Elegoo's 3D printer back-to-school sale is live — and these 3 machines smashed our workshop tests

Elegoo is behind some of the top-rated 3D printers we've tested.

<![CDATA[ <article> <p>Elegoo is behind some of the top-rated 3D printers we've tested. And with the company running a big back-to-school sale, I've selected the three best deals for all 3D printing enthusiasts based on our own testing. </p><p>My top overall pick has to be the multi-color <a href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/centauri-carbon-2-combo" target="_blank">Centauri Carbon 2 Combo for $379 (was $449)</a>, while in the UK it's <a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/centauri-carbon-2-combo" target="_blank">down to £349 (was £398)</a>.</p><p>For beginners on a budget, check out the <a href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/elegoo-neptune-4-pro-fdm-3d-printer" target="_blank">Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro for $229 (was $274)</a> in the US, and <a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/elegoo-neptune-4-pro-fdm-3d-printer" target="_blank">£179 (was £290)</a> in the UK.</p><p>And for model-making and miniatures, the <a href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-12k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank">Saturn Ultra 4 drops to $379 (was $594)</a> for US readers, or <a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-12k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank">£309 (was £443)</a> in the UK.</p><ul><li><strong>US: </strong><a href="https://us.elegoo.com/pages/back-to-school" target="_blank">Shop the full back-to-school sale at Elegoo</a></li><li><strong>UK: </strong><a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/pages/back-to-school" target="_blank">See the full sale at Elegoo UK</a></li></ul><div class="product"><a data-dimension112="97f6eacc-96fd-11f1-8cf0-4deb34609d8e" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £349 (was £398)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £349 (was £398)" data-dimension25="$379" href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/centauri-carbon-2-combo" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:600px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:100.00%;"><img id="dkYuKeCDhxiKUfWzEGnGm5" name="centauri-carbon-2-combo-39a9955d-bb9f-448e-96ac-1de1f6cdc025.jpg" caption="" alt="" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dkYuKeCDhxiKUfWzEGnGm5.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="600" height="600" attribution="" endorsement="" credit="" class=""></p></div></div></figure></a><p>Awarded 4.5 stars after testing, the Centauri Carbon 2 is a fast, accurate, multi-color 3D printer that builds on the brilliance of the original Centauri Carbon machine. We called it "one of the cheapest and most reliable multifilament machines on the market."</p><p><strong>In the UK: </strong><a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/centauri-carbon-2-combo" target="_blank" data-dimension112="97f6eacc-96fd-11f1-8cf0-4deb34609d8e" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £349 (was £398)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £349 (was £398)" data-dimension25="$379">now £349 (was £398)</a><a class="view-deal button" href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/centauri-carbon-2-combo" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="97f6eacc-96fd-11f1-8cf0-4deb34609d8e" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £349 (was £398)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £349 (was £398)" data-dimension25="$379">View Deal</a></p></div><div class="product"><a data-dimension112="97f6eb3a-96fd-11f1-bc6f-cdaff5cd871f" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £179 (was £290)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £179 (was £290)" data-dimension25="$229" href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/elegoo-neptune-4-pro-fdm-3d-printer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:600px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:100.00%;"><img id="wNcai8DkDM8gcd7Vc6X626" name="neptune-4-pro-d945d089-8b3b-4b54-a292-49f2b15e8eb9.jpg" caption="" alt="" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wNcai8DkDM8gcd7Vc6X626.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="600" height="600" attribution="" endorsement="" credit="" class=""></p></div></div></figure></a><p>The Neptune 4 Pro earned 4 stars in our tests, with the open-enclosure 3D printer handling most tasks automatically, making it a good budget pick for beginners. "Efficient, reliable, high-quality 3D printing for enthusiasts," is how we described results. </p><p><strong>In the UK: </strong><a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/elegoo-neptune-4-pro-fdm-3d-printer" target="_blank" data-dimension112="97f6eb3a-96fd-11f1-bc6f-cdaff5cd871f" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £179 (was £290)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £179 (was £290)" data-dimension25="$229">now £179 (was £290)</a><a class="view-deal button" href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/elegoo-neptune-4-pro-fdm-3d-printer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="97f6eb3a-96fd-11f1-bc6f-cdaff5cd871f" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £179 (was £290)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £179 (was £290)" data-dimension25="$229">View Deal</a></p></div><div class="product"><a data-dimension112="97f6eba8-96fd-11f1-9f3e-d582538422d2" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £309 (was £443)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £309 (was £443)" data-dimension25="$379" href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-12k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:600px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:100.00%;"><img id="g7UWBPnsdhbVJEPdZU9Fn5" name="saturn-4-ultra-55b9b3df-efbb-491c-a885-ffc5ba8621d8.jpg" caption="" alt="" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/g7UWBPnsdhbVJEPdZU9Fn5.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="600" height="600" attribution="" endorsement="" credit="" class=""></p></div></div></figure></a><p>As a 12K resin 3D printer, the Saturn Ultra 4 is designed for fine-detail printing of models and miniatures. And that's where it really shone during our own testing, earning it 4 stars.</p><p><strong>In the UK: </strong><a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-12k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank" data-dimension112="97f6eba8-96fd-11f1-9f3e-d582538422d2" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £309 (was £443)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £309 (was £443)" data-dimension25="$379">now £309 (was £443)</a><a class="view-deal button" href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-12k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="97f6eba8-96fd-11f1-9f3e-d582538422d2" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="In the UK: now £309 (was £443)" data-dimension48="In the UK: now £309 (was £443)" data-dimension25="$379">View Deal</a></p></div><ul><li>Want higher resolution? The <a href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-16k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank">Saturn 4 Ultra 16K is $439 (was $650)</a> and <a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-16k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank">£389 (was £576) at Elegoo</a></li></ul><h2 id="why-we-recommend-it-3">Why we recommend it</h2><p>The <strong>Centauri Carbon 2</strong> is an easy recommendation - we actually awarded it a coveted <em>TechRadar Pro Highly Recommended </em>badge. Earning 4.5 stars in <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/elegoo-centauri-carbon-2-combo-3d-printer-review" target="_blank">our review</a>, the 3D printer left us impressed with up to 500 mm/s print speeds across a 256 × 256 × 256 mm build area. </p><p>The real magic here is in the integrated Canvas multi-color 3D printing feature, which was lacking in the otherwise excellent first-generation Centauri Carbon. It's also capable of printing PLA,PETG,PLA-CF,ABA, ASA,PC,PA,PET filaments. </p><p>Overall, we found the machine to be "exceptionally high quality," offering serious value for money. In our final verdict, we noted: When it comes to print quality, the detail and accuracy of the prints really do stand out."</p><p>The <strong>Neptune 4 Pro</strong> is a simpler machine with a budget price-tag comparable with a system like the Creality Hi or Bambu Lab's A-series 3D printers. </p><p>We scored this 4 stars in <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/elegoo-neptune-4-pro-3d-printer-review" target="_blank">our review</a>, calling it "one of the best 3D printers for beginners, offering a seamless printing experience with great results." </p><p>We also found the 3D printer "impresses with its outstanding performance and user-friendly design." So, a great place for those starting out. </p><p>In our <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/elegoo-saturn-4-ultra-3d-printer-review" target="_blank">4-star review</a> of the <strong>Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra</strong>, we found ourselves impressed with the "high resolution, ease of use, and smart features," and called it "a great choice for anyone looking to print detailed models. </p><p>The feature-set on this 12K 3D printer is pro-grade, coming equipped with auto-levelling and an AI camera to streamline the 3D printing process. As expected from a resin printer, accuracy and print quality proved superb, with excellent value for money overall. </p><h2 id="price-context-historical-value-3">Price context & historical value</h2><p>As someone who covers a lot of 3D printer deals, these discounts are very good. </p><p>For instance, back in March, I spotted the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo discounted to $450 at Amazon, and it's currently <a href="https://www.amazon.com/ELEGOO-Centauri-Multicolor-High-Temp-256x256x256mm/dp/B0G4TPZPZM/" target="_blank">priced at $400 there</a>. </p><p>Similarly, the Saturn 4 Ultra is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0D12Q82KC/" target="_blank">$427 at Amazon</a> right now, making it a better buy direct from Elegoo. </p><p>Even the <a href="https://us.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-16k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank">Saturn 4 Ultra 16K is cheaper at $439 (was $650)</a> and <a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/products/saturn-4-ultra-16k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer" target="_blank">£389 (was £576) at Elegoo</a> compared to Amazon, where it's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DT8PV51T?th=1" target="_blank">retailing for $520</a>. </p><p>Overall, then, prices are worth jumping on while they're this low. </p><p><em>For more picks, we've tested the </em><a href="https://www.techradar.com/best/best-3d-printers" target="_blank"><em>best 3D printers</em></a><em> and rounded up this week's </em><a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/best-3d-printer-deals" target="_blank"><em>best 3D printer deals</em></a><em>.</em></p><h2 id="should-you-buy-it-3">Should you buy it?</h2><p>✅ <strong>Buy the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo if... </strong></p><p>You want an impressive all-rounder multi-color 3D printer that delivers speed and accuracy for a reasonable price. </p><p>✅ <strong>Buy the Neptune 4 Pro if...</strong></p><p>You're new to 3D printing and want a value-led machine with features that help ease you into crafting. </p><p>✅ <strong>Buy the Saturn 4 Ultra if...</strong></p><p>Your focus is on 3D printing models, cosplay props, and other prints that demand high-res detail and total accuracy. </p><h2 id="the-catch-what-to-know-before-you-buy-3">The Catch: What to know before you buy </h2><p>The main issue we found with the <strong>Centauri Carbon 2 </strong>was that you're still limited to four colors at a time, which are externally attached to the 3D printer. So, make sure you're working in a temperature-controlled environment that's not too cold. </p><p>With the <strong>Neptune 4 Pro</strong>, you may need to tweak some settings to get the setup you really want. That might feel daunting at first, but it's a good excuse to learn the ins and outs of 3D printing. </p><p>We have nothing but praise for the performance of the <strong>Saturn 4 Ultra</strong>, but we did find the AI camera isn't as accurate as we would've liked. </p><ul><li><strong>US: </strong><a href="https://us.elegoo.com/pages/back-to-school" target="_blank">Shop the full back-to-school sale at Elegoo</a></li><li><strong>UK: </strong><a href="https://uk.elegoo.com/pages/back-to-school" target="_blank">See the full sale at Elegoo UK</a></li></ul> </article> ]]>