Should You Upgrade From a Bambu Lab P1P to a P1S? Or Keep the P1P and Save the Money?

Bambu Lab P1P to P1S upgrade decision guide

Usually, upgrade from a Bambu Lab P1P to a P1S only if an enclosure solves a real recurring problem in your workflow. If your P1P already covers the parts you actually print, the smarter move is often to keep it and save the money.

The P1S is the cleaner buy when your real work is drifting toward more enclosure-dependent materials, colder rooms, smell control, or a more all-around enclosed setup that asks less from the owner. But if your P1P is mainly running PLA, ordinary PETG, and straightforward functional parts without much drama, a P1S can become an expensive way to buy reassurance you do not actually need.

This page is for the exact owner question: should a current P1P owner pay to move into a P1S, or keep the open machine and stay put?

Quick answer

  • Upgrade to the P1S if your real next step is enclosed ownership, more stable ABS or ASA plans, better containment, or less dependence on room conditions.
  • Keep the P1P if most of your work is still PLA, standard PETG, prototypes, shop helpers, and other everyday parts the P1P already handles honestly.
  • Do not upgrade just because the P1S feels more complete. The question is whether the enclosure changes your results or your workload in a meaningful way.

Who this page is for

This is not a fresh-buyer comparison. If you are choosing between the two machines from scratch, read Bambu Lab P1S vs Bambu Lab P1P first.

This page is for someone who already owns a P1P and is asking whether moving up to the P1S will actually improve the day-to-day reality enough to justify the spend.

When upgrading from a P1P to a P1S makes sense

Your material plans are getting more enclosure-dependent

If you are moving beyond easy-material default printing and want a cleaner path into ABS, ASA, or tougher environmental control, the P1S is easier to defend. The enclosure is not magic, but it makes the machine more believable as an all-around enclosed branch instead of an open-frame compromise.

If that is your real lane, also open Is the Bambu Lab P1S Good for ABS and ASA? and Is the Bambu Lab P1P Good for ABS and ASA?.

Your room conditions are getting in the way

If your P1P lives in a cold garage, drafty basement, busy workspace, or family area where temperature swings and airflow keep showing up in the ownership experience, the P1S can be a practical quality-of-life upgrade rather than a vanity move.

You want a cleaner everyday enclosed default

Some owners simply want less exposure, less fiddling, and a machine that feels more self-contained. That matters most when printing is becoming a recurring tool instead of an occasional hobby session.

When keeping the P1P is usually smarter

Your real work is still PLA and ordinary PETG

If the P1P already covers what you actually make, the upgrade case weakens fast. A P1S is better positioned as a broader default, but that does not automatically mean it creates more value for a current P1P owner whose parts are already coming out fine.

If your question is material-specific, read Is the Bambu Lab P1P Good for PETG? and Is the Bambu Lab P1S Good for PETG?.

You are trying to solve a weak buying itch, not a real workflow problem

A lot of owners talk themselves into upgrading because the P1S feels like the more finished version of what they already have. That feeling is real, but it is not the same as a good buying reason. If you cannot name the repeated friction the enclosure is going to remove, you probably do not need to spend yet.

Your money would work harder somewhere else

Sometimes the best move is not another machine step. Better filament handling, more material discipline, a different nozzle plan, or simply saving toward a bigger future jump can be the more honest answer.

The real split: enclosure value vs open-machine sufficiency

The strongest way to answer this is simple:

  • Buy the P1S upgrade if the enclosure changes what you can do repeatedly and with less hassle.
  • Keep the P1P if the enclosure mostly changes how the machine looks on paper.

That is why this is a good buyer question. The answer is not about whether the P1S is the better machine in the abstract. It is about whether your current P1P is already enough.

Common reasons the P1S upgrade is worth it

  • you want a cleaner step into ABS or ASA instead of treating hotter materials like an occasional experiment
  • you print in spaces where drafts, room swings, or open-machine exposure are becoming annoying
  • you want a more all-around enclosed branch without moving all the way into higher-cost premium lanes
  • you are tired of making the open-machine tradeoff every time a new material or use case comes up

Common reasons it is not worth it yet

  • your P1P is already doing the real job
  • your parts are still mostly standard-material functional prints
  • you are upgrading for completeness, not for a repeated workload need
  • you would still avoid enclosure-dependent materials even after buying the P1S

Better next page depending on your real question

If your real question is... Open this next Why
Should I upgrade from a P1P to a P1S at all? This page This is the owner-upgrade decision, not the fresh-buyer comparison.
I am still comparing the two as a new buyer Bambu Lab P1S vs Bambu Lab P1P Use the broader comparison when you do not already own the P1P.
Will the P1S help because I really want enclosed-material capability? P1S for ABS and ASA That is the clearer checkpoint if the upgrade logic is mostly about hotter materials.
Should I skip this step and move to a bigger jump later? P1P to P2S upgrade question Helpful when the real debate is whether to wait for a more meaningful next step.
I do not need another printer. I just need parts made right. JC Print Farm Use this when the smarter move is output, not another ownership project.

Should you upgrade from a P1P to a P1S?

Yes, if the enclosure solves a repeated real limitation.

No, if your P1P already covers the work and you are mostly buying emotional completion.

That is the honest split. The P1S is the better broad machine, but the better broad machine is not always the right upgrade for the owner who already has a P1P that is doing the job.

Bottom line

Upgrade from a Bambu Lab P1P to a P1S when the enclosure changes your actual workflow, not just your wishlist. If hotter materials, room control, or a cleaner enclosed default are becoming part of the real job, the step-up makes sense.

Keep the P1P and save the money if the machine already handles your parts honestly. In that case, the P1S is more likely to be a nicer version of what you already have than a truly important change.

Related reading

Keep reading on GoodPrints3D

Move from this article into the next useful decision.

Use the main hubs to troubleshoot visible defects, compare materials, tighten print settings, check relevant reviews, or figure out whether the work should be quoted or produced professionally.
Troubleshooting Work from the symptom instead of guessing between unrelated fixes. Materials Choose PLA, PETG, TPU, ASA, and outdoor-use options based on the actual job. Print settings Use one solid settings path for nozzle size, walls, infill, shells, support, orientation, and fit. Featured files Browse useful model spotlights and downloadable prints without mixing them into reviews. Product reviews Check useful reviews before buying build surfaces, dryers, and workflow tools. Custom printing Use the buyer FAQ, quote-prep, approval, and receiving guides if you need parts made without turning the job into guesswork. Need parts printed? Get a quote for custom production help if you need finished parts instead of more trial and error.