Bambu Lab PLA Matte vs Polymaker Panchroma Matte PLA

Who this comparison is for

This page is for anyone choosing between these two specific spools: Bambu Lab PLA Matte in Charcoal (11101) with spool, and Polymaker Panchroma Matte PLA in Matte Charcoal Black (SKU CA04015, "Spool (New Packaging)"), both 1.75 mm and 1 kg. Polymaker says Panchroma Matte was "Previously known as PolyTerra PLA" and is the same material under a new name, so you may still see PolyTerra on older listings. Check the color and "with spool" on the Amazon listing before you buy. If you're still choosing a type of PLA, see PLA vs PLA+, and for more brands, the PLA filament shortlist.

How we compared them

This is a research-based comparison. Every figure below comes from the makers' own data sheets, product pages, and wikis, listed in the sources. We haven't tested either filament, so nothing here is a measured result of ours. Where a maker describes its own product, such as a finish that "significantly reduces visible layer lines," we label it as the maker's claim.

We only put numbers side by side where both makers publish the same kind of value under the same named test standard. Where they don't, or where the test setups differ, we say so rather than force a comparison.

Side-by-side specs

Temperatures, build plate, and speed

The nozzle windows are identical on paper, 190–230 °C. The bed ranges overlap at 35–45 °C, with Polymaker's going lower and higher, to 25–60 °C. Bambu lists glue on its own plates and a 25–45 °C chamber. Polymaker says to use glue when needed on PC or textured PEI, lets the plate cool before removal, and says Panchroma Matte has no printing requirements: "This will print great on any stock 3D printer!" It adds that you "will just want to print slower on stock, older style printers."

Both makers quote a top speed, and for once they state a similar basis. Bambu's store page gives "up to 270 mm/s" with a 0.4 mm nozzle, 0.4 mm line width, and 0.2 mm layer height, while its data sheet gives "up to 250-300 mm/s" and a setting below 300 mm/s. Polymaker's data sheet gives "Up to 300mm/s" for Matte, based on a 0.4 mm line width and a 0.2 mm layer height, and says it "varies with different line width and layer height." These are each maker's own ceilings, not a measured race, and your printer's flow limit will usually decide the real speed.

Matte finish and abrasion

Both makers sell these for how they look, and those are their claims, not measured results.

• Bambu Lab PLA Matte. Bambu says it "significantly reduces visible layer lines, offering a smooth, non-glossy appearance," for design projects, architectural models, and display pieces, in "a curated range of elegant, muted colors."
• Polymaker Panchroma Matte. Polymaker says it "delivers a smooth, matte surface" in "a variety of rich, vibrant colors," with a "Professional Appearance Without Post-Processing."

Polymaker is the only one of the two to publish an abrasion note. Its FAQ says Panchroma Matte is "slightly more abrasive" than standard gloss PLA, "though not enough to justify using a hardened nozzle," and that a hardened nozzle may be worth it for longevity if you print a lot of it. Bambu's store page says PLA Matte is compatible with all of its nozzles, and its filament guide counts PLA Matte as standard PLA, without hard, large-particle fillers. Neither maker publishes a wear test, so we can't say how the two compare.

Strength and heat figures: same standards, different specimens

Both data sheets name the same standards for several figures: ISO 306 for Vicat softening, ISO 527 for tensile, ISO 179 for notched Charpy impact, and ISO 1183 for density, which Polymaker's product page names. The specimens weren't prepared the same way, though. Bambu printed at 220 °C on a 35 °C bed at 200 mm/s with 100% infill, and annealed and dried all its specimens at 55 °C for 8 hours before testing. Polymaker printed at 230 °C on a 50 °C bed in an ambient environment, with two shells, three top and bottom layers, 100% infill, and the fan on. It doesn't state a print speed or any annealing. Print settings and annealing both change PLA results, so these are each maker's figures, not a head-to-head.

This table sets the two data sheets next to each other, but it isn't a head-to-head. Bambu's data sheet says "All the specimens were annealed and dried at 55 °C for 8 h before testing," and Polymaker's doesn't say its specimens were annealed, so a gap in any row may come from the specimen treatment rather than the filament.

The Vicat figures sit within a degree of each other, at 62–63 °C. Bambu also publishes heat deflection, 52 °C at 1.8 MPa and 58 °C at 0.45 MPa, which Polymaker doesn't, and Bambu's filament guide says PLA isn't recommended for environments at about 50 °C or higher. So neither suits a hot car, a sunny windowsill, or parts near heat. Polymaker's product page says its properties panel was "Tested on 100% infill specimens," with X-Y meaning across the layers and Z between the layers, and we've used that to place its impact figure.

We left several figures out. Bambu publishes Z modulus, elongation at break, bending figures, melt index, glass transition, and water absorption that Polymaker doesn't publish for Matte. Bambu's X-Y impact row also gives a second value, 19.2 ± 3.7 kJ/m², without labelling it notched, and its Z impact figure, 6.6 ± 1.1 kJ/m², has no Polymaker counterpart.

Spools, refills, and the AMS

This listing of Bambu PLA Matte comes on Bambu's ABS spool, 200 mm across and 67 mm high, rated to 70 °C. That fits the AMS's documented spool range of 50–68 mm wide and 197–202 mm in diameter. Bambu says "All printing parameters are embedded in RFID, which can be read through our AMS," and its store page lists PLA Matte as "All AMS Series Compatible." Bambu also sells PLA Matte as a refill without a spool, which needs a reusable spool.

Panchroma Matte ships on cardboard. Polymaker moved all its filaments to recycled cardboard spools in 2021, with 4 mm pressed cardboard faces, and its FAQ says, "All Panchroma spools now have hardened edges that roll great in the AMS." The store doesn't describe the "New Packaging" spool further or publish its dimensions. Bambu's own AMS notes "highly recommend" plastic spools that fit correctly and "strongly advise" a spool adapter or adapter ring for cardboard spools, to reduce slippage and debris. Polymaker now sells select Panchroma refills too, and its store lists a 1 kg Matte Charcoal Black refill. Our AMS filament compatibility guide covers spool sizes and adapters.

Drying and storage

Both makers give drying settings, and they're close.

• Bambu Lab PLA Matte. The data sheet gives 50 °C for 8 hours in a blast drying oven, or 60–70 °C for 12 hours on an X1 Series heatbed, and storage below 20% RH, sealed with desiccant. Bambu's drying wiki gives 45 °C for 12 hours in an AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT. Its store page says to dry before use for the best print quality and a consistent finish. Mind the spool's 70 °C rating when drying on the spool.
• Polymaker Panchroma Matte. The data sheet and product page give 55 °C for 6 hours, "Only if the material has absorbed moisture," and the data sheet lists PolyDryer power level 1–3 for Matte. Polymaker doesn't publish a temperature rating for its cardboard spool, so check your dryer's documentation.

Our filament dryer vs dry box guide covers the options.

What each maker says it's for

• Bambu Lab PLA Matte. Bambu calls it "Easy to Print & Beginner Friendly," designed for high-speed printing, with a matte finish for design projects, architectural models, display pieces, art, and decor. It says PLA Matte is certified to UL GREENGUARD 2904 for low indoor printing emissions.
• Polymaker Panchroma Matte. Polymaker calls it "a bioplastic-based 3D printing filament designed to set a new standard for PLA," for prototypes, models, decorative items, and everyday printing, with "fast print speeds, and consistent performance on a wide range of printers."

Bambu Lab

Bambu Lab PLA Matte (Charcoal (11101), 1.75 mm, 1 kg, with spool)

Best for

Matte-finish models and decor on Bambu Lab printers with AMS.

Skip this if

The part will see heat, or you don't need a matte finish.

Specs, strengths, and limitations

Material

PLA (matte)

Diameter

1.75 mm

Net filament

1000 g (filament only, not packaged weight)

Format

plastic spool

Maker's nozzle range

190–230 °C

Strengths

• Manufacturer states a matte finish and printing speeds up to 250–300 mm/s.
• Manufacturer TDS lists AMS-friendly spool dimensions (200 mm × 67 mm), and the store page lists an RFID tag with embedded print settings.
• Manufacturer publishes a full TDS with drying, thermal, and mechanical data.

Limitations

• Not suited to heat: the TDS lists a heat deflection temperature of 52 °C (1.8 MPa).
• The ABS spool is rated to 70 °C, which limits drying temperature on the spool.

View on Amazon ↗ (opens Amazon in a new tab)Details checked 2026-10-06 against the manufacturer. Price and availability are on Amazon.

Polymaker

Polymaker Panchroma Matte PLA (Charcoal Black, 1.75 mm, 1 kg, with spool)

Best for

Display models, prototypes, and decor where a low-gloss finish that hides layer lines matters.

Skip this if

You want a glossy finish or the part needs toughness or heat resistance.

Specs, strengths, and limitations

Material

PLA (matte)

Diameter

1.75 mm

Net filament

1000 g (filament only, not packaged weight)

Format

cardboard spool

Maker's nozzle range

190–230 °C

Strengths

• Manufacturer states it gives a smooth matte surface in a wide range of colors.
• Manufacturer states it is designed for ease of use and fast print speeds; the TDS lists up to 300 mm/s.
• Manufacturer publishes temperature, bed, speed, and drying settings on the product page.

Limitations

• Polymaker positions it for prototypes, models, and decorative prints rather than heat-exposed or load-bearing parts (TDS Vicat softening temperature 62 °C).
• Cardboard spool: Bambu Lab strongly advises a spool adapter or adapter ring for cardboard spools in the AMS.

View on Amazon ↗ (opens Amazon in a new tab)Details checked 2026-10-06 against the manufacturer. Price and availability are on Amazon.

Verdict: which should you buy?

Choose Bambu Lab PLA Matte if…

• You print on a Bambu Lab printer and want the AMS to read settings from the spool's RFID tag.
• You want a plastic spool that matches the AMS's documented spool size without an adapter.
• You want a full data sheet with heat deflection figures and four listed nozzle sizes.

Choose Polymaker Panchroma Matte PLA if…

• You print on a non-Bambu printer, or want the wider 25–60 °C bed range.
• You prefer a cardboard spool and are happy to check its fit in your feeder, or add an adapter if your material system's maker recommends one.
• You want a maker that publishes an abrasion note, and you'll consider a hardened nozzle if you print a lot of it.

Safety and limits

How this page was checked

Every temperature, speed, drying setting, spool detail, and test figure above comes from the manufacturer documents in the sources section, retrieved on 2026-10-09. We haven't printed with either filament for this page, so nothing here is a measured result of ours. Polymaker's Panchroma data sheet covers several finishes in one table whose columns don't extract in line with their labels, so we read each Matte value from the rendered data sheet and checked it against the product page's properties panel. That panel and the data table give a Vicat softening point of 62 °C for Matte, while the data sheet's summary chart shows 63 °C. We've used 62 °C. Bambu's data sheet settings table also extracts out of line, so we read its values from the rendered data sheet. Values vary by color and revision, so check the current data sheet for your spool. Read more in our editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.

PLA: what to check before you buy a spool ↗