Bambu Lab A1 Combo
- Speed
- 500 mm/s
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 4/5
Bambu Lab A1 Combo vs Elegoo Centauri Carbon
- The Bambu Lab A1 Combo wins, 9.2 vs 8.2 out of 10.
- Same build volume (256³ mm) and the same 500 mm/s top speed.
- The A1 Combo costs more, and that money buys features, not size or speed.
Specs from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
This page compares the original Elegoo Centauri Carbon. Looking for the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo? See Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo vs Bambu Lab A1 Combo.
Elegoo Centauri Carbon
- Speed
- 500 mm/s
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 1/5
The verdict
Buy the A1 Combo.
9.2/10 vs Centauri Carbon's 8.2/10, and it wins 4 of 5 categories. One printer. This one. The A1 Combo does multi-color, does speed, does software polish, all at a price that embarrasses the competition. The open frame is the only real compromise and most people won't care.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
A1 ComboBambu Lab · FDM
vsCentauri CarbonElegoo · FDM
| A1 Combo | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| 16.8 L | Build volume | 16.8 L |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm (wins) | Finest layer | 0.1 mm |
| 9.65 kg | Weight | 17.5 kg |
Features
| A1 Combo | Feature | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | Multi-color (AMS Lite) | No |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Vibration compensation | No |
| No | Enclosed CoreXY | Yes |
| No | Auto bed leveling (4 pressure sensors) | Yes |
| No | Chamber camera monitoring | Yes |
| No | 320C all-metal hotend | Yes |
| No | Pre-assembled and calibrated | Yes |
| No | Steel + aluminum + glass enclosure | Yes |
Scores out of 10
| A1 Combo | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 10 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Print Quality | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Reliability | 7 |
| 9.2 (wins) | Overall | 8.2 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
What owners say
The A1 Combo is the printer I recommend to literally everyone who asks.
A1 Combo owner, r/3DprintingMulti-color out of the box at this price is insane. Changed how I think about printing.
A1 Combo owner, Make Anything (YouTube)Bambu did it again, this is the new gold standard for consumer 3D printing.
A1 Combo owner, All3DPThere's no reason to buy anything else at this price. It would be excellent at twice the cost.
Centauri Carbon owner, How-To GeekFinally an affordable CoreXY. The Centauri Carbon changes what you should expect for [this price].
Centauri Carbon owner, Tom's HardwareBuy two of these instead of one fancier printer at twice the price. Seriously.
Centauri Carbon owner, r/3Dprinting
Pros & Cons
A1 Combo
- +AMS Lite ships in the box, not as a separate purchase
- +Bambu Studio slices and sends in under a minute
- +500mm/s speed that actually holds up at 0.2mm layers
- −Open frame means ABS is borderline without an enclosure
- −AMS Lite tops out at 4 colors; want more, buy a different system
Centauri Carbon
- +Enclosed CoreXY at this price. Yes, really.
- +PLA, PETG, ABS: all print well out of the box
- +Pre-assembled, printing within minutes of opening the box
- −Firmware needs attention after unboxing
- −Heat creep shows up on long prints above 270C
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 Bambu Lab A1 Combo better than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 Combo scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon may be the smarter buy if you need budget.
Which is better for beginners, Bambu Lab A1 Combo or Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
The Bambu Lab A1 Combo is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 8/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Bambu Lab A1 Combo worth paying more for over the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
The Bambu Lab A1 Combo scores higher overall (9.2/10 vs 8.2/10). The extra money gets you ams lite ships in the box, not as a separate purchase.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab A1 Combo and Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Bambu Lab A1 Combo is best for beginners; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon targets budget.