Elegoo Centauri 2 Review: The Best Budget CoreXY 3D Printer
For years, the CoreXY design was the domain of enthusiasts willing to drop a grand or more. Elegoo just flipped that script. The Centauri 2 is a fully enclosed, fast, and surprisingly polished CoreXY machine that costs less than half that. It’s the kind of printer that makes you wonder why you ever considered a bedslinger.
I’ve spent weeks with the Centauri 2, and it’s not just a good budget printer. It’s a genuinely great printer, period. Here’s why it’s the best budget CoreXY 3D printer you can buy right now.
What Makes the Centauri 2 Different
CoreXY printers move the print head on a belt-driven gantry system, which allows for faster, more precise movement than the traditional Cartesian design. That’s why they’re the standard for high-end machines. Elegoo brought that same architecture to the budget segment without cutting corners that matter.
The Centauri 2 ships fully assembled. No all-night build sessions, no bags of loose screws, no head-scratching over misaligned rails. You unbox it, plug it in, and run through a quick setup wizard. That alone is worth something. Most printers in this price range require hours of assembly and calibration before you get a single successful print.
It’s also enclosed, which is rare at this price. That enclosure keeps temperatures stable for materials like ABS and PETG, and it makes the printer quieter. It’s not silent, but it’s unobtrusive enough to run in a shared space.
Print Speed and Quality: The Real Test
Specs are one thing. Real-world results are another. The Centauri 2 claims a max speed of 500 mm/s, and while you won’t run it at that for most prints, it handles 200-250 mm/s with ease. That’s roughly three times faster than a typical budget printer.
I printed a Benchy in under 25 minutes at 0.2mm layer height, and the quality was impressive. Sharp corners, clean overhangs, and no visible layer lines at a glance. The 0.4mm nozzle handles detail work well, and the auto-bed leveling means you don’t have to fiddle with manual leveling every few prints.
For a budget CoreXY 3D printer, the Centauri 2 punches well above its weight. It’s not a high-end 3D printer, but it’s close enough that most hobbyists won’t notice the difference.
Build Volume and Features
The Centauri 2 offers a build volume of 220 x 220 x 220 mm, which is enough for most functional parts, cosplay props, and prototypes. It’s not massive, but it’s practical. The magnetic flexible build plate makes part removal a breeze — just flex it and pop your print off.
Other notable features include:
- A 4.3-inch touchscreen interface that’s actually responsive, not a laggy afterthought
- Wi-Fi connectivity with remote monitoring via the Elegoo app
- Filament runout sensor and resume-print functionality
- Dual Z-axis screws for improved stability
These aren’t just checkboxes. The touchscreen is a genuine upgrade over the clunky rotary knobs on older budget machines. The app works well enough for starting prints and checking progress, though I wouldn’t rely on it for heavy file management.
Software and Slicing Experience
The Centauri 2 works with Elegoo’s own slicer, which is based on OrcaSlicer. That’s a good thing — Orca is one of the best open-source slicers out there, and the Elegoo version is well-configured out of the box.
You can also use Cura or PrusaSlicer if you prefer, but the Elegoo profiles are tuned for the machine. I stuck with the default profiles and got great results without tweaking. For a printer aimed at beginners and intermediate users, that’s the right call. Nobody wants to spend hours dialing in retraction settings on day one.
If you’re new to 3D printing, this is a huge plus. You can focus on learning the craft, not fighting the machine.
Value and Verdict
The Elegoo Centauri 2 is priced around $450, which is remarkable for a CoreXY machine with this feature set. Comparable printers from Bambu Lab or Prusa cost $800 or more. That price difference isn’t justifiable for most hobbyists, especially when the Centauri 2 delivers 90% of the performance.
Are there compromises? Sure. The camera quality is mediocre, the build plate is slightly smaller than some rivals, and the enclosure isn’t perfectly airtight. But none of these issues affect the core experience. It prints fast, it prints clean, and it doesn’t break the bank.
If you’re in the market for a new printer and don’t want to spend a fortune, the Elegoo Centauri 2 is the best budget CoreXY 3D printer you can buy. It’s a no-brainer recommendation for beginners and a solid upgrade for anyone stuck on a slower, older machine.
For more options, check out our roundup of the best budget 3D printers or learn how to choose your first 3D printer.
