Elegoo announces bizarre 3D printer collab with Emoji brand — special edition Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is priced at $489 USD

Elegoo fans woke up with a groan yesterday morning, as the new 3D printer Elegoo teased on social media was not a much-hoped-for tool changer or perhaps even a non-planar 3D printer, but rather a bizarre emoji-branded edition of the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2.

• ELEGOO × emoji® Centauri Carbon 2 Combo: $489 USD

Elegoo announced the new machine as a fun and creative collab with the emoji® brand, a German company that has trademarked the commercial use of emojis on physical merch and media (remember The Emoji Movie?) since 2013. The digital emoji icons we use on our phones and social media are actually controlled by the non-profit Unicode Consortium, which maintains the Unicode Standard text used by computers and mobile devices across various platforms.

The emoji edition of the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is indeed a more lighthearted and fun-looking version, swapping out the 3D printer’s dark metal and smoked acrylic panels for a silver finish and clear panels. The sides of the machine and build plate are plastered with grinning emojis. Elegoo rounded out the collab with a selection of 17 emoji-branded PLA colors, with RFID tags that the CC2 can automatically read. The difference between this unit and the apparently boring black CC2 is largely cosmetic. We gave the CC2 four stars out of five when we reviewed it in February. We’re especially fond of Elegoo’s support of Open Source and the inclusion of a USB port for easy, no-cloud-required, file loading.

Elegoo is pitching the collab as a way to make 3D printing more appealing, most likely to younger makers, though it is simply window dressing. The heart of the machine is still a CC2, which is an exceptionally well-thought-out and easy-to-use 3D printer. The single color CC1 is still our favorite pick for the most budget-friendly 3D printer on our list of Best 3D Printers. If Elegoo thought its black cases were too dour for young makers, wouldn’t it be cheaper to just offer case color options?

Many users on Reddit are equally baffled by the collab and jealous that the new edition has easy-to-see-through clear panels. Some said they would have snapped it up if it were a CC2 Max with a larger build volume.

The emoji edition Centauri Carbon 2 comes preloaded with exclusive emoji models, which were shared with us for the printer’s launch announcement. The models range from decor and jewelry, including a printable lamp, headphone stand and headphone covers.

"The emoji® brand has always represented emotions and connection, while ELEGOO stands for empowering creativity through technology," said Kevin Wang, VP of ELEGOO. "This partnership reflects our shared belief that self-expression should be joyful, simple, and accessible to everyone. We're excited to bring that spirit into the world of 3D printing and help users turn feelings into something real."

The ELEGOO × emoji® Centauri Carbon 2 Combo is priced at $489 USD. If an emoji-branded printer will make your family’s day, you can place an order today. You can also save $40 and pick up the boring old black CC2, which is priced at $449.

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