The short answer: the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 is the best value enclosed printer right now, and the Bambu Lab P1S and P2S are the more polished ones. The Centauri Carbon 2 Combo prints in four colors with a hardened 350°C nozzle for $369, while a P1S with an AMS 2 Pro is $509 and a P2S with one is $649. Bambu’s printers win on software, the multicolor system, the camera app and a two-year warranty. Against the open-frame A1, the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo costs $10 more than the A1 Combo and adds an enclosure, CoreXY motion and support for ABS, ASA and carbon fiber.
The original Centauri Carbon is no longer sold new in the US. Elegoo’s product page for it now redirects to the Centauri Carbon 2.
Centauri Carbon 2 vs. Bambu at a Glance
| Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 | Bambu Lab A1 | Bambu Lab P1S | Bambu Lab P2S | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (maker store, Black Friday) | $319 | $259 | $349 | $449 |
| Four-color bundle | $369 with CANVAS | $359 with AMS lite | $509 with AMS 2 Pro | $649 with AMS 2 Pro |
| Build volume | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Motion system | CoreXY | Bed slinger | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Enclosure | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Nozzle | Hardened steel, 350°C | 300°C | Stainless steel, 300°C | Hardened steel, 300°C |
| Max bed temperature | 110°C | 100°C | 100°C | 110°C |
| Active chamber heating | No | No | No | No |
| Top speed / acceleration | 500 mm/s / 20,000 mm/s² | 500 mm/s / 10,000 mm/s² | 500 mm/s / 20,000 mm/s² | 600 mm/s / 20,000 mm/s² |
| Published noise | 45 dB or less (Silent Mode) | Under 48 dB (Silent Mode) | Not published | Not published |
| Most colors | 4 | 4 (AMS lite) | 16 | 20 |
| US warranty | 12 months (extruder 6 months) | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
Elegoo’s sale prices end November 16, 2026. Bambu’s end December 1, 2026.
Where the Centauri Carbon 2 Wins
Price. It’s the cheapest way to get an enclosed CoreXY printer with a hardened nozzle. At $319 it’s $30 less than the P1S, which has a softer stainless nozzle, and $130 less than the P2S. The four-color Combo at $369 undercuts a P1S with an AMS 2 Pro by $140.
Filament range for the money. The hardened nozzle reaches 350°C, 50°C hotter than any of the Bambu printers here. Elegoo rates TPU as ideal; PA, ABS, ASA and carbon fiber blends of ABS, ASA, PETG and PET as “superior”; and even PPA-CF and PPS-CF as capable. The P1S isn’t listed for carbon fiber at all.
Noise. Elegoo rates it at 45 dB or less in Silent Mode, the lowest figure published for any of these four printers.
Where Bambu Lab Wins
Multicolor. Elegoo’s CANVAS feeds four spools. Bambu’s AMS 2 Pro also dries filament at up to 65°C, chains up to four units on the P1S and P2S for 16 colors (20 on the P2S with AMS HT units added), and has been refined over several generations.
Software and app. Bambu Studio, Bambu Handy and the MakerWorld library work together tightly: pick a model on your phone, print it, and watch it on the camera. Elegoo’s software is capable but less integrated.
Warranty. Bambu covers printers bought from its US store for two years. Elegoo gives 12 months on the machine and 6 on the extruder, and treats the nozzle, hotend and build plate as consumables with no warranty.
Camera. The P2S streams 1080p at 30 frames per second. The Centauri Carbon 2 has a camera, but the P2S’s is the best of the group for watching prints remotely.
Centauri Carbon 2 vs. P1S
Choose the Centauri Carbon 2 if price matters most or you want to print carbon fiber filaments. Choose the P1S if you want the AMS, Bambu’s app and two years of warranty. Both are enclosed CoreXY printers with the same 256 mm build volume and the same acceleration.
Centauri Carbon 2 vs. A1
The A1 is the simpler printer for a complete beginner, with Bambu’s app and a two-year warranty. But the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo costs only $10 more than the A1 Combo and adds an enclosure, faster acceleration on tall parts, and support for ABS, ASA, nylon and carbon fiber, none of which Bambu recommends on the A1. Unless you’re sure you’ll only print PLA, the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is the better buy at that price. See enclosed vs. open-frame 3D printers for what the enclosure changes.
Which Should You Buy?
| If you… | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Want four colors in an enclosed printer for the least money | Centauri Carbon 2 Combo | $369 against $479 for a P1S Combo |
| Want carbon fiber filaments on a budget | Centauri Carbon 2 | Hardened 350°C nozzle for $319 |
| Want the most refined multicolor system | P1S or P2S with AMS 2 Pro | Dries filament, chains up to 16 to 20 colors |
| Want the longest warranty | Bambu (any model) | 2 years against 12 months |
| Print only PLA in a quiet room | A1 | Simplest and quietest |
| Want the best camera and app | P2S | 1080p at 30 fps and Bambu Handy |
For the full lineup at this price, see our best 3D printers and best 3D printers for beginners.
Best value enclosed printer
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
An enclosed CoreXY printer with a hardened 350°C nozzle and a four-color CANVAS feeder.
Most polished enclosed printer
Bambu Lab P1S
An enclosed 256 mm CoreXY printer with Bambu's AMS, app and two-year US store warranty.
Elegoo Centauri Carbon vs. Bambu Lab FAQ
Is the Elegoo Centauri Carbon discontinued?
The original Centauri Carbon is no longer sold new on Elegoo’s US store; its page redirects to the Centauri Carbon 2. Elegoo sells some pre-owned units.
Is the Centauri Carbon 2 better than the Bambu P1S?
It has a hotter, hardened nozzle, a hotter bed and a lower price. The P1S has the better multicolor system, software and warranty.
Is the Centauri Carbon 2 a Bambu P1S clone?
It follows the same layout, an enclosed CoreXY printer with a 256 mm cube build volume, but it’s Elegoo’s own design with a different hotend, multicolor system and software.
Can the Centauri Carbon 2 print carbon fiber?
Yes. It ships with a hardened steel nozzle rated to 350°C, and Elegoo lists PLA-CF as ideal and ABS-CF, ASA-CF, PET-CF and PETG-CF as superior.
Does the Centauri Carbon 2 work with the Bambu AMS?
No. It uses Elegoo’s own four-spool CANVAS, which is included in the Combo or sold separately.
What’s the difference between the Centauri 2 and the Centauri Carbon 2?
The Centauri 2 ($244 on sale) is the open-frame sibling: same 256 mm volume and 350°C nozzle, but no enclosure, no camera as standard, and Elegoo marks ABS, ASA and nylon as not recommended on it.
