Two 256 mm multicolor systems
Bambu Lab P2S vs ELEGOO Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
These machines occupy nearly the same physical printing lane: both list a 256 × 256 × 256 mm build area and both bundle a four-path material system. The useful decision begins after size stops separating them.
The short answer
P2S and Centauri Carbon 2 have the same nominal 256 mm cube. Choose by workflow: the P2S Combo brings a documented 65°C AMS 2 Pro dryer and my owner experience; Centauri brings a 350°C nozzle and a four-path CANVAS system. Published specifications alone do not establish a print-quality winner. [1][4][6]
My current read
The P2S is the stronger known workflow; Centauri is the specification-led alternative.
I would choose the P2S Combo when I want the AMS 2 Pro to dry filament overnight, keep it enclosed, and let me start the next print from the same space. That is an owner observation about the exact setup I use—not a claim that CANVAS performs poorly.
I would put Centauri Carbon 2 on the shortlist when its 350°C nozzle, CANVAS path, or ELEGOO ecosystem answers a real requirement. The official page does not establish an active heated dryer or expansion beyond four CANVAS paths, so those cells remain open rather than being converted into “no.”
The evidence table
Make every machine answer the same question.
“Not confirmed” means the checked official page did not answer the question. It does not silently mean “No.” Open a cell for the exact condition, conflict, or boundary.
On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways. The question column stays pinned on the left.
| Question | Bambu LabP2S ComboOfficial sources plus a separate Crafty Catsman owner-evidence overlayOfficial page | ELEGOOCentauri Carbon 2Official manufacturer sources onlyOfficial page |
|---|---|---|
| Availability and setup | ||
| Release and ordering state | released[1] Confirmed | manufacturer-listed[6] Confirmed |
| Build space and heat | ||
| Build width | 256 mm[1] Confirmed | 256 mm[6] Confirmed |
| Build depth | 256 mm[1] Confirmed | 256 mm[6] Confirmed |
| Build height | 256 mm[1] Confirmed | 256 mm[6] Confirmed |
| Maximum nozzle temperature | 300 °C[1] Confirmed | 350 °C[6] Confirmed |
| Maximum bed temperature | 110 °C[1] Confirmed | 110 °C[6] Confirmed |
| Active chamber heating | No[3] ConfirmedWhat this meansBambu explicitly says the P2S does not have active chamber heating. | Not confirmed[6] Not confirmedWhat this meansELEGOO lists an enclosure and smart exhaust grille but does not list an active chamber heater. |
| Maximum controlled chamber temperature | Does not apply[3] Does not applyWhat this meansNo controlled active-chamber ceiling applies because the P2S has no active chamber heater. | Not confirmed[6] Not confirmedWhat this meansELEGOO does not list a controlled chamber temperature on this page. |
| Material storage and feeding | ||
| Material paths in compared setup | 4 paths[1] Confirmed | 4 paths[6] Confirmed |
| Maximum advertised material paths | 20 paths[3] ConfirmedWhat this means
| Not confirmed[6] Not confirmedWhat this meansThe checked combo page establishes four CANVAS paths but no larger expansion limit. |
| Active heated dryer in compared setup | Yes[4] Confirmed | Not confirmed[6] Not confirmedWhat this meansThe checked combo page does not list an active heated dryer. |
| Maximum listed drying temperature | 65 °C[4] ConfirmedWhat this means
| Not confirmed[6] Not confirmedWhat this meansNo active-drying temperature is listed for CANVAS. |
| Drying while the same system prints | Official pages differWhat this meansThe firmware record and current U.S. storefront FAQ payload do not resolve to one unconditional answer. Recheck firmware, page variant, power path, and whether the AMS is assigned to the active job before relying on simultaneous drying.
| Not confirmed[6] Not confirmedWhat this meansThe checked page does not establish drying while printing. |
| Automatic spool refill or relay | Yes[4] ConfirmedWhat this meansThe current FAQ explicitly scopes drying behavior around AMS units assigned for automatic refill. | Yes[6] Confirmed |
| Manufacturer speed figures | ||
| Manufacturer maximum speed | 600 mm/s[2] ConfirmedWhat this meansQualifier: maximum travel speed Bambu publishes this as maximum travel speed. I did not measure it as a production speed. | 500 mm/s[6] ConfirmedWhat this meansQualifier: up to Manufacturer ceiling, not shared-test throughput. |
| Manufacturer recommended speed | Not confirmed[2] Not confirmedWhat this meansBambu lists maximum travel speed, not a recommended production speed for cross-brand comparison. | Not confirmed[6] Not confirmedWhat this meansThe combo page lists an up-to speed but no recommended production speed. |
| Material boundaries | ||
| Flexible-material feed boundary | TPU for AMS is supported; generic TPU and TPU 95A are not supported in the standard AMS 2 Pro feed path[4] Conditions applyWhat this means
| TPU works on the printer only after installing the supplied flexible-filament adapter and disconnecting CANVAS[6] Conditions applyWhat this means
|
| Abrasive-material feed boundary | Named Bambu PLA-CF, PAHT-CF, and PETG-CF are supported; PET-CF and other carbon- or glass-filled filaments are excluded from the standard AMS 2 Pro path[4] Conditions applyWhat this means
| CANVAS is listed as compatible with fiber-reinforced filament, with regular inspection and replacement of feed parts during extended use[6] Conditions applyWhat this means
|
Start with what does not separate them
The build envelope is effectively a tie.
Both companies list 256 × 256 × 256 mm. That works out to a nominal rectangular envelope of 16.78 liters for each machine. Real usable geometry can be lower, but neither printer earns a size advantage from the published dimensions. [1][6]
This is why a generic spec-score article would be weak. The useful questions are how filament reaches the nozzle, how it is stored and dried, which materials bypass the multicolor system, and which claims are supported by first-hand use.
AMS 2 Pro versus CANVAS
Drying is the clearest workflow separation.
Bambu lists active AMS 2 Pro drying up to 65°C. In my shop, the value is simple: I can dry overnight, wake up, and print from the same enclosed space. I am describing a sequential routine—not promising that the actively feeding AMS can always dry during the same job. [4][5]
ELEGOO establishes four CANVAS paths and automatic refill. The checked product page does not list an active dryer or a larger expansion ceiling. Manufacturer silence is recorded as “not confirmed,” not as a negative capability claim. [6]
Material boundaries
TPU and abrasive filament need different handling rules.
For the P2S setup, Bambu distinguishes TPU for AMS from generic TPU and TPU 95A, and it limits which filled materials belong in the standard AMS 2 Pro feed path. The exact filament name matters more than a broad “prints TPU” or “prints carbon fiber” label. [4]
ELEGOO tells users to install the supplied flexible-filament adapter and disconnect CANVAS for TPU. It lists fiber-reinforced filament through CANVAS while warning that feed parts need inspection and replacement during extended abrasive use. [6]
Choose by the job
The useful winner changes with the constraint.
Use these as shortlist rules, then verify the exact bundle, material, and current software before ordering.
Choose P2S first if
Drying and a known daily routine matter
The active AMS 2 Pro dryer, broader documented material-path expansion, and my owner evidence are the meaningful advantages—not the equal build size.
Choose Centauri first if
Its hotter nozzle or ELEGOO workflow answers a real job
Use the 350°C ceiling and CANVAS path as shortlist signals, then verify the exact material and support workflow you plan to run.
Wait for more evidence if
You need a reliability or print-quality winner
Those conclusions require comparable time, models, materials, profiles, noise measurements, failed-print records, and support experience.
What still needs checking
Do not let an unanswered cell turn into a buying claim.
- Reconfirm the P2S print-while-drying behavior for the exact firmware and whether the active AMS is assigned to the print job.
- Ask ELEGOO whether CANVAS has a supported expansion path beyond four materials and whether active drying is planned.
- Do not declare print-quality, reliability, support, or noise winners until comparable testing exists.
Questions that change the decision
P2S vs Centauri Carbon 2 FAQ
These answers match the visible evidence table and keep manufacturer silence separate from a confirmed “No.”
Is the P2S or Centauri Carbon 2 larger?
Neither has a published build-volume advantage. Both list a 256 × 256 × 256 mm build area, equal to a 16.78-liter nominal rectangular envelope.
Does the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo include active filament drying?
The official global page checked August 24, 2026 does not establish an active heated dryer for CANVAS. That is an unanswered product-page question, not proof that a future or regional configuration cannot add one.
Can either multicolor system feed TPU?
The boundaries differ. Bambu lists TPU for AMS but excludes generic TPU and TPU 95A from the standard AMS 2 Pro path. ELEGOO instructs users to add its flexible-filament adapter and disconnect CANVAS for TPU.
Which printer produces better prints?
The checked manufacturer specifications cannot answer that fairly. A useful print-quality verdict needs the same models, materials, profiles, speeds, failure criteria, and enough repeated jobs on both machines.
Which one would The Crafty Catsman buy?
I own the P2S Combo and consider it worth buying in 2026. The AMS 2 Pro drying and quiet closed-lid routine are meaningful in my shop. I have not owner-tested the Centauri Carbon 2, so that column remains manufacturer-sourced.
Check the underlying pages
Official sources used in this comparison
Product pages change. Availability, bundles, firmware, and material profiles should be rechecked before purchase.
Bambu Lab
Bambu Lab P2S official launch article
Identifies the released P2S Combo, its 256 mm build cube, 300 °C nozzle, 110 °C bed, built-in cutter, and included AMS 2 Pro.
Global, English · Checked 2026-08-24Open official sourceBambu Lab
Bambu Lab P2S official technical specifications
Lists a 600 mm/s maximum travel speed but no recommended production speed.
China, Simplified Chinese · Checked 2026-08-24Open official sourceBambu Lab
Bambu Lab P2S official FAQ
Says the P2S has no active chamber heater and describes the P2S expansion path.
China, Simplified Chinese · Checked 2026-08-24Open official sourceBambu Lab
Bambu Lab AMS 2 Pro official U.S. product page and FAQ payload
Lists 65 °C active drying and scoped filament support; the returned FAQ payload contains multiple print-while-drying answer variants.
United States, English · Checked 2026-08-24Open official sourceBambu Lab
Bambu Lab P2S firmware 01.02.00.00 release notes
Documents conditional print-while-drying support with power and material-temperature limits.
China, Simplified Chinese · Checked 2026-08-24Open official sourceELEGOO
ELEGOO Centauri Carbon 2 Combo official global product page
Covers the 256 mm cube, temperatures, CANVAS four-color path, 500 mm/s ceiling, TPU adapter requirement, auto refill, and abrasive-feed wear warning.
Global, English · Checked 2026-08-24Open official source
Keep building the shortlist
Follow the next decision, not a random related post.
Move to the owner review, a neighboring comparison, the material guide, or the complete 3D-printing hub.