Bambu Lab P1S
- Price
- $449
- Score
- 9/10
- Wins
- 3/5
Bambu Lab P1S vs Elegoo Centauri Carbon
- The Bambu Lab P1S wins, 9 vs 8.2 out of 10.
- Same build volume (256³ mm) and the same 500 mm/s top speed.
- The P1S 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
- Price
- $299
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 1/5
The verdict
Buy the P1S.
9/10 vs Centauri Carbon's 8.2/10, and it wins 3 of 5 categories. Buy this if you print ABS, ASA, or anything that smells or warps in open air. The enclosure and filtration aren't optional extras, they're the whole point. If you only print PLA, save $50 and get the A1 Combo.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
P1SBambu Lab · FDM
vsCentauri CarbonElegoo · FDM
| P1S | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| $449 | Price | $299 (wins) |
| 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 |
| 14.13 kg | Weight | 17.5 kg |
Features
| P1S | Feature | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Enclosed | No |
| Yes | Multi-material (AMS) | No |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Camera | No |
| Yes | HEPA filter | No |
| Yes | Active chamber heating | 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 |
Value math
$449 ÷ 16.8 L and $299 ÷ 16.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| P1S | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| $26.76 | $ per liter | $17.82 (wins) |
| $0.90 | $ per mm/s | $0.60 (wins) |
Scores out of 10
| P1S | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 8 | Beginner Friendliness | 8 |
| 10 (wins) | Print Quality | 8 |
| 9 (wins) | Speed | 8 |
| 10 (wins) | Reliability | 7 |
| 9 (wins) | Overall | 8.2 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
What owners say
The P1S is the printer I tell people to buy when they say 'I want something that just works.'
P1S owner, r/3DprintingRefreshing a best seller. The P1S is the strong choice for anyone wanting to print ABS without headaches.
P1S owner, Tom's HardwareThere'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 under $300.
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
P1S
- +HEPA filter actually handles ABS fumes, not just PLA smell
- +CoreXY at 500mm/s inside an enclosed chamber
- +Reliability track record is as good as anything at this price
- −$449 without AMS, which adds another $100-150 on top
- −Enclosure lid has to come off to reach prints mid-job
Centauri Carbon
- +Enclosed CoreXY at $299. 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 P1S better than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab P1S scores higher (9/10). 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 P1S or Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
Both score 8/10 for beginners. Go with the Elegoo Centauri Carbon to save $150.
Is the Bambu Lab P1S worth $150 more than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
The Bambu Lab P1S scores higher overall (9/10 vs 8.2/10). The extra $150 gets you hepa filter actually handles abs fumes, not just pla smell.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab P1S and Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Bambu Lab P1S is best for engineering; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon targets budget.