The Bambu Lab H2D (professional) and Elegoo Centauri 2 (entry) come from different brands and sit in different tiers, so this is less a head-to-head than a question of how much printer you need. Both are CoreXY printers with 4-slot multicolor and automatic calibration. The H2D costs $1,250 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list) and 117% more build volume; the Centauri 2 answers with support for PLA-CF.
First-generation product — no release history to base predictions on
Best for: Professional makers and small studios who need dual-material printing for engineering parts with soluble supports — or two-material prints with minimal purge waste.
Full details →First-generation product — recently released, still early days
Best for: Budget buyers who mainly print PLA, PETG and TPU and want fast CoreXY multicolor for as little as possible, without paying for an enclosure they won't use.
Full details →| Bambu Lab H2D | Elegoo Centauri 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | $1,549 | ★ $299 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Professional | Entry |
| Motion | CoreXY | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | ★ 350 × 320 × 325 mm | 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Max Speed | ★ 1000 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ★ ✅ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Mar 25, 2025 | Jun 24, 2026 |
| Cycle length | — | — |
| Cycle advice | Caution | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The H2D was released on Mar 25, 2025, 597 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
The Centauri 2 was released on Jun 24, 2026, 141 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
On timing alone, the Centauri 2 is the safer buy right now — it launched only 141 days ago, while the H2D has no release history pointing to a successor yet.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Centauri 2 lists at $299 and the H2D at $1,549 — $1,250 apart, so the H2D costs 418% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $43 for the H2D versus $18 for the Centauri 2 — the Centauri 2 is the better value per litre as well.
With both in sale windows, this is a good moment to buy either — compare the live sale prices before you decide.
Our pick for most buyers is the H2D, for an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF and PC on its materials list) and 117% more build volume, plus a higher editor score (8.9 vs 8.2). Go for the Centauri 2 instead if you want to spend less — it is $1,250 cheaper ($299 vs $1,549).
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The H2D's toolhead carries two nozzles, each with its own material. Switching between them avoids most of the purge waste of single-nozzle filament changes and enables dual-material prints including PVA/PLA soluble support combinations.
350×320×325 mm gives more print area than the standard 256 mm Bambu models — suited for larger professional parts.
The H2D supports a wide range of engineering filaments including PA-CF, PETG-CF, and PC with its enclosed chamber.
The Centauri 2 Combo includes the 4-color CANVAS system with RFID filament detection, auto refill and tangle detection. It is one of the cheapest CoreXY multicolor packages from a major brand.
It uses the same 256×256×256 mm CoreXY motion system, 500 mm/s top speed, 350°C hardened nozzle and 121-point auto leveling as the Centauri Carbon 2, for $50–100 less.
The camera, air filter, LED lighting and smart exhaust grill are optional add-ons, so you pay only for the features you need.