3D Printing Info

Printer comparison

ELEGOO Centauri Carbon vs QIDI X-Max 3

Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.

2 selected · all documented properties

ELEGOO Centauri Carbon vs QIDI X-Max 3 — documented properties and sources
PropertyELEGOO Centauri CarbonCOREXYQIDI X-Max 3COREXY
Identity
BrandELEGOOQIDI
ClassCOREXYCOREXY
Identity & Market
Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first)ELEGOO Centauri Carbon[1]QIDI X-Max 3, listed by QIDI as "Qidi Tech X-Max 3 3D Printer" and in navigation as X-Max3[2][3]
Release date (announcement and actual shipping)Listed on the ELEGOO US store from 17 February 2025 (Shopify publish date)[4]Not published by QIDI; the product page carries a discontinuation notice rather than a launch date (checked Aug 2026)[2]
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)[4]$899.00 (from a $999.00 sale reference) on us.qidi3d.com but marked Sold Out and discontinued, checked Aug 2026. 3D Printers Online Store lists $1,099 USD, also out of stock[2][5]
Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk)Superseded by the Centauri Carbon 2, which raises the nozzle ceiling to 350 C and swaps the nano mineral crystal filter for a HEPA plus coconut-shell carbon stack, adds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[6][7][1]Same-generation siblings X-Plus 3 (280x280x270, 500 mm/s, 800 W) and X-Smart 3 (175x180x170, no chamber heating, 300 °C, 350 W). All three share the Cortex-A53 1.5 GHz / 1 GB DDR3 / 8 GB eMMC control board, so shared-board specs are not evidence of shared print specs. Replaced by the Max4[3][8][9][10]
Market position: superseded?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Superseded within ELEGOO's own line-up: the US store's Centauri section in Aug 2026 lists the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, Centauri 2 Combo, Centauri Carbon 2 and an emoji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[11]Discontinued and out of production; QIDI directs buyers to the Max4[2]
Physical & Frame
Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable256 x 256 x 256 mm; printing platform 260 x 260 mm[1]325 x 325 x 315 mm advertised[2][3][5]
Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang)398 x 404 x 490 mm[1]553 x 553 x 601 mm[3][5]
Net weight (kg)17.5 kg net, 21 kg gross[1]30.2 kg net[3][5]
Frame construction & materialIntegrated die-cast aluminium construction, which ELEGOO credits for reduced vibration at speed[1]Enclosed CoreXY chassis, fully assembled from the factory. QIDI does not publish a frame-material breakdown[3]
Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lidFully 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]Fully enclosed, with a chamber circulation blower and activated-carbon air filter[3]
Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred)Not documented65 °C maximum, independent chamber heating (manufacturer claim)[2][3]
Kinematics & Motion Hardware
Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other)CoreXY[1]CoreXY[3]
X-axis guide type (rods / linear rails / V-wheels; size)Not documentedLinear optical axis (polished steel rod) of high-strength steel[3]
Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlashThree lead screws with three linear guide rods[1]Double Z axis[3]
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]Not documented
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]<=600 mm/s (manufacturer claim)[2][3][5]
Recommended/typical print speed250 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]20,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[2]
Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s)32 mm3/s claimed flow rate (manufacturer figure; no test conditions published)[1]35 mm3/s extruder flow (manufacturer claim)[3]
Extruder
Type (direct drive / bowden) & design nameDual-gear direct extruder with one fan[1]High-flow direct-drive extruder; QIDI states a 9.5:1 gear ratio for this model[2][3]
Gear ratio & drive gear materialNot documented9.5:1[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]Ceramic heating core. Two interchangeable nozzle-head sets shipped: copper alloy for standard materials, hardened steel for abrasives. 0.4 mm stock, 0.2/0.6/0.8 mm optional[2][3]
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][6]<=350 °C claimed[2][3][5]
Heated Bed & Surface
Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit110 C max heated bed temperature at 25 C ambient[1]<=120 °C claimed[3][5]
Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sidedDual-sided spring steel sheet - textured PEI on one face, a PLA-specific surface on the other[1]Double-sided flexible magnetic plate (QIDI's "HF" plate)[2][3]
Leveling & Z-Offset
Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe)121-point auto-levelling with full-auto calibration[1]Automatic levelling via Klipper adaptive meshing; probe technology not named by QIDI[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][6]Filament detection fitted; type and location not published[3]
Cooling & Air Handling
Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting designPart cooling plus an auxiliary part-cooling fan and a chamber temperature regulator fan, with real-time fan self-checks[1]Not documented
Auxiliary part-cooling fan?Not documentedAdditional (auxiliary) cooling fan fitted[3]
Chamber/exhaust fan & filtration (activated carbon / HEPA)Not documentedChamber circulation blower with activated-carbon air filter[3]
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]Not documented
Host computer (SoC, RAM, storage) if firmware runs on embedded LinuxNot documentedCortex-A53 64-bit at 1.5 GHz, 1 GB DDR3, 8 GB eMMC[2][3]
Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto)Not documented100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz[3]
Total rated power draw1100 W at 220 V, 350 W at 110 V rated; 24 V output; 100-240 VAC input[1]900 W rated[3][5]
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]Klipper with the Fluidd web console. Fork and version not published[2]
Connectivity, UI & Camera
Display: size, type, touch?4.3-inch colour capacitive touch screen[1]5-inch touchscreen, 800 x 480[3]
On-device UI capabilities (model preview, per-object controls, etc.)Colour touch UI; LED chamber lighting fitted; OTA firmware updates[1]Not documented
WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-driveUSB and dual-band Wi-Fi for LAN transfers[1]Wi-Fi (QIDI states 150M 2.4G), Ethernet, USB flash drive[3]
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
Materials Support
Officially supported filament listCarbon/glass fibre reinforced filaments, PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PET, PC, PA[1]ABS, PLA, PETG, TPU, nylon, carbon fibre, PC[5]
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[12]1-year coverage[2]

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

  1. ELEGOO Centauri Carbon product page (full specification table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. QIDI X-Max 3 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. QIDI Tech X-Max 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. ELEGOO Centauri Carbon Shopify product JSON (price and store publish date) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Qidi Tech X-Max 3 FDM 3D Printer listing 3dprintersonlinestore.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. ELEGOO Centauri Carbon 2 product page (Centauri Carbon 2 vs Centauri Carbon side-by-side table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. ELEGOO Centauri 2 product page (Centauri 2 Combo vs Centauri 2 side-by-side specification table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. QIDI Tech X-Plus 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. QIDI Tech X-Smart 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. QIDI Max4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ELEGOO US store 3D printers collection (current line-up, Aug 2026) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. ELEGOO Refund & Warranty policy (warranty period table) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor