The CENTAUR design study, released as a 2026 arXiv preprint rather than peer-reviewed work, outlines a compact high-field tokamak aiming for 40 MW fusion power and Q=1.3 scientific gain using negative triangularity (NT) shaping to enable ELM-free operation. Ballooning stability, edge transport, and neutronics modeling with REBCO magnets and a 12 cm B4C shield underpin claims of safe heat loads and magnet survival beyond 30,000 pulses. Unlike ITER's multi-billion-dollar, decades-long timeline or SPARC's higher-field but less cost-optimized approach (MIT 2020 arXiv), CENTAUR iterates economics alongside physics to hit a $2B overnight target via a custom costing model. This engineering-first lens directly confronts fusion's historic barrier of unaffordable scale, linking to decarbonization pathways where rapid, replicable plants matter more than flagship demos. Limitations include reliance on unvalidated integrated simulations without experimental plasma data or full regulatory costing; sample size is zero as it is purely computational. Mainstream coverage often frames fusion via vague 2035-2050 horizons, missing how NT divertor radiation and compact HTS coils could compress deployment if prototypes validate the models. Synthesis with TCV negative-triangularity experiments and recent HTS magnet advances shows CENTAUR's hourglass solenoid and six PF coils prioritize affordability over raw performance.