# Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 vs Qidi Q2

As of Nov 4, 2026, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 costs $349 and the Qidi Q2 costs $449, so the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 is $100 cheaper. The Qidi Q2 has a published review score and ranks #5 in our 3D printers ranking; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 is not scored yet. Pick the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 for budget enclosed printing with room to add color. Pick the Qidi Q2 for makers printing engineering filaments like nylon, PC and ABS.

Prices checked Nov 4, 2026. HTML version: https://robotsforthat.com/vs/elegoo-centauri-carbon-2-vs-qidi-q2/

## Side by side

| | Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 | Qidi Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349 | $449 |
| 3 year cost | $349 | $449 |
| Our score | Not scored yet | 8.2/10 |
| Rank in 3D printers | #35 | #5 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 12 months; 6 months on the extruder kit; consumables not covered | 1 year, 14 day no reason return, 30 day price match (Qidi store) |
| Build volume | 256 x 256 x 256 mm | 270 x 270 x 256 mm (Qidi) |
| Print speed | Up to 500 mm/s, 20,000 mm/s² acceleration | Up to 600 mm/s, 20,000 mm/s2 acceleration; about 300 mm/s typical for PLA and ABS (Qidi) |
| Multi color | Upgrade ready; up to 4 colors with the CANVAS unit (sold separately or in the Combo) | Optional QIDI Box (Combo) for up to 4 filaments; Tom's Hardware had repeated jams with it and found it better as a dryer |
| Enclosure | Yes, enclosed chamber with auto controlled grille | Yes, fully enclosed with active chamber heating up to 65 C and HEPA plus carbon filtration (Qidi, TechRadar) |
| Auto leveling | Yes, full auto calibration with auto Z offset (121 points per Notebookcheck) | Yes, hands free leveling with a load cell in the hotend (Qidi) |
| Max nozzle temp | 350 °C, hardened steel nozzle | 370 C (Qidi); Tom's Hardware confirmed it reached 370 C |
| Heated bed | Yes, up to 110 °C | Yes, up to 120 C with a dual sided textured PEI plate (Qidi, TechRadar) |
| Filament types | PLA, PETG, TPU, PET, PC, ASA and fiber filled such as PA6-CF | PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU, PA, PC and carbon or glass fiber blends (Qidi) |
| Connectivity | Elegoo Matrix app, ElegooSlicer, USB drive | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, QIDI Cloud (Qidi; the store page lists 2.4 GHz in the spec table and 2.4 and 5 GHz in its FAQ) |
| Camera | Yes, with AI spaghetti detection (Notebookcheck) | Yes, up to 1080p with timelapse and AI spaghetti detection (Qidi) |
| Noise | Under 45 dB in silent mode (Elegoo claim); 44 to 47 dB average measured by Notebookcheck | No dB figure; Tom's Hardware called it quite loud, mostly from the box and filament cutter |
| Weight | About 20 kg (Notebookcheck) | 18.1 kg net, 23.5 kg shipped; 402 x 438 x 494 mm (Qidi) |
| Assembly | n/a | Not checked |
| Best for | budget enclosed printing with room to add color | makers printing engineering filaments like nylon, PC and ABS |
| Skip if | you need more than 4 colors | multi color printing is your main goal |

## What reviewers found

### Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

- Notebookcheck: PLA and PETG printed cleanly on stock profiles. Measured 44 to 47 dB on average, color swaps took about 70 seconds, and multi color prints made heavy purge waste. Connectivity was inconsistent. [Source](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Elegoo-Centauri-Carbon-2-3D-printer-review-Lot-of-features-for-not-a-lot-of-money.1239803.0.html)
- Hackster: Called it strong value for a multi material printer. CANVAS swaps were fast and reliable and print quality matched the original Centauri Carbon, but it is limited to four spools and swaps still purge. [Source](https://www.hackster.io/news/the-maker-s-toolbox-elegoo-centauri-carbon-2-3d-printer-review-99788f603c96)

### Qidi Q2

- TechRadar (4.5/5): Ran for about six months with no issues. Scored 29 of 30 in print tests with an average XY error of 0.128 mm. First layer never needed manual adjustment. [Source](https://www.techradar.com/pro/qidi-q2-3d-printer-review)
- Tom's Hardware: Reached 370 C nozzle, 120 C bed and 65 C chamber. Printed PA11 CF, PC and ABS-GF parts without warping. The QIDI Box jammed repeatedly and fed only one filament in multi color tests. [Source](https://tomshardware.com/3d-printing/qidi-q2-combo-review)

## Questions buyers ask

### Which is better, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 or the Qidi Q2?

The Qidi Q2 has a published review score and ranks #5 in our 3D printers ranking; the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 is not scored yet. Pick the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 for budget enclosed printing with room to add color. Pick the Qidi Q2 for makers printing engineering filaments like nylon, PC and ABS.

### Which is cheaper?

The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 at $349, versus $449 for the Qidi Q2, checked Nov 4, 2026.

### What is the difference between the Centauri Carbon 2 and the Q2?

Build volume: 256 x 256 x 256 mm on the Centauri Carbon 2, 270 x 270 x 256 mm (Qidi) on the Q2. Print speed: Up to 500 mm/s, 20,000 mm/s² acceleration on the Centauri Carbon 2, Up to 600 mm/s, 20,000 mm/s2 acceleration; about 300 mm/s typical for PLA and ABS (Qidi) on the Q2. Multi color: Upgrade ready; up to 4 colors with the CANVAS unit (sold separately or in the Combo) on the Centauri Carbon 2, Optional QIDI Box (Combo) for up to 4 filaments; Tom's Hardware had repeated jams with… on the Q2.

Full reviews: [Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/elegoo-centauri-carbon-2/index.md), [Qidi Q2](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/qidi-q2/index.md)
