The Anycubic Kobra 3 V2 in the combo package leaves a deeply mixed impression in our review. This 3D printer has two sides: on the one hand, it offers modern automatic features; on the other, it suffers from frustrating design flaws and a restrictive, closed software ecosystem.

One of its clear strengths is its quick and easy setup. Thanks to pre-assembly and a start-up process that automatically levels and compensates for vibrations, the printer is ready to go in no time. At moderate speeds, it delivers very appealing print quality – also thanks to the well-coordinated profiles in the Anycubic Slicer Next. The ACE Pro unit also shines, but less as a color changer and more as a sophisticated filament station for drying, storage and automatic refilling.

However, the list of weaknesses is just as long and carries significant weight. The biggest frustration is the closed software system, which ties users to the in-house slicer and prevents any deeper access to the firmware and log files. On the hardware side, there are clear flaws: the magnetic force of the print bed is too weak to reliably hold large prints, and the core function of the ACE Pro – multi-color printing – fails out of the box due to a simple design flaw.

At around €425 (~$495), the Kobra 3 V2 enters a highly competitive price bracket, where it faces strong rivals such as Elegoo’s Centauri Carbon and even Anycubic’s own Kobra S1 Combo. Both competitors are CoreXY 3D printers, which take up less space and subjectively offer better print quality.

If you accept the hardware weaknesses or fix them yourself, you get a capable printer for standard tasks. Professionals, hobbyists and anyone who values open systems or reliability for demanding print jobs should seriously consider the higher investment in a more sophisticated competitor. This leaves the Kobra 3 V2 with a lot of potential, which is unfortunately wasted halfway due to avoidable mistakes.

Anycubic offers the Kobra 3 V2 in two versions through its official online store. The basic version, without the ACE Pro unit, has a recommended retail price of €325 (~$379). The “Combo” package we tested, including the filament management unit, is offered by the manufacturer at €425 (~$495).

The printer is also already listed in specialist shops, sometimes at different conditions. For example, the retailer 3DJake is offering the combo package at the time of this report (early July 2025) for €400 (~$466), undercutting the manufacturer’s price. However, patience is required here: the expected shipping date is not given until mid-August 2025.

The Anycubic Kobra 3 V2 is a typical “bed slinger” – the most common design for 3D printers. In this configuration, the print head moves along the horizontal X-axis and the vertical Z-axis, while the print bed moves back and forth on the Y-axis. This design is mechanically simple and cost-effective. The disadvantage is the large moving mass of the print bed, which can lead to vibrations at high speeds. The Kobra 3 V2 attempts to counteract this with built-in vibration compensation. Other 3D printers with comparable print volumes, such as the Kobra S1 as a CoreXY printer require significantly less space.

There are few notable features on the hardware itself. Anycubic relies on a proven and functional standard design. The cable management is very minimalist, which is typical for this design and price range. The cable harnesses leading to the print head and the X-axis, including the new supply line for the camera, are available separately for the time being. They should be positioned carefully to avoid snagging or rubbing against the frame during printing.

The Anycubic Kobra 3 V2 comes largely pre-assembled. The final assembly – attaching the print head and screen, then connecting the cables – takes less than 30 minutes. On first power-up, the printer runs a fully automatic self-test. This not only calibrates the print bed precisely via the LeviQ 3.0 system, but also sets up the vibration compensation to help ensure high print quality even at high speeds.

One unexpected hurdle, however, is the 720p camera module supplied. Its housing and mount must be printed by the user. As a result, one of the printer’s key features is only useable after this additional step, which detracts from the otherwise very positive impression of the first setup experience.

The Kobra 3 V2 perhaps shows its greatest weakness in the software and reveals its clear orientation as a closed system. To use practical online functions like remote control and monitoring, users are required to use the proprietary “Anycubic Slicer Next” and its accompanying smartphone app. Anycubic has not provided support for popular alternatives such as OrcaSlicer or PrusaSlicer.

This is particularly frustrating because Anycubic Slicer Next is based on the open-source OrcaSlicer but lags several versions behind in features and updates. Users are therefore forced to go without the latest developments and improvements from the community. The situation becomes truly annoying when it comes to system access: Anycubic has locked the printer’s log files, which are essential for advanced error analysis, behind a password.

This restriction makes the Kobra 3 V2 unsuitable for professional use. While beginners and hobbyists may be able to cope with the functional but limited ecosystem, more ambitious users will lack the necessary freedom for optimization and troubleshooting.

The ACE Pro serves as a comprehensive filament management station, with its real strengths extending beyond multi-color printing. It functions as a closed storage box that protects up to four spools from dust and moisture and can also actively dry them if required. The automatic spool change function is particularly practical: when a spool runs out, the system can seamlessly switch to a second, identical spool and continue printing without interruption. This aspect alone provides significant value.

However, using the box also has its disadvantages. The start of each print takes noticeably longer, as the filament must first be fed through long PTFE tubes to the print head.

The biggest disappointment in the test, however, was the core function: multi-color printing. This did not work reliably ex worksout of the box because the purge process, i.e. the cleaning of the nozzle when changing colors, is faulty. The print head repeatedly pulled filament residue onto the print object and ruined the print. The cause is a simple design flaw: the mechanical cleaning slide is too far away from the nozzle. The problem could only be solved with a rubber strip that the user must attach. Such a fix should not be necessary for a new device and significantly devalues the system’s main selling point. In addition, every color change creates a high amount of filament waste, which quickly drives up material costs. As the photo of our failed print shows, the weight of the waste quickly exceeds that of the actual object. Admittedly: The relative waste decreases if you fill the printing plate with many colorful models and perhaps print a few functional parts as flush objects. Nevertheless, the balance of colorful printing is questionable.

In terms of pure print quality, the Kobra 3 V2 shows two faces that depend directly on the selected speed. The 12-minute “Speed-Benchy” intended to demonstrate the printer’s maximum acceleration, is completed impressively quickly, but the quality of the result is underwhelming and shows clear flaws.

However, if you take your foot off the gas and work at moderate, everyday speeds, the printer can show its strengths. The first layer in particular is impressively clean and accurate thanks to the precise LeviQ 3.0 leveling. The general surface quality of the printouts is also pleasing. The many well-coordinated profiles in the “Anycubic Slicer Next” are a big plus here. They make it easy to quickly achieve high-quality results without the need for complex calibration.

The Anycubic Kobra 3 V2 does not show any weaknesses in the basic safety disciplines. The device is properly grounded, and its software protection mechanisms are active. For example, the thermal runaway protection for the hotend and the heated bed functioned reliably in our tests.

However, a warning must be issued regarding the mechanical hazards. Due to the open design, all moving parts are freely accessible. The print bed, in particular, moves back and forth at high speed, generating considerable kinetic energy. Unintentional contact during operation can be quite painful and cause bruises.

Even when idling, the Kobra 3 V2 is not a quiet performer. The fans are permanently active and generate a noise level of around 42 dB(A), measured from a distance of one meter. In operation, when all motors and fans are running, the noise level increases significantly. Our measurements showed values between 55 and 60 dB(A). This is too loud for prolonged use in a living or working environment, so the printer is best placed in a workshop, basement, or dedicated hobby room.

The energy measurements reveal no surprises. The peak power draw occurs during the heating process of the nozzle and print bed, where the printer briefly draws up to 700 watts from the mains. Once the temperature is reached, consumption drops significantly. When idling, the device consumes an economical 8 watts.

During a typical print with PLA (220 °C nozzle, 55 °C print bed), the energy consumption was a consistent 180 watts.

Editor of the original article: Marc Herter – Managing Editor Consumer Laptops – 404 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021

From an early age I liked to thoroughly examine all kinds of devices to see how they worked, which also involved taking my own devices apart and therefore not always to the delight of my parents. Nevertheless, with my grandfather’s support, I became a computer and electronics tinkerer. With the family PC and Lego Mindstorms, my interested in software and programming took off, and I am currently an engineering program student. I enjoy building all sorts of gadgets with Arduino and 3D printers, and I still like to put electronic devices through their paces. By joining the Notebookcheck editorial team, I have been able to turn my hobby into a profession.

Translator: Ninh Ngoc Duy – Editorial Assistant – 591959 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2008

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