Bambu Lab A1
- Price
- $299
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 4/5
Bambu Lab A1 vs Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- The Bambu Lab A1 wins, 9.2 vs 8 out of 10.
- Same build volume (256³ mm) and the same 500 mm/s top speed.
- The Centauri Carbon 2 Combo costs $150 ($449 − $299) more, and that money buys features, not size or speed.
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
- 0/5
The verdict
Buy the A1.
9.2/10 vs Centauri Carbon 2 Combo's 8/10, and it wins 4 of 5 categories. If you know you don't care about multi-color, this is the cleanest $299 in 3D printing. The A1 Combo is $100 more and includes multi-color; most people should just spend the extra $100.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
A1Bambu Lab · FDM
vsCentauri Carbon 2 ComboElegoo · FDM
| A1 | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $299 (wins) | Price | $449 |
| 16.8 L | Build volume | 16.8 L |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm (wins) | Finest layer | 0.08 mm |
| 9.05 kg | Weight | 19.35 kg |
Features
| A1 | Feature | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | Vibration compensation | No |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | Full-size A1 bed | 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
$299 ÷ 16.8 L and $449 ÷ 16.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| A1 | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $17.82 (wins) | $ per liter | $26.76 |
| $0.60 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.90 |
Scores out of 10
| A1 | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 9 |
| 10 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 9 (wins) | Print Quality | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Reliability | 8 |
| 9.2 (wins) | Overall | 8 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
What owners say
The A1 without AMS is the best single-color printer you can buy at this price. Bar none.
A1 owner, r/3DprintingSame great hardware as the Combo, just without the color changer. Perfect for most people.
A1 owner, Make Anything (YouTube)Best 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
A1
- +Full 256mm build volume, same as the Combo but $100 cheaper
- +Bambu's reliability, slicer, and support at $299
- +500mm/s speed that's calibrated and ready without tweaking
- −Open frame: ABS warping is a real problem without modification
- −No multi-color in the box: the Combo is $100 more and includes it
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 Bambu Lab A1 better than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo may be the smarter buy if you need multi-color.
Which is better for beginners, Bambu Lab A1 or Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
The Bambu Lab A1 is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo worth $150 more than the Bambu Lab A1?
The Bambu Lab A1 actually scores higher (9.2/10) despite costing $150 less. The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo only makes sense if you specifically need multi-color.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab A1 and Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Bambu Lab A1 is best for beginners; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo targets multi-color.