Elegoo Centauri 2

The Elegoo Centauri 2 is an open-frame CoreXY printer on a die-cast aluminium frame — the entry model of the refreshed line. The base machine runs a single material: four colors come only with the CANVAS unit, bundled with the Combo package or bought separately. It targets first-time owners who want predictable prints without a tuning marathon.

Build volume is 256×256×256 mm, top speed 500 mm/s with 250 mm/s recommended, acceleration 10,000 mm/s² by default and 20,000 mm/s² at the limit. The dual-gear direct drive and hardened 0.4 mm nozzle run to 350 °C, the bed to 110 °C, layer height spans 0.1–0.4 mm at ±0.1 mm accuracy. Z runs on three lead screws and three linear rods, with a 5-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi and USB, at 13.7 kg.

Pros

• Prints with no tuning — How-To Geek got thin fragile parts and support-heavy models right the first time on stock ElegooSlicer profiles
• Dual-sided spring steel plate: textured PEI on one face, a smooth PLA surface on the other, and the slicer asks which side you loaded
• Vibration-damping feet ship from the factory, so walls show next to no vertical fine artifacts — usually an aftermarket add-on
• The 5-inch touchscreen beats printers costing a few hundred dollars more — the reviewer rates it above the Flashforge Creator 5 Pro
• Automation covers the boring failures: 121-point bed leveling, runout and clog sensors, fan self-check, power-loss recovery

Cons

• It's loud — belts, motors and especially the power supply; How-To Geek moved it off the desk and powers it down between jobs over the idle whine
• The runout sensor sits at the filament inlet, not in the print head, so every runout and spool change wastes more filament
• Open frame: Elegoo supports only PLA, PETG, PLA-CF and TPU; ABS, ASA, polycarbonate and nylon are not recommended and work with caveats at best
• No camera, chamber light, carbon filter or exhaust grille in the base package — each is a separate accessory

It makes sense as a first CoreXY: enclosures, functional parts, prototypes and toys in PLA and PETG, plus batch printing in a workshop where noise bothers nobody. Want multicolor printing, engineering materials or a quiet machine next to your desk? Look at the Combo with CANVAS or the enclosed Centauri Carbon models.

Bottom line: a rare case where CoreXY gets cheap without giving up print quality — you pay in noise, a missing camera and an open frame, not in bad prints.

Reviews

• How-To Geek — Elegoo Centauri 2 Review: The best budget CoreXY 3D printer (9/10)
• Tuba Makes — Is This the Smarter Budget CoreXY Buy? Elegoo Centauri 2 Review
• Irish Examiner — Elegoo Centauri 2: Multi-colour printing without the massive price tag