The Creality Ender 3 V4 (entry) and Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 (prosumer) 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 open-frame printers with 4-slot multicolor, a 500 mm/s rated top speed and automatic calibration. The Ender 3 V4 costs $40 more, without a hardware advantage on the specs we track; the Centauri Carbon 2 answers with 48% more build volume and extra engineering materials (ABS and ASA).
Early in release cycle — no urgency to wait
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners who want optional multicolor printing in the trusted Ender 3 form factor at an accessible price — and are comfortable with a hands-on setup experience.
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 $449.
Full details →| Creality Ender 3 V4 | Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | $399 | ★ $359 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 220 × 220 × 235 mm | ★ 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | 500 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ✅ 4 slots | ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Jan 15, 2026 | Jan 26, 2026 |
| Cycle length | ~854 days | — |
| Cycle advice | Buy | Buy |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The Ender 3 V4 was released on Jan 15, 2026, 301 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 854 days, so it is 35% of the way through — roughly 553 days before a successor would be due at that pace.
The Centauri Carbon 2 was released on Jan 26, 2026, 290 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
Both are early enough in their cycles that timing should not decide this one. The Ender 3 V4 has roughly 553 days of runway on past cadence and the Centauri Carbon 2 launched 290 days ago. Pick on features and price.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Centauri Carbon 2 lists at $359 and the Ender 3 V4 at $399 — $40 apart, so the Ender 3 V4 costs 11% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $35 for the Ender 3 V4 versus $21 for the Centauri Carbon 2 — the Centauri Carbon 2 is both cheaper and roomier, so it wins on value outright.
Our pick for most buyers is the Centauri Carbon 2, for 48% more build volume and a lower price ($40 less), plus a higher editor score (8.4 vs 8.2).
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The V4's rigid frame reduces vibration at high speeds, improving print quality over the V3 KE's lighter structure.
The Combo bundle includes Creality's CFS filament system for 4-color printing, expandable to 16 colors with additional CFS units — one of the most affordable multicolor setups available.
The Ender 3 family has the largest 3D printing community in the world, with extensive documentation, mods, and active Creality firmware updates.
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 $449.