What has really changed since the first Ace?
When Mr Resin first unboxed the ACE 2 Pro a few weeks ago, the first thing he told me was: "look, they've learned from their mistakes". And after handling it in the store and watching how customers who come in set it up, I now understand what he meant.
The most obvious difference is the 4 independent brushless motors. The original ACE had its issues with motors overheating (I read about it in several German forum threads where people were complaining quite a bit) and with valves failing after heavy use. Now each motor controls its own filament spool, and according to the specs we have, the loading and unloading speed reaches 50 mm/s. That means a full filament change takes you around 56 seconds.
The boss was explaining to me the other day that the noise issue has also improved massively.
With the door closed, the unit sits at 48 dB, which is roughly like a normal conversation in an office. That said, when you activate drying while printing, it goes up to 55 dB, but it's still pretty decent compared to other multicolor solutions we've had in the store. What blew me away when I first saw it is that you can now use materials that were previously impossible with the original ACE: flexible TPU 68D, carbon fiber PLA, PETG-CF, even PAHT-CF. Mr Resin says this is thanks to the 2 new solenoid valves for air intake and output, which control the filament flow much more precisely.
The 4-motor system that promises to revolutionize filament swapping
Each of the 4 brushless motors works independently, which in theory should eliminate the typical jams when switching between very different materials. A customer who comes in on Saturdays was telling me he's been using his ACE 2 Pro intensively for over a week, clocking around 85 hours of printing and going through about 2 kg of filament, and he hasn't had a single failure yet. I initially thought it was pure marketing, but after seeing several cases like this...
The swap process works roughly like this: the motor for the current color retracts the filament at 50 mm/s, the solenoid valves cut the airflow from the old channel, the motor for the new color pushes the filament while the valves open the new channel, and the whole process takes an average of 56 seconds.
Being honest (and here Mr Resin always reminds me that we need to be transparent with customers), the system generates quite a bit of waste during color changes.
Users on forums mention that the automatic cleaning routines eat through a considerable amount of filament. That's the price of consistency, I suppose. The good news is that if you combine 4 ACE 2 Pro units, you can handle up to 16 different colors in a single print. Mr Resin showed me the other day a figure a customer had made with 12 colors and honestly the result was pretty clean, with no odd mixing between colors.
Is the upgrade worth it if you already have a Kobra S1 Max?
I get asked this a lot in the store. The Kobra S1 Max was designed specifically to work with the ACE system, so compatibility is guaranteed. But of course, if you already have an ACE Pro working well with your Kobra, the jump to the ACE 2 Pro depends on what issues you're currently experiencing.
Mr Resin always says that if your original ACE is giving you problems with hot motors or jammed valves (as many users report), then the upgrade makes sense. The 4 independent motors of the new version solve those problems at the root.
But if your current setup works without drama and you don't need to print with unusual materials like TPU or carbon fiber filaments, maybe you can hold out a little longer. You also have to consider the other compatible 3D printers: the Kobra 3 V2 has full compatibility and was designed for multicolor from scratch, the Kobra X is also fully compatible and works plug & play according to users, while the Kobra S1 Max is the veteran with proven compatibility. In the end, as a long-time customer reminded me last week, the upgrade is justified if you need the specific improvements: flexible materials, less noise, faster changes, or greater long-term reliability.
How well does the integrated drying at 65°C work?
Here comes one of the topics that generates the most controversy among customers. The ACE 2 Pro can dry filament while you print, reaching up to 65°C. It sounds great on paper, but... Mr Resin told me that at first he also thought it was the ultimate solution for wet PLA. But after running several tests in the workshop, he realized that 65°C is right on the limit for some filaments.
"With standard PLA there's no problem, but with some PLA+ or specialty PLA, you might find that the filament starts to soften too much before reaching the hotend"
What does work wonderfully is with PETG, which handles that temperature perfectly and benefits greatly from continuous drying. A customer who prints a lot of PETG-CF told us that since using the integrated drying, problems with stringing and bubbles have almost completely disappeared. That said, the noise goes up to 55 dB when drying, so if you have the 3D printer in the living room... My recommendation (based on what I see in the store) is to use drying only when you really need it. Not all filaments require it, and keeping the system running constantly shortens the lifespan of the components. As Mr Resin says: "don't use a cannon to kill flies".
Where it shines and where it disappoints in day-to-day use
After seeing how several customers set up and use their ACE 2 Pro, I have a pretty clear picture of where this thing stands out. The out-of-the-box setup works perfectly according to user reports, color changes are consistent and predictable, support for technical materials like PLA-CF or PETG-CF is excellent, and the noise reduction compared to the previous version is noticeable.
But it also has its weak points.
Filament waste remains high during purges, the price isn't for every budget, and it takes up quite a bit of space (you need room for 4 spools). One detail that personally bothers me is that to take full advantage of the potential you need to buy compatible filament. It's not that it's mandatory, but Mr Resin showed me the difference between using random filament and using the Anycubic PLA-CF designed for the system, and the truth is you can notice it in the consistency of the changes.
The bet on the Anycubic ecosystem in 2026
Anycubic is betting heavily on creating a closed ecosystem where all its machines communicate with each other. The ACE 2 Pro is a key piece of that strategy, especially if you have a Kobra 3 V2 or are thinking about picking one up.
What is clear is that the initial investment is not small. But if you do the math like Mr Resin does (he always pulls out the calculator for everything), things start to make sense if you regularly print with multiple colors.
The time you save by not having to change filaments manually, the failures you avoid with the 4-motor system... it all adds up. You also have to consider the future. Anycubic is releasing firmware updates every few months that add compatibility with new materials. The latest update added improved support for flexible TPU, something the community had been asking for since launch. My personal opinion (and here Mr Resin may not entirely agree with me) is that if you already have a compatible Anycubic 3D printer and frequently work on multicolor projects, the ACE 2 Pro is a logical step forward.
But if you are just starting out or only print in one color every now and then, there are more affordable options to begin with. As a customer told me last week while setting up his new ACE 2 Pro with his Kobra X: "it's not cheap, but after years of wrestling with manual filament changes, this is like going from a pedal car to an automatic". And after watching him print for hours without a single failure, I'm starting to understand why more and more people at the store are switching to automatic multicolor.
If you're genuinely going to use multicolor 3D printing, the investment pays for itself. If it's just to print a two-color Pikachu once in a blue moon, better save your cash for quality resin — that really does make a difference in any project.
Patience and a steady hand 💪
🏗️ Elegoo ASA Filament for 3D printer — 1 Kg
If your Anycubic Ace 2 Pro is going to print parts that will live outdoors, Elegoo's ASA filament is your perfect ally. With superior resistance to UV rays, water, and harsh weather, your creations will stand up to whatever you throw at them without degrading the way other materials would.