It’s getting harder to buy a popular desktop 3D printer these days.
What’s this all about? I’ve seen several comments about the ELEGOO Centauri Carbon, which we reviewed a few weeks ago. We were very impressed with the machine and gave it quite high scores.
Even better, that machine’s price is incredibly low, setting a new standard. The company later released the pricing for the machine, and it turned out to cost only US$299!
This is massively lower than competing models, throwing the entire industry price structure into chaos. Orders for the device poured in.
But it’s not really available yet. As of this writing, the ELEGOO website suggests a possible ship date of mid-August. That’s three months away, a long wait for buyers.
Some who were attracted to the Centauri are considering alternatives. But what are they? Let’s take a look at the major competing models that have similar features.
Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro
The AD5M Pro has a similar build volume and motion system and runs at similar print speeds. However, it doesn’t have the ability to print CF filaments.
This model is priced at US$489 and is available “immediately”. Meanwhile, their smaller AD5X with full color capabilities is “sold out”.
Anycubic Kobra S1
The Kobra S1 offers similar print speeds and build volume, but not the ability to print CF materials. It comes with an accessory, the ACE Pro, which provides the ability to print in up to four different materials. Unfortunately, Anycubic does not offer the S1 without the ACE Pro, with the only option being to upgrade to eight colours (two ACE Pros).
This makes the price of the Kobra S1 Combo at US$699 quite a bit higher than the other options.
Bambu Lab P1S / X1C
The company that started all this competition has to be considered an alternative. There are two models in question.
The P1S is an enclosed device that is very similar to the Centauri Carbon, but it does not have the ability to print CF materials. It’s also priced at US$699, the same price as the Kobra S1, but without the AMS.
The other option from Bambu Lab is the X1C, which does have the ability to print CF materials and includes a number of advanced features. However, it’s priced much higher at US$1249 — almost US$1000 more than the Centauri Carbon.
Creality K1C
The K1C can print CF materials and is a pretty decent machine as we found in our review. It can print CF materials and provides similar functionality. It’s priced at US$539.
Prusa CORE One
The Prusa CORE One is that company’s attempt to catch up to the market, and it provides very similar functions and capabilities and is said to deliver high-quality print results. It is not set up for CF materials, however, and is priced at US$1199, far above the Centauri Carbon price.
Summary
You can see why the Centauri Carbon is so much in demand: it is by far the lowest price option among these competing products. It also is a very good-quality machine from our testing, so it’s not as if you’re getting something less for the money.
However, it’s not available, meaning buyers have to either wait or choose one of the pricier alternatives. With some prices being multiples of the Centauri Carbon price, it seems that many will simply wait for availability. On the other hand, those in a hurry with the cash can spend more and get a machine immediately.
