Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
- Price
- $199
- Score
- 8.4/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Creality Ender 3 V3 KE vs Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE wins, 8.4 vs 8 out of 10.
- Centauri Carbon 2 Combo prints 1.4× the volume (256³ ÷ 220×220×240 = 1.44) for $250 ($449 − $199) more.
- Same 500 mm/s top speed.
- Pick the Ender 3 V3 KE if your prints fit in 24 cm.
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 Ender 3 V3 KE.
8.4/10 vs Centauri Carbon 2 Combo's 8/10, and it wins 2 of 5 categories. The V3 KE is the best $199 printer when WiFi and Klipper matter to you. The Bambu A1 Mini is the alternative at the same price; pick Bambu for polish, pick this for Klipper access and community customization.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Ender 3 V3 KECreality · FDM
vsCentauri Carbon 2 ComboElegoo · FDM
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $199 (wins) | Price | $449 |
| 11.6 L | Build volume | 16.8 L (wins) |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm (wins) | Finest layer | 0.08 mm |
| 8 kg | Weight | 19.35 kg |
Features
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Feature | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Klipper firmware | No |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | No |
| Yes | Direct drive | No |
| Yes | PEI build plate | No |
| Yes | WiFi | No |
| Yes | Color screen | 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
$199 ÷ 11.6 L and $449 ÷ 16.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| $17.13 (wins) | $ per liter | $26.76 |
| $0.40 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.90 |
Scores out of 10
| Ender 3 V3 KE | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (wins) | Value | 9 |
| 8 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 8 | Print Quality | 8 |
| 8 | Speed | 8 |
| 8 | Reliability | 8 |
| 8.4 (wins) | Overall | 8 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 220 × 220 × 240 mm
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
What owners say
Klipper and WiFi for $199? Creality is not playing around anymore.
Ender 3 V3 KE owner, r/CrealityThe KE is what the Ender 3 should have been years ago. Solid printer.
Ender 3 V3 KE owner, 3DPrintBeginner (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
Ender 3 V3 KE
- +Klipper with WiFi at $199: normally this combination costs $299+
- +Direct drive comes standard, not as a $40 upgrade
- +500mm/s is real and achievable with the pre-installed Klipper profiles
- −Open frame makes ABS printing inconsistent
- −220mm bed is smaller than some $199 competitors
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 Creality Ender 3 V3 KE better than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
By the numbers, the Creality Ender 3 V3 KE scores higher (8.4/10). 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, Creality Ender 3 V3 KE or Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE is more beginner-friendly (8/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo worth $250 more than the Creality Ender 3 V3 KE?
The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE actually scores higher (8.4/10) despite costing $250 less. The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo only makes sense if you specifically need multi-color.
What's the main difference between Creality Ender 3 V3 KE and Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
Build volume (220x220x240mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Creality Ender 3 V3 KE is best for budget; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo targets multi-color.