you might have bought your @BambulabGlobal H2D too early!the brand new 340mm build volumesingle extruder flagship is coming!!!!!!!!!!!image credit:"丫丫" from wechat pic.twitter.com/lihZ6ieDEWJune 4, 2025
A user on X posted a blurry image they claim to be the next Bambu Lab 3D printer, leaked from WeChat on June 4th (expand the above tweet to see the image). Internet gurus immediately began the time-honored sport of image dissection to determine the type of printer that had been leaked.
When the H2D leaked in March 2025, we did not report on it because Tom’s Hardware was under embargo and already had the H2D in our workshop. This time around, there is no embargo, because we haven’t been told of the next release yet. Nothing is alarming about this chain of events, as we saw it happen with the P1P, Bambu Lab’s budget follow-up to the X1 Carbon in 2022. It was released without fanfare, and only a few units were sent to reviewers before the announcement.
I recently spoke with one of Bambu Lab’s PR people for a brief catch-up call to see how I liked the H2D’s laser after spending more time with it. We also spoke of new filament lines, the successful launch of Bambu’s CyberBrick modular RC vehicles, and new tools coming to MakerLab. When I asked if there was a new printer in the pipeline, she shrugged it off. Maybe later.
There are always more printers coming out later. Bambu Lab is clearly determined to dominate the 3D printing landscape, with offerings for both home and business users at several price points. The A1 Mini is our favorite 3D printer for beginners and the H2D tops our list for professionals.
Since we don’t have any insider information, let’s take a look at the leaked photo together. We adjusted the contrast on the photo and placed a few arrows at the most interesting parts of the leaked image.
First, we can see that this is a single-nozzle machine, with the same yellow rotating extruder wheel as the A1 behind a similar bubble window on the tool head shroud. Lower on the right-hand side is the same tool head camera from the H2D, used to read printed codes and perform printer calibration. What we can see of the nozzle and fans looks very much like an H2D tool head with a single nozzle.
The edge of the built platform only shows one number: 340mm. The last number is always the build height, so this printer is 15mm taller or has a little more headroom than the H2D’s 325mm build height.
Finally, there is a faint white timestamp in the lower right corner: 2025.04.2? This would suggest the photo is recent.
Here is a photo of the Tom’s Hardware H2D Laser Combo for comparison. I tried to capture a similar angle.
Armchair internet sleuths are predicting the leaked photo is of a stripped-down H2D, perhaps a less expensive model with a single nozzle and larger build volume. This would fit the pattern of Bambu Lab releases: after the launch of the flagship X1 Carbon, we saw the cheaper P1P and P1S. The P1 line of printers shares the same print quality due to its use of the same build volume, motion system, and hotend; however, it is more affordable due to a simpler user interface.
The photo would seem to back this up. The back wall has the same structure with an internal filter, the left wall curtain fan is the same, and so is the gantry sliding on a steel rod. There is no green tint to the window, suggesting a non-laser model. An A1-style extruder is not surprising, as the H2D and the A1 share a similar nozzle.
Other details are obscured or confusing: is there a poop chute? We hope so, as a cheaper H2D with only one color would be absurd. Why is the extruder window oval? Is it hiding an attachment point for a cutter and plotter? Does it have the same build width? It's hard to say, but it would make a lot of sense.
Although the H2D already has a less expensive model that ships without an AMS for $1,999, it's a far cry from the $549 P1P. Why? Because the H2D is laser capable. Even if you don’t buy the laser attachment, the H2D is ready for one, with all the extra safety precautions, sensors, camera, and flame-resistant coating. A larger, less expensive 3D printer (perhaps an H1D or P1D) without any possible way to attach a laser could be just the printer the market is looking for.
