Ranked #5 of 8 3D printers
Elegoo Centauri Carbon Review (2026)
Enclosed CoreXY speed for bed-slinger money.
Prices and specs verified September 2026. How we rate products.
The original Centauri Carbon did something remarkable: it brought enclosed CoreXY printing — the architecture of $600+ machines — down to a price that regularly dips to $299 on sale. Tom’s Hardware gave it 4/5 and an Editor’s Choice; GamesRadar calls it the go-to beginner recommendation. The reliability stories are striking: Tom’s printed an entire 1.4 kg server case over 37 hours with zero failed prints.
The 320 °C hardened-steel nozzle is a quiet superpower, opening carbon-fiber filaments that chew through brass nozzles. Setup is nearly zero — it arrives mostly assembled with a one-click self-check — and LAN mode means no mandatory cloud account, a genuine differentiator from Bambu.
The gaps are honest ones. There is no multicolor system on the original, which is the single biggest functional difference versus similarly priced rivals. It is loud at speed, the chamber is not actively heated, and the community’s GPL firmware complaints deserve a mention for open-source buyers. None of it changes the core proposition: the most printer per dollar in 3D printing.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Outstanding value — enclosed CoreXY performance at ~$299 on sale
- Tom’s Hardware 4/5 Editor’s Choice; GamesRadar’s go-to beginner pick
- Workhorse reliability: 37-hour, 1.4 kg print with zero failures in testing
- 320 °C hardened nozzle handles carbon-fiber filaments
- Nearly fully assembled; one-click self-check calibration
Cons
- No multicolor system on the original — the big functional gap
- Loud at high speed (~55–65 dB reviewer-measured)
- No heated chamber — ASA/PC/nylon need extra effort
- GPL firmware controversy in the community
- Weak camera lighting; tinted glass hampers monitoring
Key specs
- Build volume
- 256 × 256 × 256 mm
- Max speed
- 500 mm/s
- Motion
- CoreXY, enclosed (passive chamber)
- Multicolor
- None on v1 (separate CANVAS upgrade sold)
- Nozzle
- Hardened steel, 320 °C max
- Bed
- Dual-sided spring steel, 110 °C, 121-point leveling
- Noise
- ~55–65 dB (reviewer-measured)
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi, LAN mode (no mandatory cloud)
Who it is for
Best for
- Value seekers
- Single-color printing
- ABS/ASA on a budget
Not for
- Multicolor printing (see Carbon 2)
- Noise-sensitive rooms
- GPL purists
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy the Centauri Carbon or the Carbon 2?
Want multicolor? Get the Carbon 2. Print single-color and want the lowest price? The original on sale (~$299) is the better value — same core printing performance for less.
Can it print carbon-fiber filaments?
Yes — the hardened-steel nozzle (320 °C max) handles abrasive filaments like PA-CF that destroy brass nozzles.
Is it really good for beginners?
Yes. Near-full assembly, one-click calibration, and dependable auto-leveling make the first-print experience smooth. It is louder than a Bambu A1, so place it accordingly.