Bambu Lab P2S
- Price
- $549
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 4/5
Bambu Lab P2S vs Elegoo Centauri Carbon
- The Bambu Lab P2S wins, 9.2 vs 8.2 out of 10.
- Same build volume (256³ mm) and the same 500 mm/s top speed.
- The P2S costs $250 ($549 − $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 P2S.
9.2/10 vs Centauri Carbon's 8.2/10, and it wins 4 of 5 categories. Best enclosed CoreXY under $600 right now. New buyers: this is the answer, skip the P1S comparison. P1S owners: the nozzle system and AMS 2 Pro drying tip the scales toward upgrading, but only if you use those features regularly.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
P2SBambu Lab · FDM
vsCentauri CarbonElegoo · FDM
| P2S | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| $549 | 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 |
| 14.9 kg | Weight | 17.5 kg |
Features
| P2S | Feature | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Enclosed CoreXY | Yes |
| Yes | AMS 2 Pro compatible | No |
| Yes | 5-inch touchscreen | No |
| Yes | 1080p AI camera | No |
| Yes | Quick-swap nozzle system | No |
| Yes | PMSM servo extruder (8.5kg force) | No |
| 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
$549 ÷ 16.8 L and $299 ÷ 16.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| P2S | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| $32.72 | $ per liter | $17.82 (wins) |
| $1.10 | $ per mm/s | $0.60 (wins) |
Scores out of 10
| P2S | Spec | Centauri Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 9 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 8 |
| 10 (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 quick nozzle swap makes me jealous even as an X1C owner.
P2S owner, r/BambuLabGoldilocks gets a glow up. The P2S refreshes a best seller with meaningful upgrades.
P2S owner, Tom's HardwareFor new buyers, the P2S is recommended without hesitation. Meaningfully better than the P1S in every way.
P2S owner, 3DTechValleyThere'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
P2S
- +Quick-swap nozzle: no tools, no waiting for cool-down, no thread damage from hot-tightening
- +1080p AI camera pauses the print when it detects layer failures, not just notifies you
- +AMS 2 Pro dries filament while printing so you don't need a separate drybox for standard materials
- −No LiDAR sensor: that capability is still exclusive to the X-series
- −P1S owners have no trade-in path; the upgrade cost is the full $549
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 P2S better than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab P2S 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 P2S or Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
The Bambu Lab P2S is more beginner-friendly (9/10 vs 8/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Bambu Lab P2S worth $250 more than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
The Bambu Lab P2S scores higher overall (9.2/10 vs 8.2/10). The extra $250 gets you quick-swap nozzle: no tools, no waiting for cool-down, no thread damage from hot-tightening.
What's the main difference between Bambu Lab P2S and Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Bambu Lab P2S is best for speed; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon targets budget.