A limited-edition Centauri Carbon 2 Combo has shown up in silver, dressed head to toe in emoji decals, and it's cheaper than the standard model right now. According to TechRadar, the bundle is priced at $429 (down from $489) in the US and £378 (down from £415) in the UK, using the checkout code 717EMOJIDAY to mark World Emoji Day.
It's a cosmetic reskin of a printer that already earned a strong workshop review, so the value sits in the hardware underneath, not the grin-and-wink faceplate.
What happened
- Co-branded Centauri Carbon 2 Combo launched for World Emoji Day at $429 / £378 with code 717EMOJIDAY.
- Fully enclosed CoreXY frame, a 256mm cube build area, and top travel speeds reaching 500mm/s.
- 350°C hotend, four-filament Canvas multicolor unit, RFID tag reading on each reel.
- Bundle ships with 17 emoji-themed PLA spools; silver chassis and clear panels carry the same artwork.
- The plain black edition is typically the cheaper pick if the novelty look puts you off.
What's actually new
Not much, mechanically. Remove the silver panels and the grinning decals and you have the same Centauri Carbon 2 Combo TechRadar scored 4.5 out of 5. The CoreXY motion platform, the four-channel Canvas color switcher, the enclosed chamber, and the 350°C nozzle all carry over untouched. The deltas are limited to the visual treatment plus a 17-spool PLA pack themed around the collab.
That's worth underlining. It means the strengths TechRadar flagged, including tight tolerances on test prints and clean transitions between colors, travel with this SKU. So does the unusually wide filament support for the price bracket, spanning ABS, ASA, PC, and nylon alongside PLA.
Our analysis
Frame the promotion as a discount on a proven machine. The hardware was well-regarded before any emoji decals landed, and the current price undercuts both the launch MSRP and the usual street price. Two inherited caveats deserve airtime. First, the spools mount on the outside of the frame rather than inside a sealed dry box, so damp workshops can hurt print quality. Second, every color swap on a multicolor job leaves a small tower of purged plastic, which is standard for the class but worth budgeting if you run long batches.
Beneficiaries are clear: hobbyists who want a capable four-color machine and don't mind a desk piece that looks like it escaped from a group chat. Losers are buyers who simply want the cheapest path to that hardware, because the black standard SKU is normally the lower list price.
Worked example
Say you run a small prototyping shop and you've been weighing a four-channel color system without paying flagship money. Order the emoji bundle while the discount runs. Spend your first week dialing in PLA test parts to confirm tolerances on your own fixtures, then step up to ABS or PC for higher-temperature work. If the faceplate clashes with your bench photos, ask Elegoo about spare plain panels, or just live with it. The stepper motors don't care what the covers look like.
What to watch next
Watch the black standard SKU after World Emoji Day passes. Promo bundles of this kind tend to dry up quickly once the date hook fades, so if the silver-and-clear treatment appeals, ordering now is safer than holding out for a deeper cut.
Quick spec compare
| Feature | Emoji Edition | Standard Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Price (US) | $429 with code | Typically higher |
| Chassis | Silver, clear panels, emoji graphics | Dark metal, smoked panels |
| Hardware | Identical CoreXY, 350°C nozzle, Canvas 4-filament | Identical |
| Filament bundle | 17 emoji-themed PLA spools | Standard PLA pack |
| Workshop rating basis | Same 4.5/5 review | Same 4.5/5 review |
Key takeaways
- The emoji edition is purely cosmetic; the mechanism matches the 4.5-star standard model.
- The real story is an enclosed CoreXY plus a four-channel color system at $429 / £378.
- Plan around purge waste on multicolor runs and humidity exposure on open reels.
Frequently asked questions
Is the emoji edition mechanically the same as the standard Centauri Carbon 2 Combo?
Yes. According to TechRadar, only the silver panels, clear covers, emoji decals, and themed 17-spool PLA bundle differ from the regular model.
How much is the discount and what code do I use?
TechRadar reports $429 in the US (down from $489) and £378 in the UK (down from £415) with checkout code 717EMOJIDAY for World Emoji Day.
Can it print engineering filaments like ABS or nylon?
Yes. The 350°C nozzle and enclosed chamber support ABS, ASA, PC, and nylon alongside PLA, which is uncommon at this price.
Does the multicolor system produce waste?
Yes. Like other printers in this class, Canvas generates purge material between color swaps, so factor that into material planning.