I’m in a bit of a weird spot and trying to figure out if I’m overthinking this or if others feel the same.
I recently bought a Core One+ kit and a Buddy3D camera for about €1100, and I have an INDX 4-tool upgrade on order for another €700. On top of that, I picked up a Space Pi X4 for drying four spools. That brings the total to roughly €1950 for a 4-tool toolchanger setup.
On paper, that sounds like a solid, flexible system. And philosophically, it aligns with what I’ve always liked about Prusa: EU-based, repairable machines, open ecosystem, strong documentation, and generally good long-term support. I don’t mind paying a premium for that.
But when I step back and compare it to what’s out there right now, it feels… off.
A Bambu X2D is around €850. For that, you get a larger build volume, a heated chamber, an included camera, AMS 2 Pro with drying capability, and a very polished out-of-the-box experience. It’s hard to ignore how much hardware and convenience is packed into that price.
To add context, I’m not running a print farm or doing anything extreme. I’m just a consumer who wants to print the occasional multicolor model and some functional parts. I’m not constantly pushing materials or running machines 24/7, so ease of use, reliability, and overall value matter more to me than having the most modular or expandable system possible.
Meanwhile, I’m looking at nearly €2000 all-in, and I still need to justify the complexity of a toolchanger setup, manage multiple components, and accept that some features just aren’t there unless I add even more.
Another thing I’m realizing is that I might be overestimating how much I’ll actually use the toolchanger. It’s a really cool system, but for occasional multicolor prints it might just be solving a problem I don’t have that often. That makes the extra cost and complexity harder to justify compared to something simpler that covers 90% of my use case with less effort.
I still like what Prusa stands for. I want to support that model of making hardware that’s serviceable and not locked down. But emotionally, this purchase doesn’t feel as good as I expected. It feels like I’m paying significantly more for principles, while the competition is pushing aggressive value and integration.
Right now I’m seriously considering canceling the INDX 4-tool, returning the Space Pi X4, and possibly even selling the Core One+. The resale value alone would almost cover a Bambu X2D.
And honestly, even in the “what if it breaks in 2-3 years” scenario, the price difference is so big that I could replace it entirely and still come out ahead financially.
I guess the core of it is:
- How much is repairability and openness worth in practice?
- Does the toolchanger actually justify the cost and complexity for most use cases?
- And is it still rational to prioritize those values when the price/performance gap is this large?
Curious how others here think about this, especially people who’ve gone either route long-term.
