Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- Price
- $449
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 1/5
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo vs Prusa Core One
- The Prusa Core One wins, 8.2 vs 8 out of 10.
- Near-same build volume (256³ vs 250×220×270 mm, 1.13×) and the same 500 mm/s top speed.
- The Prusa Core One costs $750 ($1,199 − $449) 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.
Prusa Core One
- Price
- $1,199
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 2/5
The verdict
Buy the Prusa Core One.
8.2/10 vs Centauri Carbon 2 Combo's 8/10, and it wins 2 of 5 categories. Outstanding print quality and the best support in the business. The price premium is real, though. If you don't care about the Prusa ecosystem specifically, there are better deals. If you do, it's worth every krona.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Centauri Carbon 2 ComboElegoo · FDM
vsPrusa Core OnePrusa Research · FDM
| Centauri Carbon 2 Combo | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| $449 (wins) | Price | $1,199 |
| 16.8 L (wins) | Build volume | 14.8 L |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.08 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm (wins) |
| 19.35 kg | Weight | 22.5 kg |
Features
| Centauri Carbon 2 Combo | Feature | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Enclosed CoreXY | No |
| Yes | 4-color Canvas multi-color system | No |
| Yes | 350C hardened steel nozzle | No |
| Yes | RFID filament detection | No |
| Yes | Auto filament loading & tangle detection | No |
| Yes | 5-inch touchscreen | No |
| No | Enclosed CoreXY with active chamber heating (55C) | Yes |
| No | Nextruder direct drive (10:1 planetary) | Yes |
| No | 360-degree cooling duct | Yes |
| No | Ethernet + WiFi + NFC | Yes |
| No | MMU3 multi-material compatible | Yes |
| No | Open-source firmware (PrusaSlicer) | Yes |
Value math
$449 ÷ 16.8 L and $1,199 ÷ 14.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Centauri Carbon 2 Combo | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| $26.76 (wins) | $ per liter | $80.74 |
| $0.90 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $2.40 |
Scores out of 10
| Centauri Carbon 2 Combo | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| 9 (wins) | Value | 6 |
| 7 | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 8 | Print Quality | 10 (wins) |
| 8 | Speed | 8 |
| 8 | Reliability | 10 (wins) |
| 8 | Overall | 8.2 (wins) |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 250 × 220 × 270 mm
What owners say
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+Finally, Prusa takes on Bambu! The Core One is better in a box.
Prusa Core One owner, Tom's HardwareRail smoothness holds up well after months of hard use, minimal belt wear, and consistent chamber heat stability.
Prusa Core One owner, Prusa ForumIf you value open source and lifetime support, Prusa is still the gold standard. Just bring your wallet.
Prusa Core One owner, r/3Dprinting
Pros & Cons
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
Prusa Core One
- +Prusa reliability is not marketing. It's earned over years.
- +55C active chamber heating handles demanding materials
- +Fully open-source, no vendor lock-in anywhere
- −$1,199 assembled is hard to justify against the Bambu alternatives
- −Build volume is smaller than what you'd expect at this price
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 Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo better than the Prusa Core One?
By the numbers, the Prusa Core One scores higher (8.2/10). 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, Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo or Prusa Core One?
Both score 7/10 for beginners. Go with the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo to save $750.
Is the Prusa Core One worth $750 more than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
The Prusa Core One scores higher overall (8.2/10 vs 8/10). The extra $750 gets you prusa reliability is not marketing. it's earned over years..
What's the main difference between Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo and Prusa Core One?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 250x220x270mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is best for multi-color; the Prusa Core One targets precision.