It was inevitable that there would be a successor to the Bambu Lab H2C , which was no small machine; however, the Bambu Lab H3C takes scale and ability to the next level, although the innovative Vortek Hotend Change System is no more. Like the H2C, there’s the multi-tool functionality, but as you’ll see from the images, the system is all new, with dedicated tools in the Swaptek Tool Changer rather than the Vortek hotend-changing system, so something closer to the Bondtech INDX tool changers. An interesting update is the ability to print with different-sized nozzles, so a fine 0. 2 mm for fine detail, going to a 0. 8 mm for infill and areas where speed is preferable to fine finishes. What I have discovered through the month that I’ve had the printer so far is that this is an evolution of the 3D printing process, refining the techniques and while this technology and its application are still being ironed out, the full potential is apparent. Adding to the multi-diameter printing is the advanced TPU handling. This essentially enables you to print with thicker 2. 85 mm filament using the PrintTool hotend. As the filament is thicker, it supports softer TPU, and again, there’s a learning process behind its use. It’s not quite as simple as popping it in and letting it go, but it is a step in the right direction. Sitting on top of the machine is the new AMS 3H filament management system that holds up to nine filaments, with two slots enabling integrated drying and bypass feeds for specialist materials. I’ll admit, as the boxes kept arriving and the H3C started to take shape on the workbench, the machine did seem to dominate the space. However, after squeezing in the H2C next to it, while the new AMS gives a visual impression of scale, the footprint of the two machines is much the same. The big question for me at the start of this test was whether this new machine and design was a direct replacement for the H2C or something altogether new. It certainly initially looks far more complex, but then, as I became more familiar with the machine, the full tool changer design, once assembled, did seem, a little more simplistic and certainly more reliable as I pushed the print times and complexities. One point to note is that throughout the test, while I had the machine and seemingly every accessory that I could need to go with it, the actual official machine specifications and final tweaking of the software were still to be released. What Bambu did supply was a few test models and an extensive set of instructions about how to tackle each of the main new features. There was also a set of complex models that I used to start the test before deviating to some of my own, and then back to the supplied models to finish the test. I’ll cover more of those tests in the performance section, but what interested me was using this printer for a real practical task. This is, after all, a business-class machine, although the price will put this just in range of the keen enthusiast as well. The main project for this test was to print and build a set of speakers from Print Your Speakers , with the Supersonic MK3 kit fitting the bill for this test. Essentially, a solid PLA outer with TPU to add damping to the infill, and then a switch of nozzle sizes for the fine detail of the outer wall and a thicker nozzle for the inner walls. This is where the learning curve of this machine and the Bambu Lab software really comes into play, and while that learning curve is steep. As the test ran on, the potential of this machine started to grow. While multi-filament and tool changer machines now dominate and Bambu Lab’s lead in the field was quickly fading, especially with the Original Prusa CORE One INDX, of which the H3C’s new system bears more than a passing resemblance. But with support for 2. 85 mm TPU and multiple other materials, it now pushes them back out in front and truly offers something unique, although there are still a few refinements needed. Bambu Lab H3C: Price and availability
The H3C will be available to purchase from the Bambu Lab website from 3 November 2026, following the official launch. Unlike the H2C, there is just one configuration available at launch, with the AMS 3H and all nine PrintTools included. H3C AMS Combo: $2,499 / £2,199
Combo + PLA Palette + TPU: $2,589 /£2,269
Combo + PLA Palette + TPU + Bambu Station (Enclosed) + E1 Air Purifier:
$3,049 / £2,699
Combo + PLA Palette + TPU + Bambu Station (Open): $2,799 / £2,469
Bambu Lab H3C: Design

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) BambuLab H2C specifications
Print Technology: Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)
Build Area: 330 × 320 × 325 mm
Minimum Layer Resolution: To be confirmed
Maximum Layer Resolution: To be confirmed
Dimensions: 493 × 571 × 587 mm
Weight: 36. 28 kg (including AMS 3H)
Bed: Heated, up to 120°C
Print Surface: Textured PEI plate
Software: Bambu Studio
Materials: PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, PA, PC, PPA, PPS and other supported materials
Print Speed: Maximum toolhead speed of 1,400 mm/s

The Bambu Lab H3C is a 3D printer on another scale, and whilst it doesn’t look that much larger than the H2C initially, once you start to work with it and try to move it around the workshop, you suddenly realise that its colossal 36. 28 kg weight and physical dimensions of 493 × 571 × 587 mm make it more of a two-person lift than something you’re able to handle on your own. That would explain why Bambu Lab also sent a special trolley along with the machine, so it’s easy to access and move around the workshop. The issue at the moment is that there are so many 3D printers coming out that my workshop doesn’t have any space, so this will be something that I will manoeuvre the printer onto once I can find a pathway through the workshop to get the two sections to meet. As it was, I decided to set this machine up in the photo area, and I’ve already manoeuvred the H2C next to it so that I can do a side-by-side comparison on size and scale, however, again this left little room as the the scale of these machine is rapidly increasing. As I first lifted the H3C into position, the two machines looked roughly the same size, but as I started to add the huge new AMS 3H on top, I realised that this was an altogether different proposition. As I unpacked the machine, it was obvious that Bambu Lab had taken a completely different direction to multi tool head printing compared with the H2C, and the H3C has something more akin to the INDX tool changer. You can definitely see the similarities. As I went through the initial setup, what was surprising here was just how easy and straightforward it was, and whilst the machine was large, the actual placing of the AMS on top and positioning all of the nozzles wasn’t at all difficult. The only thing that you do need to make sure of is that there are nine tools included: eight with 0. 4 mm PrintTools for 1. 75 mm filament and one dedicated 0. 4 mm PrintTool for 2. 85 mm filament. Careful reference to the instructions as you’re setting up is essential to make sure that this nozzle goes in the right place. Before taking a closer look at this new system, it’s worth pointing out that the AMS 3H is quite an evolution on the AMS 2, sitting on top of the machine and really integrating more closely with the design compared with the add-on box of the AMS 2. This, I know, will please a lot of print farms, which, whilst generally fans of the Bambu Lab machines, find the AMS 2 is often a weak point and the part that they have to replace most often. One point here is that, of those nine slots, there’s a separate section within the rack which enables just two of those nine slots to be actively dried. As we’ve seen before, you can also add more AMS units, enabling up to 24-colour printing, up from the nine possible out of the box. Once I got everything set up and installed, which, to be honest, didn’t take too long, it was then time to connect the machine to the local network via Wi-Fi 6. As ever, this was as straightforward and simple as with all other Bambu Lab machines. One of the surprises is that a machine of this size and scale, especially aimed at the professional market, doesn’t feature an Ethernet port. The other point here is that as soon as it connected, it ran through a series of updates before then going through the calibration process. So, while the machine itself is really well designed and easy to set up, the software updating and full calibration process can take up to an hour, which is slightly infuriating when I was quite excited to see what this machine was capable of doing. After the Wi-Fi connection, calibration and everything else had been run through, it was time to connect through the Bambu Studio software, and again, a few clicks through the beta release that we were given, enabled me to connect quickly to the printer. However, as always, before running through my own prints and some of those others that had been supplied to fully test out this new machine’s abilities, I ran through the standard test prints on the machine. These are the usual 3D Benchy and variants, alongside scrapers and a few other bits and bobs, as expected. It ran through all of those prints flawlessly, and then it was time to cross over to Bambu Studio. Bambu Lab actually supplied some very interesting test models, which I go into in the performance section, but before I went into these multi-filament, multicolour designs, I decided to test out some of my more standard prints. This just enabled me to double-check the calibration and also try out a few different materials. There are two built-in 1080p cameras, with an optional Bird’s Eye camera available as well. The chamber heats up to 65°C, with a 120°C heated bed and a 350°C maximum nozzle temperature. Leaving the machine just to run through those few prints, I was able to step back and take a proper look at the machine, and it is an evolution of what we’ve seen with the other H series printers, just slightly larger. Again, this is a steel chassis, which gives it structural support and also makes it insanely heavy to lift around the workshop. The outer is plastic, with a grey and black exterior that looks stylish, just in the same vein as we’ve seen with the other Bambu Lab hardware. On the front, you’ve got a big viewing window so that you can see what’s going on with the print, and whilst the top-mounted AMS 3H does stop you from looking down into the machine, it’s integrated rather than being a separate unit, which I personally really like. As we’ve seen before, there’s a really nice 5-inch colour touchscreen, with an 854 × 480 display resolution, and this is very responsive, giving me full access to all the functions and settings. However, it is getting more complex, especially with those nine toolheads. It does take a little bit of extra time just to orientate yourself with all of those different settings. Across the front is the main feature of this new 3D printer, obviously the new nine-toolhead rack, and what’s interesting here is that the rack raises and lowers, so if you do want to see what’s going on on the print bed, it’s far easier than with some of the other multiple systems of this style out there. At all times, however, you can see where the influence of the Prusa CORE One INDX version has influenced Bambu Lab’s slight change of direction, although they’ve taken that style of design in a slightly different direction. The rack features nine individual PrintTool docking positions, and these all automatically dock with tool alignment and offset compensation. What’s interesting here is that there are dedicated filament paths for each PrintTool, meaning that each works completely independently, and there are integrated filament cutters within the PrintTools, again just to help speed things up. When it comes to the extruder and internal mechanisms, they all use hardened steel, with hardened-steel extruder gears and nozzles rated at HRC 55+. As ever, we see a flexible steel build plate, and this is a decent size, with a 330 × 320 × 325 mm build volume enabling you to tackle all sorts of projects, especially with the huge material support this new printer offers. Bambu Lab H3C: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings) It’s difficult to do a quick run-through of the features because, over the H2C, things have really progressed, and the new Swaptek nine-tool changing system is a real evolution of design. You can’t help feeling it’s heavily influenced by the INDX system that we’ve seen from Bondtech and featured on the latest Prusa CORE One machines. However, over that system, there are plenty of changes, and it’s obviously got the Bambu Lab spin, with automatic tool changes that happen in under six seconds. There’s also active preheating that essentially anticipates the upcoming tool changes and heats the next nozzle in advance, making complex models slightly faster to print than on some of those other systems. One of the features that I noticed early on, and one of the issues with other systems of this style, is that quite often the tool rack gets in the way of being able to see the print area. However, once that new tool is selected, the tool rack actually retracts upwards so that you get a good clear view of the print area, and it also helps to keep the filament tubes out of the way. Feeding all of those nine new toolheads is the redesign of the AMS system, known as the AMS 3H, that manages the filaments in an integrated box that sits on top of the machine. Like the AMS 2, it’s a sealed storage option and helps protect the filaments inside from moisture. Again, as we’ve seen in the past, it has automatic filament loading and routing that works exceptionally well, and with RFID built in, as long as you’re using Bambu Lab’s own materials, they’ll be automatically recognised and synced with the software, making the whole process that much easier. One of the surprises is that only two of those nine slots are actively dried, so if you do have filaments that are more prone to moisture than others, then they should sit in those two. There’s a cover that sits over the top, so it’s pretty easy to see which two those are. As ever, there are also expansion options, so if you have other AMS systems and you want to plug them in, the H3C supports additional AMS units for up to 24-colour printing. One of the new additions is the FlexFeed extruder that supports both 1. 75 mm and 2. 85 mm filament, and there’s also a dedicated 2. 85 mm filament path for flexible materials such as TPU. While TPU for AMS can just be used directly on the machine, as I discovered when I printed speakers with files from Print Your Speakers, when it came to printing other softer TPU, you have to use one of the bypass feed ports and quickly change part of the installation and feed to the toolheads. The first time you do it, it takes a little bit of time and working out, but essentially, the soft TPU needs to go into one of the slots that enables active drying. TPU is hygroscopic and collects water like a sponge, so ensuring that it’s nice and dry before it goes through the system is just going to improve and help with the quality of the print. You then feed that through into the 2…