Head-to-head test
Anker SOLIX C800 Plus vs Jackery Explorer 600 v2
The C800 Plus is almost twice the weight for meaningfully more power; the Explorer 600 v2 is the one you actually carry — this is a portability decision wearing a spec-sheet disguise.
Written by Ian SchneiderUpdated
Solar & Off-Grid Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
Anker
SOLIX C800 Plus
2,199Power Score · Appliance Class
$649.00 list · direct from Anker
Jackery
Explorer 600 v2
1,989Power Score · Device Hub
$499.00 list · direct from Jackery
Spec deltas
$30 buys a lot here. The Anker SOLIX C800 Plus runs $399 against the Jackery Explorer 600 v2's $369, and for that gap it more than doubles the continuous output — 1,200W against 500W — while carrying 128Wh more capacity, 768Wh against 640Wh.
The trade is real, not free. The C800 Plus weighs 24 lbs to the 600 v2's 14.1 — nearly a ten-pound difference — and its fan runs 45dB under load against the 600 v2's 30dB. One of these is the unit you leave in the truck; the other is the one you're fine carrying up a flight of stairs.
For most buyers who need the power and don't mind the weight, the C800 Plus is the better $30. For anyone prioritizing how it feels to carry and how quiet it runs overnight, the Explorer 600 v2 is worth the smaller tank.
What the Numbers Reveal
Each conclusion stated first — the numbers behind it on one line, the full analysis below.
weight
24 lbs is a two-hands lift most people can still manage solo, but it's not a one-arm carry to a campsite the way the 600 v2 is. That difference shows up every single time you move it, not just once at purchase.
The C800 Plus weighs 24 lbs; the Explorer 600 v2 weighs 14.1 lbsThe C800 Plus holds 768Wh, 128Wh more than the 600 v2's 640Wh
Why it mattersBuyers who relocate the unit often — tailgates, multi-site camping, apartment-to-car trips — should weight the carry, not just the watt-hours, before picking the C800 Plus.
continuous output
In absolute terms the C800 Plus still surges to 1,600W, more than the 600 v2's full 1,000W ceiling, so it's not actually weaker for starting a compressor. The ratio favors the 600 v2 on paper, but the C800 Plus wins on the number that matters for anything drawing over 500W continuous.
The C800 Plus outputs 1,200W continuous with a 1,600W surge, a 1.3× ratioThe Explorer 600 v2 outputs 500W continuous with a 1,000W surge, a 2.0× ratio
Why it mattersAnyone running a space heater, a full-size fridge, or power tools needs the C800 Plus's higher continuous ceiling; the 600 v2 simply isn't rated for that load regardless of its cleaner ratio.
Paying $30 more here isn't a premium; on the engine's own math it buys a lower cost per kWh, not a higher one. That reframes the $30 gap as the C800 Plus being the better financial pick, not just the more powerful one.
The engine prices the C800 Plus at $0.17 per lifetime kWh and the 600 v2 at $0.19The C800 Plus costs $399 against the 600 v2's $369, a $30 difference
Why it mattersBuyers deciding purely on long-run value should treat the extra $30 as the cheaper option, not the splurge.
But the fan noise cuts the other way: 45dB is loud enough that reviewers of the C800 Plus specifically call it hard to ignore in a quiet room during fast chargingA1. For a unit sitting arm's length from a pillow, that noise can matter more than the extra headroom.
The C800 Plus runs at 45dB under load; the Explorer 600 v2 runs at 30dBOn a CPAP Overnight's 320Wh need, the C800 Plus uses 49% of its capacity and the 600 v2 uses 59%
Why it mattersCPAP buyers who charge overnight rather than run off a full tank should weight the noise gap over the capacity math and lean toward the 600 v2.
The specific dimensions that decide these two units — everything else is a tie.
Lifetime Value
Selected because: The C800 Plus costs more upfront but wins on cost per lifetime kWh — the central honest surprise.
cost / lifetime kWh
$399 against $369 makes the C800 Plus look like the pricier pick, but run it through the engine's lifetime model and it comes out cheaper per kWh delivered: $0.17 against the 600 v2's $0.19. The extra 128Wh of capacity, spread across the same 3,000-cycle rating, is doing the work.
Cost per warranty year splits the other way — $80 for the C800 Plus against $74 for the 600 v2 — so the 600 v2 is very slightly cheaper on that specific measure. Neither gap is large enough to be the deciding factor on its own; the weight and noise differences matter more.
Portability & Form Factor
Selected because: A near-10-lb weight gap is the real cost of the C800 Plus's extra power.
weight
24 lbs against 14.1 lbs is close to a ten-pound difference, and it's the single biggest practical divide between these two units. The C800 Plus is still a manageable solo lift, but it's not the grab-it-with-one-hand unit the 600 v2 is — you'll notice the difference every time you move it from the garage to the car.
That weight buys real capability: more than double the continuous output and 128Wh more capacity. It's not wasted weight, but it is weight, and anyone who relocates the unit often should sit with that tradeoff before the power numbers win the argument.
What the Specs Don't Tell You
Selected because: Noise and the surge-ratio nuance are the concrete tiebreakers between them.
The C800 Plus's fan is the honest catch here — 45dB under load, and reviewers specifically describe it as unavoidable and present in a quiet house during fast chargingA1. The 600 v2's 30dB doesn't draw the same complaint.
On paper the 600 v2 has the better surge-to-continuous ratio (2.0× vs 1.3×), but the C800 Plus's absolute surge ceiling of 1,600W still beats the 600 v2's full 1,000W. The ratio is a quality signal within a wattage class; it doesn't override the C800 Plus's larger capacity to handle bigger loads outright.
Brand Trust
Selected because: Cross-brand pair with genuinely different support and app track records worth surfacing.
Anker's SOLIX app rates 4.5/5 on iOS, among the best in the category, and reviewers of the C800 Plus specifically praise the app for remote monitoring and firmware deliveryA7A15 — a genuine point in its favor for anyone who wants status checks without walking over to the unit.
Jackery's app trails noticeably behind at 2.3-3.3/5, split confusingly across two separate apps, and the brand has been the slowest of the majors to adopt LiFePO4 across its full lineup. Anker's support has reportedly softened from its historically excellent standard, but its app and firmware experience remain the stronger of the two here.
Strengths & trade-offs
Anker SOLIX C800 Plus
Strengths
- +Larger battery capacity
- +Higher AC output
- +Faster solar charging
Trade-offs
- –Substantially more expensive (+$150) than the Explorer 600 v2.
Jackery Explorer 600 v2
Strengths
- +Costs $150 less
- +Lighter by 9.9 lb
Trade-offs
- –Weaker inverter (-700W) limits appliance compatibility.
Will It Power Your Gear?
Scenario math and per-appliance runtimes, modeled from the spec record.
Scenario verdicts
We ran the math on six real-world scenarios. Here's which unit survives your actual life.
SCN-01 · 2 nights · needs 2,100Wh
Weekend Camping
Two nights off-grid with essential comfort
Neither unit
Neither unit can fully handle this scenario (needs 2,100Wh). You'd need a higher-capacity station or to cut back on usage.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Phone Charger 15W×6h · LED Lights 40W×8h · Box Fan 75W×14h · CPAP Machine 40W×16h
SCN-02 · 8 hours · needs 1,645Wh
8-Hour Blackout
Keep the essentials running through a night without power
Neither unit
Neither unit can fully handle this scenario (needs 1,645Wh). You'd need a higher-capacity station or to cut back on usage.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Fridge 150W×8h · Router + Modem 20W×8h · LED Lights (4 bulbs) 40W×6h · Phone Charger 15W×3h
SCN-03 · 8 hours · needs 320Wh
CPAP Overnight
Sleep therapy without interruption — the #1 medical use case
SOLIX C800 Plus
The C800 Plus actually finishes the night with more capacity in reserve — 49% of its tank used against the Explorer 600 v2's 59%. But its 45dB fan is the tradeoff for that bigger battery; the 600 v2's 30dB is the quieter choice for a unit next to a pillow.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD CPAP Machine 40W×8h
SCN-04 · 8 hours · needs 910Wh
Remote Workday
Full work day off-grid without power anxiety
Neither unit
Neither unit can fully handle this scenario (needs 910Wh). You'd need a higher-capacity station or to cut back on usage.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Laptop 60W×8h · External Monitor 30W×8h · Router + Modem 20W×8h · Phone Charger 15W×2h
SCN-05 · 4 hours · needs 670Wh
Tailgate Party
Game day power for the crew
Neither unit
Neither unit can fully handle this scenario (needs 670Wh). You'd need a higher-capacity station or to cut back on usage.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Blender 400W×0.5h · LED TV (55") 80W×4h · Bluetooth Speaker 15W×4h · Phone Charger (×3) 45W×2h
SCN-06 · 24 hours · needs 4,685Wh
Van Life Daily
A full day of mobile living — the ultimate endurance test
Neither unit
Neither unit can fully handle this scenario (needs 4,685Wh). You'd need a higher-capacity station or to cut back on usage.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Mini-Fridge 150W×24h · Laptop 60W×4h · Phone Charger 15W×3h · LED Lights 40W×5h · Fan 75W×8h
The Load Test
RUNTIME = (Wh × 0.85) ÷ LOAD
None of the six scenarios above exactly yours? Build it. Toggle what you'd plug in; both units are tested against the combined draw.
Essentials
Comfort & Convenience
High-Draw Appliances
Test duration
8h
Continuous draw
205W
Projected runtime
For this load: SOLIX C800 Plus runs 3.2h vs 2.7h.
$649 list · direct from Anker
Modeled from the spec record — same math as the tables below. Methodology
Runtime by appliance
Real-world runtime estimates for common appliances, modeled at 85% inverter efficiency.¹
Essentials
The basics you need runningscale 0–43.5hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–8.7hHigh-Draw Appliances
These reveal the real limitsscale 0–0.7h¹ Runtime = (capacity × 0.85) ÷ appliance watts. Within each group, all bars share one time scale (the group's longest runtime), so lengths are comparable across appliances; identical runtimes collapse into a single blue/orange bar. Actual runtime varies with battery age, temperature, and simultaneous loads — see methodology.
Conclusion
July 14, 2026
Verdict: the SOLIX C800 Plus, on Power Score margin
The SOLIX C800 Plus costs $30 more than the Explorer 600 v2 but delivers 1,200W of continuous output against 500W, 128Wh more capacity, 100W more solar input, and a lower cost per lifetime kWh at $0.17 against $0.19. That's a lot of station for $30. The honest cost is weight: 24 lbs against the 600 v2's 14.1 lbs, nearly a 10-lb gap, plus a louder fan at 45dB against 30dB. Anyone who's carrying this unit any real distance, or sleeping near it, should weigh that before the power numbers.
Editor-assigned confidence, based on cited owner research and spec analysis.
List prices as of July 14, 2026. The links below open Anker's and Jackery's current prices.
$649.00 list · direct from Anker
or check the Explorer 600 v2 price$499.00 list
Written by Ian Schneider, Solar & Off-Grid Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated July 14, 2026
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Full specifications
ᵈ Derived: price ÷ rated capacity. See the data behind our comparisons →
Comparison ToolAdd more power stations, side by sideOpen Tool →How these numbers are produced
Numeric verification
Every figure on this page traces to our spec database or arithmetic on it — no estimated numbers.
Owner claims
Statements about owner experience are cited to published reviews — see Sources & Research Notes below.
Runtime model
Runtime = (rated capacity × 0.85 inverter efficiency) ÷ device wattage. Solar recharge estimates assume panels deliver 70% of rated output. Cold weather, battery age, and stacked loads reduce real-world results.
Power Score
Computed from 14 published spec dimensions, weighted per use-case bench. Higher is better; a unit must meet a bench's minimum threshold to be rated.
See the full weight table and data sourcing on our methodology page →Class ranking (the star rating)
Each unit's star score is a category ranking, not customer reviews — no buyer opinions feed it. We score every station on size-independent quality (value, output, portability, endurance, ports, warranty, and more), then percentile-rank it against the other units in its capacity class, so a class-leading compact unit and a class-leading whole-home unit can both earn 5★. Here, SOLIX C800 Plus rates 4.0/5 (39th percentile of 19 Compact-class units), and Explorer 600 v2 rates 3.7/5 (22nd percentile of 19 Compact-class units).
How the class ranking is computed →Test Notes & Caveats
Hidden gotchas and advantages we spotted that you won't find on the product page.
45dB Is the Real Cost of the C800 Plus's Extra Power
Reviewers describe the C800 Plus's fan as unavoidable and present in a quiet house once load and temperature climb. That's the tradeoff for pushing 1,200W through this chassis — the Explorer 600 v2, rated for less than half the output, runs at 30dB by comparison.
A Cleaner Ratio Doesn't Mean a Higher Ceiling
The Explorer 600 v2's 2.0× surge-to-continuous ratio beats the C800 Plus's 1.3×, but the C800 Plus's absolute surge ceiling — 1,600W — still exceeds the 600 v2's full 1,000W. The ratio is a quality signal inside a wattage class; it doesn't change which unit can actually run the bigger load.
A Small Edge to the Explorer 600 v2
Both carry a 5-year warranty over 3,000 cycles. The Explorer 600 v2's lower price puts its cost per warranty year at $74 against the C800 Plus's $80 — a minor point in its favor if annual cost is the tiebreaker.
Full record above — the Test Desk pick is the SOLIX C800 Plus.
Check SOLIX C800 Plus price →or check the Explorer 600 v2 priceOwnership Analysis
What happens after you buy — true cost of ownership, brand trust, and growth potential.
Lifetime value
Service lifeyears at one full cycle per day
Lifetime energy delivered
Cost per delivered kWh
│ warranty ends · Reaching the cycle rating means ~80% capacity remains — degraded, not dead.
Analyst note
Both units have similar long-term ownership costs ($0.28/kWh vs $0.26/kWh). The price difference is what you see on the sticker — neither is a hidden bargain or rip-off.
Brand trust
Anker
Ecosystem
7-8 SOLIX portable power stations across C-series (compact) and F-series (flagship), plus the X1 home energy system
Support
US-based support. Historically known for incredible no-hassle replacements, but recent reports describe AI-driven support agents giving generic responses and complex return logistics for heavy units (hazmat shipping). The Anker brand reputation is still strong, but SOLIX-specific support quality is trending down.
Community
Moderate — active Reddit (r/Anker, r/AnkerSOLIXCommunity) and growing. Benefits from Anker's massive consumer electronics brand awareness.
App experience
Rated 4.5/5 iOS (~1,100 ratings) · 4.3/5 Android
Unique strength
Parent brand trust from Anker's consumer electronics dominance. InfiniPower technology for long cycle life. Strong $/Wh value in the mid-size and larger units — the S2000, F2600 and C1000 are among the better buys per watt-hour in the catalog.
Worth knowing
Support quality appears to be declining from its historically excellent level. Firmware updates have removed features without warning. Expansion ecosystem is smaller than EcoFlow's.
Jackery
Ecosystem
12-15+ models across Explorer (portable) and HomePower (home backup) series, plus SolarSaga panel ecosystem and innovative form factors
Support
US-based support but widely criticized. Reddit reports describe slow/dismissive responses, scripted AI agents, strict receipt requirements for warranty claims, and refurbished replacements for clearly defective units. Strongly recommended: buy from Costco or Amazon for return protection.
Community
Smallest community of the major brands — Reddit r/Jackery has ~2,000 members. YouTube presence is solid due to brand recognition.
App experience
Rated 2.3-3.3/5 iOS and Android — the weakest app experience of the major brands. Multiple confusing apps (Jackery app vs Jackery Home) and mandatory login even offline.
Unique strength
Highest brand recognition and widest retail distribution (Costco, Home Depot, Best Buy, Amazon). The "Toyota" of power stations — dependable, proven, wide availability. Innovative form factors like the Solar Gazebo and Solar Mars Bot.
Worth knowing
A couple of older models still ship NMC chemistry with a shorter rated lifespan, so check the cycle rating on the specific unit — though most of the current line has moved to LFP. Generally perceived as overpriced for the specs offered compared to newer competitors. App experience is significantly behind rivals.
Analyst note
Anker and Jackery are close competitors. Both have established support channels and growing ecosystems. Compare their specific warranty terms and community size for your peace of mind.
Growth path
SOLIX C800 Plus
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 768Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 300W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Adequate ports for most setups, but heavy users may want a power strip.
Explorer 600 v2
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 640Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 200W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Limited ports. You'll likely need a power strip or splitter.
Realistic full solar rechargeat 70% of rated panel output — see methodology
Analyst note
Neither expands, and that's no knock on either — each is a complete unit at a fixed size. Buy the capacity that covers your needs now (the SOLIX C800 Plus gives you the larger ceiling); you can't add to either later.
What Owners Report
Patterns from published owner reports and long-term reviews — every claim cited to its source below.
Anker SOLIX C800 Plus
The C800 Plus's fan is the most consistent complaint across reviews — one tester found it unavoidable and quite present in a quiet house once ambient temperature and load roseA1, and another called it manageable but noticeable at roughly arm's length during fast chargingA11. That's a real cost of moving 1,200W through this chassis, not a defect.
Past the noise, reviewers are largely positive: one described being extremely impressed overallA13, another confirmed the unit kept running through a simulated outage with no flicker or reaction on connected equipmentA4, and a third measured a fridge/freezer using only 10% of the unit's capacity over 8 hoursA6. The camping-light pole is polarizing — some call it a genuine lantern replacementA14, others an unnecessary add-on that eats into cable storageA2A3.
“The pole light felt is a little over the top and unnecessary.”
Sources
dustinabbott.net
Jackery Explorer 600 v2
Reviewers consistently point to the Explorer 600 v2's weight as its standout trait: the lightest 600Wh-class power station on the market at about 14 lbs, meaningfully smaller than similar-capacity unitsB1 — a sharp contrast to a 24-lb unit like the C800 Plus. It runs on newer LFP cells pitched as more stable and longer-lived than older chemistriesB2, and owners call it easy to carry and simple to operateB3.
One caveat: its AC output rating isn't fully consistent across listings, with some sources citing a higher figure than the one used in this comparisonB4 — worth confirming directly with Jackery if the exact number matters for your load.
“The world's lightest 600Wh-class power station at about 14 lbs — roughly 23% smaller than similar-capacity models.”
Sources
backuppowerhub.com · jackery.com · bestecosolar.com · mrsolar.com
Sources & Research Notes
Every owner claim in this report is traceable to a published source. The bracketed references above resolve here.
Recurring owner themes
- Fan noise is consistently reported as noticeable during fast AC charging or high sustained wattage, though most reviewers call it 'manageable' rather than a dealbreaker. [SOLIX C800 Plus · 2 entries]
- The companion app is repeatedly praised for remote monitoring/control and firmware delivery, with no reviewers reporting connectivity or crash complaints. [SOLIX C800 Plus · 3 entries]
- 768Wh capacity is flagged by multiple reviewers as the unit's main limitation for heavy appliances and against same-price competitors, even though real-world light loads (fridge, gadgets) performed well. [SOLIX C800 Plus · 4 entries]
- The signature 'Plus' camping-light pole/torches are polarizing: some reviewers call the feature genuinely useful and a lantern-replacement, others call it an unnecessary gimmick that sacrifices the C800's cable-storage cubby. [SOLIX C800 Plus · 3 entries]
- Standout light weight (world's lightest 600Wh-class), a newer stable LFP battery, and easy operation are the praise; rated output and cycle figures vary across sources. [Explorer 600 v2 · 3 entries]
- A1
“Once the temperature rose above 80F with a 1,030 average wattage, the fan noise was unavoidable and quite present in a quiet house.”
How-To Geek — 'Anker Solix C800 Plus Review: A Power Station Prepared to Illuminate Nighttime' · 2024-03 · [negative]
- A2
“The pole light felt is a little over the top and unnecessary.”
How-To Geek — 'Anker Solix C800 Plus Review: A Power Station Prepared to Illuminate Nighttime' · 2024-03 · [mixed]
- A3
“As it is, there's nowhere to keep the cords when not using them.”
How-To Geek — 'Anker Solix C800 Plus Review: A Power Station Prepared to Illuminate Nighttime' · 2024-03 · [negative]
- A4
“Unplugged the power supply to the C800 Plus to simulate a power outage. No reaction on the monitor, no flicker, just continued operating.”
DustinAbbott.net — 'Anker Solix C800 Plus Power Station Review' · 2024-03 · [positive]
- A6
“I connected the Anker and in 8 hours, my frig/freezer used 10% of the power.”
The Gadgeteer — 'Anker SOLIX C800 Plus power station review' · 2024-04 · [positive]
- A7
“My other power stations do not have a companion phone app. But after the first trip, I saw how this feature would come in handy.”
The Gadgeteer — 'Anker SOLIX C800 Plus power station review' · 2024-04 · [positive]
- A11
“The fan does ramp up during fast charging, but the noise is manageable at roughly arm's length.”
The Power Pick — 'Anker SOLIX C800 Plus Review: Camping Lights Meet Serious Power' · 2026-02 · [mixed]
- A13
“I've come away from my time with the Anker SOLIX C800 Plus extremely impressed.”
AndroidGuys — 'Anker SOLIX C800 Plus Power Station Review' · 2024-05 · [positive]
- A14
“We stopped packing separate lanterns after the first week, streamlining our camping setup noticeably.”
BackupPowerHub — 'Anker SOLIX C800 Plus Review: Best Mid-Range with Camping Lights' (45-day, 8-trip field test) · 2026 (article ~1 week old at time of research) · [positive]
- A15
“Through the app, you can easily install firmware updates that may include performance enhancements, bug fixes, or new functionalities.”
Greener Ideal — 'Anker SOLIX C800 Plus Portable Power Station Review' · 2024-08 · [positive]
- B1
“The world's lightest 600Wh-class power station at about 14 lbs — roughly 23% smaller than similar-capacity models.”
backuppowerhub.com / jackery.com — Explorer 600 v2 review · 2026 · [positive]
- B2
“Uses a shift to LFP (LiFePO4) chemistry that is chemically more stable and far less prone to overheating, engineered with a rating for well over a decade of lifespan — higher than the figure in some spec listings.”
backuppowerhub.com / bestecosolar.com — Explorer 600 v2 review · 2026 · [positive]
- B3
“Owner feedback highlights that it is affordable, lightweight, easy to carry, and easy to operate.”
backuppowerhub.com — Explorer 600 v2 owner feedback · 2026 · [positive]
- B4
“Listed AC output varies by source — some cite a 600W rating where others show 500W — so its rated output figure is not fully consistent across listings.”
mrsolar.com / jackery.com — Explorer 600 v2 listings · 2026 · [mixed]
Research compiled July 14, 2026.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the SOLIX C800 Plus if you…
- →You need to run something drawing well over 500W continuous — a space heater, a full-size fridge, or power tools — where the C800 Plus's 1,200W rating is the only one of the two that qualifies.
- →You want the better long-run value per kWh and don't mind a 24-lb unit that mostly lives in one spot rather than getting carried around daily.
Buy the Explorer 600 v2 if you…
- →You're carrying the unit frequently — camping, tailgates, apartment living — where the nearly 10-lb weight gap is felt every trip.
- →You're buying for CPAP or bedroom use and want the quieter 30dB fan over the C800 Plus's 45dB.
If neither fits
If your real need is a weekend of camping (about 2,100Wh) or an 8-hour multi-appliance blackout (about 1,645Wh), both units come up well short of that job. Look at a larger-capacity station instead of choosing between these two.
The Bottom Line
The C800 Plus is more than double the continuous power for $30 more, and by the engine's own lifetime math it's the cheaper unit to own per kWh besides. What it costs you is nearly 10 pounds and a fan that reviewers call hard to ignore in a quiet room.
Buy the C800 Plus if you need the higher wattage or the better long-run value and don't mind the weight. Buy the Explorer 600 v2 if you're carrying it often or running it quietly overnight — the smaller tank is the price of that convenience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
Is the Anker SOLIX C800 Plus or Jackery Explorer 600 v2 the better buy?
For $30 more, the C800 Plus delivers more than double the continuous output (1,200W vs 500W), 128Wh more capacity, and a lower cost per lifetime kWh ($0.17 vs $0.19). The trade is weight and noise: it's nearly 10 lbs heavier and 15dB louder under load. If you need the power and don't mind the bulk, it's the better $30 spent.
Which one is easier to carry?
The Explorer 600 v2, by a wide margin. At 14.1 lbs against the C800 Plus's 24 lbs, it's nearly 10 lbs lighter and marketed as the lightest 600Wh-class power station available.
Which one is quieter?
The Explorer 600 v2 runs at 30dB under load against the C800 Plus's 45dB. Reviewers specifically flag the C800 Plus's fan as noticeable in a quiet room during fast charging, which matters for CPAP or overnight use.
Can the Explorer 600 v2 run the same appliances as the C800 Plus?
Not the higher-draw ones. The C800 Plus is rated for 1,200W continuous against the 600 v2's 500W, so anything drawing between those two numbers — many space heaters, some full-size fridges — only works on the C800 Plus.
Is the C800 Plus's extra capacity worth the extra weight?
If you need the 1,200W output or the extra 128Wh, yes — it's also the cheaper unit per lifetime kWh at $0.17 against $0.19. If you're mainly carrying the unit around or running it overnight near a bed, the Explorer 600 v2's near-10-lb weight savings and quieter fan matter more than the capacity gap.
Where to buy
Anker SOLIX C800 PlusPick
$649.00
$649.00 list · direct from Anker
Jackery Explorer 600 v2
$499.00
$499.00 list · direct from Jackery
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.