Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo
- Price
- $459
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 1/5
Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo vs Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- Tied at 8 out of 10.
- Near-same build volume (256³ vs 250³ mm, 1.07×).
- The Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo is faster (600 ÷ 500 = 1.2×) for $10 ($459 − $449) more.
- Pick the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo unless print time is your bottleneck.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- Price
- $449
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 1/5
The verdict
Tied at 8/10. Buy the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, $10 less.
Best sub-$500 multi-color printer in 2026. Quirks exist but none are deal-breakers. Enclosed CoreXY plus 4-color at this number has no real competition.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro ComboAnycubic · FDM
vsCentauri Carbon 2 ComboElegoo · FDM
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $459 | Price | $449 (wins) |
| 15.6 L | Build volume | 16.8 L (wins) |
| 600 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm (wins) | Finest layer | 0.08 mm |
| 13 kg | Weight | 19.35 kg |
Features
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Feature | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | ACE 2 Pro multi-color system (up to 16 colors) | No |
| Yes | Fully-enclosed CoreXY architecture | No |
| Yes | Upgraded hotend (all-filament compatible) | No |
| Yes | Quiet print mode (~44dB) | No |
| Yes | 600mm/s ultra-fast printing | No |
| Yes | 250x250x250mm build volume | No |
| No | Enclosed CoreXY | Yes |
| No | 4-color Canvas multi-color system | Yes |
| No | 350C hardened steel nozzle | Yes |
| No | RFID filament detection | Yes |
| No | Auto filament loading & tangle detection | Yes |
| No | 5-inch touchscreen | Yes |
Value math
$459 ÷ 15.6 L and $449 ÷ 16.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $29.38 | $ per liter | $26.76 (wins) |
| $0.77 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.90 |
Scores out of 10
| Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 9 |
| 7 | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 8 | Print Quality | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 8 |
| 7 | Reliability | 8 (wins) |
| 8 | Overall | 8 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 250 × 250 × 250 mm
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
What owners say
16 colors on an enclosed CoreXY for under €500 was not on my 2026 bingo card. Anycubic is swinging hard at Bambu's multi-color dominance.
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo owner, Press announcement — awaiting independent reviewsBest sub-$500 multicolor 3D printer in 2026. The value proposition is insane.
Centauri Carbon 2 Combo owner, 3D Printed DecorUltra accessible multicolor printing. CANVAS completed 31 out of 34 jobs on first attempt.
Centauri Carbon 2 Combo owner, VoxelMattersI'm an idiot, and even I was able to make a cool Fallout action figure with this printer.
Centauri Carbon 2 Combo owner, GamesRadar+
Pros & Cons
Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo
- +16-color capable (4 colors standard; 16 colors requires 4x ACE 2 Pro units purchased separately). Doubles the 8-color S1 Combo and quadruples the Bambu A1 Combo (4)
- +Fully enclosed CoreXY handles ABS, ASA, and engineering filaments without warping
- +44dB quiet mode is unusually low for a 600mm/s CoreXY — apartment-friendly
- −Brand new product — early adopter risk on firmware and ACE 2 Pro reliability
- −Anycubic slicer still trails Bambu Studio on automation and profile polish
Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- +First enclosed multi-color CoreXY under $500
- +91% first-attempt success rate on multi-color jobs
- +RFID reads filament type automatically, no manual input
- −Spool holders are finicky
- −Loading routine doesn't get hot enough for high-temp filaments
Buy these with it
A printer does nothing without these. Grab them in the same order.
- ELEGOO PLA filament, 1kgThe easy filament to start on. Prints at low temperatures and warps less.
- ELEGOO PETG filament, 1kgTougher and more heat tolerant than PLA, for parts that get handled or sit in the sun.
- SUNLU filament dryer S1 PlusWet filament causes stringing and rough surfaces. A dryer fixes that before you blame the printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo better than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
They tie at 8/10. The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo suits multi-color and speed, while the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is aimed at multi-color and budget.
Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo or Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
Both score 7/10 for beginners. Go with the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo to save $10.
Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo worth $10 more than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo actually scores higher (8/10) despite costing $10 less. The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo only makes sense if you specifically need multi-color.
What's the main difference between Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo and Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
Build volume (250x250x250mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (600 vs 500 mm/s). The Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo is best for multi-color; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo targets multi-color.
Related Comparisons
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