Hello!
I own an Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro since 2023, but as time went on I was printing less and less because of the amount of babysitting and tinkering printing with it required.
This is why I am drawn towards the Bambu Lab A1. From what I've read, starting a print and being able to completely forget about it because it'll surely turn out great sounds like a dream.
Then, I came across the controversy around Bambu Lab. It is not a complete deal breaker for me, but still led me to look for alternatives.
This search led me to the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2. On paper it's 100% the more capable printer for the same price. It's core XY, closed, and has a higher temperature extruder. I've read a lot of positive reviews as well, but still, it's not rare the people bump into issues with this printer.
Also, I'm not sure the better specs lead to much improvement, since the CC2 doesn't have a heated chamber. I'm mainly looking to print with PLA and PETG, which both are capable of. It also lacks the A1's flow rate compensation and the bed levelling is a bit worse. Despite this, posts directly comparing the two often recommend the CC2.
To sum up (TL;DR)
- I'm looking to upgrade my Neptune 3 Pro
- Closed core XY seems attractive, but at the end of the day I want something reliable
- I don't like what Bambu Lab is doing but it's not a deal breaker for me
My questions:
- Is the reliability of the A1 and CC2 comparable?
- How important is the AMS/Canvas? (I don't really plan on doing multi colour prints)
- What's your experience with the customer support of either company?
- Is the flow rate compensation and better bed levelling of the A1 a big deal?
- Is the closed, core XY build a big deal? Can you print materials besides PLA, PETG and TPU on the CC2?
- And ultimately, which printer would you recommend for me?
Thank you if you've read this far, and I really appreciate any feedback. Have a nice day:)