Elegoo Centauri Carbon
- Speed
- 500 mm/s
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Elegoo Centauri Carbon vs Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- The Elegoo Centauri Carbon wins, 8.2 vs 8 out of 10.
- Same build volume (256³ mm) and the same 500 mm/s top speed.
- The Centauri Carbon 2 Combo costs more, and that money buys features, not size or speed.
Specs from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
- Speed
- 500 mm/s
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 1/5
The verdict
Buy the Centauri Carbon.
8.2/10 vs Centauri Carbon 2 Combo's 8/10, and it wins 2 of 5 categories. Best value in 3D printing right now, full stop. Firmware is rough around the edges but nothing that kills the deal. If this is your budget, buy it.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Centauri CarbonElegoo · FDM
vsCentauri Carbon 2 ComboElegoo · FDM
| Centauri Carbon | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| 16.8 L | Build volume | 16.8 L |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.1 mm | Finest layer | 0.08 mm (wins) |
| 17.5 kg | Weight | 19.35 kg |
Features
| Centauri Carbon | Feature | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Enclosed CoreXY | Yes |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling (4 pressure sensors) | No |
| Yes | Chamber camera monitoring | No |
| Yes | 320C all-metal hotend | No |
| Yes | Pre-assembled and calibrated | No |
| Yes | Steel + aluminum + glass enclosure | No |
| 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 |
Scores out of 10
| Centauri Carbon | Spec | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (wins) | Value | 9 |
| 8 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 8 | Print Quality | 8 |
| 8 | Speed | 8 |
| 7 | Reliability | 8 (wins) |
| 8.2 (wins) | Overall | 8 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
What owners say
There'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 [this price].
Centauri Carbon owner, Tom's HardwareBuy two of these instead of one fancier printer at twice the price. Seriously.
Centauri Carbon owner, r/3DprintingBest 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
Centauri Carbon
- +Enclosed CoreXY at this price. 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
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 Elegoo Centauri Carbon better than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
By the numbers, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 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 or Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 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 paying more for over the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
The Elegoo Centauri Carbon actually scores higher (8.2/10) despite costing less. The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo only makes sense if you specifically need multi-color.
What's the main difference between Elegoo Centauri Carbon and Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 256x256x256mm) and print speed (500 vs 500 mm/s). The Elegoo Centauri Carbon is best for budget; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo targets multi-color.