3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
ELEGOO Centauri Carbon vs Original Prusa MINI+
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ELEGOO Centauri Carbon comparisonsMore Original Prusa MINI+ comparisons
| Property | ELEGOO Centauri CarbonCOREXY | Original Prusa MINI+BEDSLINGER |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | ELEGOO | Prusa Research |
| Class | COREXY | BEDSLINGER |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | ELEGOO Centauri Carbon[1] | Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer[2] |
| Release date (announcement and actual shipping) | Listed on the ELEGOO US store from 17 February 2025 (Shopify publish date)[3] | Not documented |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $419.99 on us.elegoo.com, Aug 2026, with the compare-at price also $419.99 (no discount running)[3] | $508.33 on prusa3d.com, Aug 2026[4] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Superseded by the Centauri Carbon 2, which raises the nozzle ceiling to 350 C and swaps the nano mineral crystal filter for a HEPA plus coconut-shell carbon stack, adds clog detection, a smart exhaust grille and part-cooling-fan drop detection. The non-carbon Centauri and Centauri 2 are open-frame-oriented machines with a different filament list. Machine size 398 x 404 x 490 mm is shared with the Centauri 2, so body dimensions alone will not identify the model[5][6][1] | Sold semi-assembled and, historically, as a kit; also offered in an Enclosure Bundle. Distinguish from the larger i3-family machines - the MINI+ is Bowden-fed with 2209 drivers, a 280 C nozzle ceiling and a 100 C bed, all lower than the MK3S+/MK4S. Note that Prusa's own MINI+ page carries an "Awards & Press Reviews" paragraph that is entirely about the MK3S, not the MINI+[2][7] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Superseded within ELEGOO's own line-up: the US store's Centauri section in Aug 2026 lists the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, Centauri 2 Combo, Centauri Carbon 2 and an emoji collaboration edition[8] | Not documented |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 256 x 256 x 256 mm; printing platform 260 x 260 mm[1] | 180 x 180 x 180 mm (manufacturer figure)[2] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 398 x 404 x 490 mm[1] | 380 x 330 x 380 mm (X x Y x Z), stated without the spool holder and external PSU - the external PSU brick needs additional desk space[2] |
| Net weight (kg) | 17.5 kg net, 21 kg gross[1] | 4.5 kg without spool holder and external PSU[2] |
| Frame construction & material | Integrated die-cast aluminium construction, which ELEGOO credits for reduced vibration at speed[1] | Not documented |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Fully enclosed with a tempered glass door and top cover; a nano mineral crystal air filter, an auxiliary part-cooling fan and a chamber temperature regulator fan are fitted[1] | Open frame; sold with an optional Enclosure bundle[2] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | CoreXY[1] | Not documented |
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Three lead screws with three linear guide rods[1] | Not documented |
| Belts (type, width, e.g. Gates?) | Semi-automatic belt tensioner[1] | Not documented |
| Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?) | "Silent Drive (All Axes)" is all that is published; no driver part number is given[1] | Trinamic 2209 silent stepper drivers, with sensorless homing on the X and Y axes[2] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | 500 mm/s or less, with 250 mm/s given by ELEGOO as the recommended speed[1] | Not documented |
| Recommended/typical print speed | 250 mm/s recommended printing speed (manufacturer figure)[1] | Not documented |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | 20000 mm/s2 maximum acceleration; default acceleration 10000 mm/s2[1] | Not documented |
| Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s) | 32 mm3/s claimed flow rate (manufacturer figure; no test conditions published)[1] | Not documented |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Dual-gear direct extruder with one fan[1] | Bowden extruder with 3:1 gearing - the only current Prusa FFF machine that is not direct drive[2] |
| Gear ratio & drive gear material | Not documented | 3:1 extruder gearing[2] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Brass-hardened steel nozzle, 0.4 mm, with a titanium-alloy heat break; a heatbed nozzle wiper cleans it before each print[1] | Not documented |
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | 320 C claimed max nozzle temperature (the Centauri Carbon 2 raises this to 350 C)[1][5] | 280 C claimed max nozzle temperature - lower than the 290-300 C of the i3-family machines[2] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | 110 C max heated bed temperature at 25 C ambient[1] | 100 C max heatbed temperature[2] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Dual-sided spring steel sheet - textured PEI on one face, a PLA-specific surface on the other[1] | Removable magnetic steel sheets in several surface finishes; heatbed with cold-corner compensation[2] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | 121-point auto-levelling with full-auto calibration[1] | SuperPINDA inductive probe with no temperature drift, driving automatic mesh bed levelling[2] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Filament runout sensor (type, location) | Filament run-out sensor, auto filament unloading, power-loss recovery and fan self-check; no clog detection on this model (the Centauri Carbon 2 adds it)[1][5] | Not documented |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Part cooling plus an auxiliary part-cooling fan and a chamber temperature regulator fan, with real-time fan self-checks[1] | Not documented |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist) | ELEGOO describes it only as a "Powerful Self-Developed Motherboard"; no board model or MCU is published[1] | Custom 32-bit board of Prusa's Buddy family; the MINI/MINI+ is covered by the same Prusa-Firmware-Buddy source tree as the MK4, XL and CORE One. The exact board revision is not given on the product page[2][9] |
| Total rated power draw | 1100 W at 220 V, 350 W at 110 V rated; 24 V output; 100-240 VAC input[1] | Not documented |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | ELEGOO OS with OTA updates; 8 GB of on-board storage. ElegooSlicer recommended, with Orca and Cura supported[1] | Open-source Prusa Buddy firmware. The source tree (prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy on GitHub) explicitly covers the Original Prusa MINI/MINI+, MK4, XL and CORE One and was last pushed to in August 2026. Updates are applied from a USB drive, through Prusa Connect or through the Prusa mobile app[9][10] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 4.3-inch colour capacitive touch screen[1] | 2.8-inch 65k-colour graphic screen with G-code preview[2] |
| On-device UI capabilities (model preview, per-object controls, etc.) | Colour touch UI; LED chamber lighting fitted; OTA firmware updates[1] | On-device colour UI with G-code preview; remote print management through Prusa Connect[2] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB and dual-band Wi-Fi for LAN transfers[1] | USB port, RJ-45 Ethernet, optional ESP Wi-Fi module (sold separately); compatible with Prusa Connect[2] |
| Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps) | Chamber camera fitted, with real-time monitoring and time-lapse; dual built-in LED strips[1] | Not documented |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Not documented | Semi-assembled: Prusa ships it in a small number of pre-built sections; also historically sold as a full kit[2] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | Carbon/glass fibre reinforced filaments, PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PET, PC, PA[1] | PLA, PETG, ASA, ABS, PC, CPE, PVA/BVOH, PVB, HIPS, PP, Flex, nGen, Nylon, Woodfill and other filled materials (Prusa's own list; the 100 C bed and open frame are the practical limit for ABS/ASA)[2] |
| Safety | ||
| Thermal runaway protection (verify in firmware source if at all possible) | Not documented | Three thermistors and fan RPM sensors are fitted, and the firmware is open-source and auditable (Prusa-Firmware-Buddy); Prusa does not describe the thermal-runaway implementation on the product page[2][9] |
| Noise & Power Consumption | ||
| Noise: claimed dB and independently measured dB (distance/method) | Operating sound published as 55 dB or less - a manufacturer figure with no distance or method stated, so not comparable with an independently measured dB reading[1] | Not documented |
| Reliability, Support & Ecosystem | ||
| Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes) | 12 months on brand-new machines and parts, but ELEGOO's own table excludes a long list of parts from that: PEI plate / build plate / nozzle kit / PTFE tube / heater / thermistor / hot end / packaging / manual / tools carry no warranty at all, and the extruder, extruder kit and printhead kit get 6 months. Certified pre-owned machines carry no warranty[11] | 2-year warranty for consumers in the EU, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland; 1 year for EU enterprises and 1 year for the rest of the world, which includes the United States. A printer bought from a reseller or privately carries 1 year from the original delivery date and is handled by the reseller. Prusa advertises 24/7 chat and e-mail support in seven languages[12][10] |
Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.
Sources for this comparison
- ELEGOO Centauri Carbon product page (full specification table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List, January 2025 Edition) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO Centauri Carbon Shopify product JSON (price and store publish date) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa 3D printers category listing with live e-shop prices, Aug 2026 prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO Centauri Carbon 2 product page (Centauri Carbon 2 vs Centauri Carbon side-by-side table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO Centauri 2 product page (Centauri 2 Combo vs Centauri 2 side-by-side specification table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 10th Anniversary Edition product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO US store 3D printers collection (current line-up, Aug 2026) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- GitHub - prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy (firmware for MINI, MK4, XL and CORE One) github.com · 2026-08 · doc
- Original Prusa MK4S 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + CORE One+/MK4S/XL comparison table) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO Refund & Warranty policy (warranty period table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa Knowledge Base - Warranty help.prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · doc