Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Professional makers, studios, and engineers who need large-format printing with genuine multi-material capability, open-source hardware, and Prusa's long-term support.
Full details →First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Elegoo users and budget-conscious makers who want multicolor FDM from a brand known for resin printers — or those looking for a capable CoreXY with high-temperature nozzle capability at $419.
Full details →| Prusa Research XL | Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Professional | Prosumer |
| Motion | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 360 × 360 × 360 mm | 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 5 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ✅ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PA, PA-CF, PC | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU |
| Released | Nov 20, 2023 | Jan 26, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~730 days | — |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Caution |
| Next model | — | — |
Unlike filament-switching AMS/MMU systems, the XL physically swaps print heads. Each material has its own nozzle, eliminating purge towers entirely and enabling true multi-material prints.
One of the largest build volumes available in a CoreXY printer at this price point — suited for large props, architectural models, and batch production.
Every component is documented, parts are stocked for years, and the community has developed hundreds of modifications and improvements.
The Centauri Carbon 2 marks Elegoo's entry into multicolor FDM printing — bringing the brand's value-focused approach to a segment dominated by Bambu and Anycubic.
The high-temperature nozzle enables printing of PA, PA-CF, and PC on an open-frame CoreXY — a notable differentiator at this price point.
Elegoo's proprietary CANVAS system provides 4-color filament switching at a competitive all-in price of $419.