Review: Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo (Multicolor)

The Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo is Anycubic's answer to the growing trend toward multicolor FDM 3D printing. With the new ACE Pro (Automatic Color Engine) system, the manufacturer promises easy multicolor printing at high speed and moderate price. We took a detailed look at the device.

📦 Contents & Assembly

The Kobra 3 arrives largely pre-assembled. Assembly takes about 20–30 minutes and is manageable even for beginners.

Included in the package:

Kobra 3 printer
ACE Pro multicolor unit (for up to 4 filaments, expandable to 8)
Tools & spare parts
Filament sample
USB stick & manual

First impression: clean build quality, sturdy metal frame and a modern, tidy design.

⚙️ Technical specs (excerpt)

Build volume: 250 × 250 × 260 mm
Max. print speed: up to 600 mm/s
Acceleration: up to 20,000 mm/s²
Hotend: 300 °C
Print bed: up to 110 °C
Leveling: Automatic LeviQ 3.0
Multicolor: 4 colors (with 2× ACE Pro up to 8)

The high print speed in particular puts the Kobra 3 in the "high-speed" class.

🎨 Multicolor function (ACE Pro)

The highlight is clearly the ACE Pro system. It works similarly to known AMS systems from other manufacturers:

Advantages:

Automatic filament change
Clean integration into slicer profile
Simple color assignment
Filament drying function

Color changes work reliably, though – by design – small material waste occurs from purge cycles (purge tower or infill purge).

In testing, PLA and PETG combinations worked without issues. TPU is rather limited due to the filament path.

🚀 Print quality & speed

With the standard profile, the Kobra 3 delivers very good surface quality.

Notable positives:

Very clean first layer
Minimal ghosting despite high speed
Good detail reproduction
Stable layer adhesion

At extreme speeds (400–600 mm/s), detail accuracy drops slightly but remains absolutely sufficient for functional parts.

Automatic calibration (flow, resonance, leveling) makes getting started much easier.

🔊 Noise & operation

The printer runs surprisingly quietly – especially compared to older Anycubic models.

The touchscreen is clear, and WiFi connection via the Anycubic app works reliably. Firmware updates are convenient online.

👍 Advantages

Very good value for money
Simple multicolor setup
High print speed
Automatic leveling
Solid print quality

👎 Disadvantages

Filament waste from color changes
ACE Pro requires extra space
No fully enclosed housing (ABS only conditionally suitable)

💰 Value for money

The Kobra 3 Combo is priced significantly below comparable multicolor systems on the market. It targets ambitious hobbyists, makers and small workshops who want to try multicolor printing without investing in much more expensive systems.

🏁 Conclusion

The Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo is a powerful and modern multicolor 3D printer with a very good overall package. Especially for those new to multicolor printing, it offers an attractive combination of speed, quality and ease of use.

If you frequently print multicolor models and don't need an enclosed build chamber, you get a convincing device with strong value for money.