, do a thorough walkthrough of the printer:
- ✅ Remove the two red-taped screws from the front (securing the AMS)
- ✅ Pull the red lead screw holders down and off
- ✅ Remove the screw from the build plate (rear)
- ✅ Clip the zip ties in the back
- ✅ Peel the protective film from the hotend
- ✅ Remove the silica gel packet sticker from the AMS rear
Never power on a new printer before removing all shipping hardware. Skipping this step risks real damage to the motion system.
Setting Up the X2D: Screen, AMS & Cabling
Once the printer is clear of packaging, the physical setup is surprisingly quick — I had everything connected in about 15 minutes.
Connecting the Screen
The touchscreen cable plugs directly into the rear of the display, then slides into the mount on the right side of the machine. You can adjust the angle after it’s locked in.
Auxiliary Extruder (Dual Tool Head Prep)
On the back of the printer, there’s an auxiliary extruder for the external spool. Pull the tape, slide the adapter forward to expose the port, plug in the cable, and slide it back. The tubing clicks in with a push-fit — make sure it seats fully (you’ll feel it go in about a half inch).
AMS Connection
- Gray tubing → connects from the AMS to the printer
- White tubing → feeds into the filament holder on the side
- 6N cable → powers and connects the AMS box (left side port)
- Exhaust fan → clips into the AMS unit, power cable connects to the open port on top
First Power-On, Calibration & Initial Setup
Once everything is connected, plug in the power cable and power on.
The on-screen setup walks you through:
- Language + region selection
- Wi-Fi connection
- Bambu Handy app pairing (download the app, create an account, scan the QR code)
- Full calibration sequence
Calibration takes approximately 30–35 minutes. Don’t skip it and don’t rush it — every one of my first prints came out perfect with zero first-layer adhesion issues, and I credit that directly to letting calibration run fully.
Installing Bambu Studio & Sending Your First Print
After calibration, head to bambu.com → Software → Bambu Studio and download the stable release (skip the beta unless you have a specific reason).
Setup steps in Bambu Studio:
- Launch the app, select your region
- Choose X2D as your printer profile
- Log in with your Bambu account — hit Yes to sync from cloud
- Under Devices, your printer will appear automatically
- Browse the Makerworld marketplace directly inside the slicer
- Select a model, choose your filament, hit Sync Info to pull AMS filament data
- Slice → send to printer
I started with a simple storage box from their marketplace. Estimated print time: 1 hour 8 minutes. Result: perfect, first try.
After One Week: Real Prints, Real Results
🎬 Watch the 1-week follow-up video above
I ran the X2D non-stop for a week, testing different filament types, multicolor print settings, and the dual tool head system. Here’s what I actually printed and what I learned.
Prints From the First Week
| Notes | |
|---|---|
| 250g spool adapters (×2) | Printed in PETG — handles heat from the filament dryer better than PLA |
| Filament purge catch shoot | Print this first. Seriously. Skip it and you’ll have filament all over the floor |
| Decorative eggs | Clean multicolor results, no issues |
| Storage box with closing lid | Clean print, functional result |
| Calibration cubes (color mix) | Used Bambu Studio’s color mix feature — excellent accuracy |
| Photography turntable | Lots of small bolts and tiny pieces — zero adhesion failures |
I printed a photography turntable specifically to stress-test small part adhesion. Zero issues across all pieces.
PETG for Spool Adapters — Don’t Use PLA
This is worth calling out: if you’re printing spool adapters for use near a filament dryer, use PETG, not PLA. The heat from drying will warp PLA. I used PETG and had no issues.
TPU Warning: Standard 95A Won’t Work in the AMS
I made this mistake so you don’t have to. When I loaded standard TPU, the printer flagged it as unsupported. The AMS isn’t compatible with standard 95A TPU — it’s too soft and will clog. You need:
- Bambu Lab’s own TPU, OR
- A TPU specifically formulated for AMS compatibility
You may be able to run standard TPU through the auxiliary external spool port, but I wouldn’t recommend it — Bowden tubes and TPU are a bad combination.
How the Dual Tool Head Actually Works (And When It Matters)
This is the feature that differentiates the X2D from Bambu’s other printers. Here’s the honest breakdown:
The System
The X2D uses a hybrid drive system:
- Direct drive → AMS unit (up to 4 colors, expandable to 9 with a second AMS)
- Bowden drive → external spool (1 additional color/filament)
This means: soft filaments and exotic materials should run through the AMS (direct drive), not the external spool. The Bowden tube can’t handle them reliably.
Is the Dual Toolhead Worth It?
Short answer: Yes — but only in specific use cases.
Here’s the practical breakdown from my testing:
| Scenario | Dual Toolhead Benefit |
|---|---|
| Color changes every layer (e.g. color mixing prints) | ✅ Massive — saves both time AND filament |
| 2-color print with frequent layer changes | ✅ Worth it — 45 min vs 2.5 hours in my test |
| Single color change (e.g. black body → red detail) | ⚠️ Minimal — only one purge regardless |
Real example: A black-and-red color mix print with one roll in AMS and one on the external spool took 45 minutes. The same style of print with both rolls in the AMS (triggering filament swaps every layer) took 2.5 hours and wasted significantly more filament.
Bambu Lab X2D: Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- 5-color capability out of the box (expandable to 9 with a second AMS)
- Significant time savings on multicolor prints with the dual toolhead
- Full Bambu ecosystem support — Makerworld, Bambu Studio, Bambu Handy app, cloud/remote printing
- Flawless performance — not a single failed print in a full week of testing
- Remote printing works — I kicked off prints from a restaurant, checked the first layer via the built-in camera, came home to finished parts
- Very reasonable price for what it delivers
- Fast shipping — ordered, shipped same day, arrived in 2 days
- Fast printing — noticeably quick even on complex multicolor jobs
❌ Cons
- Bowden drive on the external spool — I would have preferred direct drive across both heads. Competitors are moving toward full direct drive setups, and it does limit your exotic filament options on that second head
- Calibration time — ~30 minutes on first setup (not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing)
- No filament included — would be a nice touch for a printer at this price point
Final Verdict: Would I Buy It Again?
Yes, absolutely.
After a week of non-stop printing, my answer is the same one I’d give a friend who asked me directly: the Bambu Lab X2D is a fantastic printer at a very reasonable price. The setup is genuinely easy, the prints have been flawless, and the multicolor capabilities — especially with the dual toolhead — deliver real, tangible time and filament savings on the right projects.
The one caveat I’d attach: if you have existing issues with the Bambu ecosystem (cloud dependency, locked-down firmware, etc.) or you need to print a lot of exotic filaments through the external spool, those are legitimate concerns to weigh. But if you’re looking for a reliable, high-capability multicolor printer that just works out of the box, the X2D earns a strong recommendation from me.