Elegoo Centauri Carbon
- Price
- $299
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Elegoo Centauri Carbon vs Qidi Q1 Pro
- The Elegoo Centauri Carbon wins, 8.2 vs 8 out of 10.
- Centauri Carbon prints 1.2× the volume (256³ ÷ 245×245×240 = 1.16) and costs $150 ($449 − $299) less.
- Qidi Q1 Pro is faster, 600 vs 500 mm/s.
- Pick the Qidi Q1 Pro 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.
Qidi Q1 Pro
- Price
- $449
- Score
- 8/10
- Wins
- 2/5
The verdict
Buy the Centauri Carbon.
8.2/10 vs Qidi Q1 Pro'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
vsQidi Q1 ProQidi Tech · FDM
| Centauri Carbon | Spec | Qidi Q1 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| $299 (wins) | Price | $449 |
| 16.8 L (wins) | Build volume | 14.4 L |
| 500 mm/s | Top speed | 600 mm/s (wins) |
| 0.1 mm | Finest layer | 0.1 mm |
| 17.5 kg | Weight | 20.3 kg |
Features
| Centauri Carbon | Feature | Qidi Q1 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Enclosed CoreXY | No |
| 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 | Enclosed CoreXY with 60C heated chamber | Yes |
| No | 350C tri-metal hotend | Yes |
| No | WiFi 6 + LAN connectivity | Yes |
| No | 1080p camera with timelapse | Yes |
| No | Dual Z-axis motors | Yes |
| No | 120C heated bed | Yes |
Value math
$299 ÷ 16.8 L and $449 ÷ 14.4 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Centauri Carbon | Spec | Qidi Q1 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| $17.82 (wins) | $ per liter | $31.17 |
| $0.60 (wins) | $ per mm/s | $0.75 |
Scores out of 10
| Centauri Carbon | Spec | Qidi Q1 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (wins) | Value | 8 |
| 8 (wins) | Beginner Friendliness | 7 |
| 8 | Print Quality | 9 (wins) |
| 8 | Speed | 9 (wins) |
| 7 | Reliability | 7 |
| 8.2 (wins) | Overall | 8 |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- 245 × 245 × 240 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 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/3DprintingTurn up the heat. The Q1 Pro brings industrial-grade chamber heating to the consumer market.
Qidi Q1 Pro owner, Tom's HardwareA heated value. Consumer 3D printer with industrial capabilities at a fraction of the cost.
Qidi Q1 Pro owner, 3DPrint.comThe heated chamber is a game changer for ABS and nylon. Just wish the firmware was more polished.
Qidi Q1 Pro owner, r/3Dprinting
Pros & Cons
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
Qidi Q1 Pro
- +60C chamber heating: ABS, nylon, and PC without warping
- +350C hotend handles every engineering filament you'll throw at it
- +WiFi 6, 1080p monitoring, timelapse built in
- −Exposed heater is a genuine safety concern, not just a nitpick
- −Casing feels cheaper than the spec sheet suggests
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 Qidi Q1 Pro?
By the numbers, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon scores higher (8.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Qidi Q1 Pro may be the smarter buy if you need enclosed.
Which is better for beginners, Elegoo Centauri Carbon or Qidi Q1 Pro?
The Elegoo Centauri Carbon is more beginner-friendly (8/10 vs 7/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Qidi Q1 Pro worth $150 more than the Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
The Elegoo Centauri Carbon actually scores higher (8.2/10) despite costing $150 less. The Qidi Q1 Pro only makes sense if you specifically need enclosed.
What's the main difference between Elegoo Centauri Carbon and Qidi Q1 Pro?
Build volume (256x256x256mm vs 245x245x240mm) and print speed (500 vs 600 mm/s). The Elegoo Centauri Carbon is best for budget; the Qidi Q1 Pro targets enclosed.