Head-to-head test
Anker SOLIX F3800 PLUS vs Anker SOLIX S5000
The S5000 is the cheaper of the two and still holds 1,184Wh more, so the F3800 PLUS has to justify paying more for less battery, and only its 6,000W inverter and a reviewer track record the S5000 hasn't built yet can do that.
Full profiles: Anker SOLIX F3800 PLUS → · Anker SOLIX S5000 →
Written by Gunner GustafsonUpdated
Whole-Home Backup Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
Spec deltas
The S5000 costs $100 less than the F3800 PLUS and gives you more battery for it: 5,024Wh against 3,840Wh. That doesn't happen often inside one brand's lineup, and it settles most of this page before the spec table loads.
What the Plus keeps is power and plumbing. It runs 6,000W continuous to the S5000's 4,500W, peaks at 9,000W to 8,000W, carries nine AC outlets to six, and takes 3,200W of solar to the S5000's 3,000W. It also has something no spec sheet prints: months of use by reviewers who went looking for its faultsA3A7.
The S5000 has none of that yet; its whole record is Anker's label and product pageB0. We'd still buy it, because the numbers that matter most in an outage, energy and cycle life, all point the same way and the price points with them.
What the Numbers Reveal
Each conclusion stated first — the numbers behind it on one line, the full analysis below.
rated cycles
Stretch that across rated life and the gap widens rather than closes: $0.23 per lifetime kWh for the Plus, $0.08 for the S5000, nearly three times as much. There's no usage pattern where the Plus catches up, because it starts behind on both price and battery.
F3800 PLUS $2,600, 3,840Wh, 3,000 cyclesS5000 $2,500, 5,024Wh, 6,000 cycles to 80%B12Catalogue cost per Wh: $.68 for the Plus, $.50 for the S5000
Why it mattersIf capacity and running cost are why you're shopping at this size, the Plus has no argument left; buy it only for what it does that the S5000 can't.
solar input
That's the honest catch on our pick. Anyone who drains to empty and leans on a fixed solar window gets back to full noticeably sooner on the Plus, and its MC4 input has already been tried with ordinary panelsA11. The S5000 ends the day with more stored in absolute terms, but on paper only.
F3800 PLUS: 3,200W solar, and reviewers report true MC4 compatibilityA11S5000: 3,000W across two inputs, 11–60 V and 16–165 VB5Capacities 3,840Wh and 5,024Wh
Why it mattersA cabin running a full drain-and-refill cycle off panels every day should weigh the Plus's faster refill against its smaller tank.
So noise matters less than it looks for these two. Neither should sit by a bed, and where they should sit, a garage, a utility room, a closet by the panel, reviewers' reports for the PlusA10A12 and Anker's figure for the S5000B13 both suggest you won't hear them through a wall at household loads.
S5000: Anker quotes 30 dB in quiet operationB13S5000 label: rated for residential non-habitable spaces; above 1 kWh it belongs outside sleeping roomsB7Plus: reviewers describe fans as barely audible at normal loads, loud past 4,000W or at max chargeA10A12
Why it mattersCPAP users should run a cord from the utility room rather than chase the 30 dB figure, or buy a much smaller unit made for the nightstand.
The specific dimensions that decide these two units — everything else is a tie.
Lifetime Value
Selected because: The Plus costs more up front and $0.23 against $0.08 per kWh over its rated life.
cost / lifetime kWh
Usually a value section has to argue that paying more now pays off later. This one doesn't, because the cheaper unit also has the bigger rated lifetime: 30,144 kWh against 11,520. Same 5-year warranty on both, so the gap is all cells.
Anker estimates the S5000 lasts 15 years at one to two cycles a dayB12. That's Anker's internal testing, not a measurement, but even halved it outlasts the Plus's own rating on this table.
What the Specs Don't Tell You
Selected because: Inverter size, outlet count and UPS speed are where the Plus still has a case.
rated cycles
The Plus's 6,000W is its real reason to exist next to the S5000. Two big 240V motors starting together is the case it covers and the S5000's 4,500W may not; it also offers two 240V outlets to the S5000's one, nine AC outlets to six, and a 12V car socket the S5000 doesn't listB15.
Against that, the S5000 is rated ≤10ms on UPS switchover to the Plus's ≤20ms. A reviewer running the Plus through a whole-home panel saw the lights barely flickerA3; a desktop PC's power supply is fussier than a bulb, which is where ≤10ms earns its place.
Your Life, Your Pick
Selected because: The Plus wins none of the scored scenarios, and the blackout margins show why.
No scored scenario goes to the Plus, and the blackout row is the one to read. After eight hours the S5000 still holds 2,625Wh, about 1.6 more nights; the Plus holds 1,619Wh, just short of one.
A reviewer ran a fridge and freezer together on the Plus for 7.34 hours before it was emptyA5. Scale that by the two capacities (7.34 × 5,024 ÷ 3,840) and the same pair would run about 9.5 hours on the S5000, a straight-proportion estimate rather than a test, but it's two extra hours of cold food either way.
Portability & Form Factor
Selected because: A 35 lb gap decides whether one person or two moves it to the garage door.
weight
Strengths & trade-offs
Anker SOLIX F3800 PLUS
Strengths
- +Higher AC output
- +Faster solar charging
Trade-offs
- –Significantly heavier (+35.3 lbs), making it harder to move.
- –Very heavy unit that may be difficult for one person to lift.
- –Shorter-lived battery — rated for 3,000 charge cycles vs the SOLIX S5000's 6,000, so it wears out sooner.
Anker SOLIX S5000
Strengths
- +Costs $100 less
- +Lighter by 35.3 lb
- +Larger battery capacity
- +Rated for 6,000 charge cycles — much longer battery lifespan
Trade-offs
- –Weaker inverter (-1,500W) limits appliance compatibility.
- –Very heavy unit that may be difficult for one person to lift.
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
SOLIX S5000
The SOLIX F3800 PLUS at 132.3 lbs is not a take-along — it rolls off a truck bed if it travels at all, so this scenario belongs to the SOLIX S5000 by default — and it earns it, covering the 2,100Wh with 2,170Wh to spare. Capacity was never the SOLIX F3800 PLUS's problem here; getting to a campsite was.
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
SOLIX S5000
Both survive the night. The SOLIX S5000 finishes at 39% used with 2,625Wh left — 1.6 more nights like it. The SOLIX F3800 PLUS finishes at 50% with 1,619Wh, 98% of a second night. If your outages tend to run past one evening, that difference is the whole argument between them.
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
Either unit
A CPAP is about 40W for eight hours, so both cover the night with room to spare and capacity decides nothing. Fan noise would — but SOLIX F3800 PLUS doesn't publish a figure, so there's nothing to hold it to. Buy on price, weight, and whether you can live with a fan you haven't heard.
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
Either unit
Both power your workstation all day without strain, and their USB-C output is a wash — pick on weight, ports, or price.
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
SOLIX S5000
The SOLIX F3800 PLUS at 132.3 lbs is not a take-along — it rolls off a truck bed if it travels at all, so this scenario belongs to the SOLIX S5000 by default — and it earns it, covering the 670Wh with 3,600Wh to spare. Capacity was never the SOLIX F3800 PLUS's problem here; getting to a tailgate was.
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 covers this scenario's 4,685Wh: the SOLIX F3800 PLUS comes up 1,421Wh short (about 69% covered), the SOLIX S5000 415Wh (91%) (its nameplate 5,024Wh actually clears this — the flat 15% conversion allowance is what tips it under). Either gets you most of the way, so this is a scenario you plan around rather than one you should rule them out for.
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 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 S5000 runs 20.8h vs 15.9h.
$2,499.99 list · direct from Anker
Planning for more than this? Describe your whole setup and get it sized →
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 0–284.7hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–56.9hHigh-Draw Appliances
These reveal the real limitsscale 0–4.3h¹ 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
October 9, 2026
Verdict: the SOLIX S5000
Take the S5000. It costs $2,500 to the Plus's $2,600, and for $100 less you get 5,024Wh instead of 3,840Wh, 6,000 rated cycles instead of 3,000, 35 lb less to move and a ≤10ms UPS rating against ≤20ms. Per lifetime kWh that's $0.08 against $0.23. The Plus wins only for the buyer who needs 6,000W running at once, wants the fastest solar refill of its smaller pack, or won't buy a unit that hasn't been through independent hands. That last point is why confidence stops at 7: the S5000's case rests on Anker's documentation aloneB0.
At today's prices the SOLIX F3800 PLUS is the cheaper unit ($2,399.99 against $2,499.99, with the SOLIX F3800 PLUS $200 under its typical $2,599.99). At typical prices the SOLIX S5000 is ($2,499.99 against $2,599.99), and that is what the verdict weighs. Prices checked 28 days ago.
Editor-assigned confidence, based on cited owner research and spec analysis.
List prices as of October 9, 2026. The links below open Anker's current price.
$2,499.99 · direct from Anker
or check the SOLIX F3800 PLUS price$2,399.99 list
Written by Gunner Gustafson, Whole-Home Backup Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated October 9, 2026
Black Friday · 45 days out
Price to beat:SOLIX F3800 PLUS $2,499
The lowest we have recorded. A Black Friday price above it is a sale this unit has already had.
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Not rated for both units (minimum threshold unmet): RV Living.
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 F3800 PLUS rates 4.4/5 (63rd percentile of 20 Home Backup-class units), and SOLIX S5000 rates 4.6/5 (74th percentile of 20 Home Backup-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.
Weight Reality Check
Neither unit is grab-and-go. The SOLIX S5000 (97 lbs) is manageable solo but heavier than a large checked suitcase. The SOLIX F3800 PLUS (132.3 lbs) is firmly a two-person lift. It goes where you put it and stays there. That's a 35 lb difference.
UPS Switchover: ≤10ms vs ≤20ms
Both list a UPS mode, at different rated speeds. The SOLIX S5000 is rated ≤10ms — quick enough on paper that desktop PCs and routers should ride through, treating that as the rating it is. The SOLIX F3800 PLUS is rated ≤20ms — fine on paper for routers and most electronics; the fussiest PC power supplies sit right at this line. If a computer with unsaved work is the thing being protected, the stated class is worth the attention; nothing here is a lab result.
Warranty: No Difference
Both units carry the same 5-year warranty, so coverage isn't a tiebreaker here.
Battery Lifespan in Real Years
The SOLIX S5000 is rated for 6,000 cycles vs 3,000. In real life: at daily use, that's 16.4 vs 8.2 years. At weekend use (twice a week), it's 58 vs 29 years. One caution reading years across different sizes: a cycle is 5,024Wh on the SOLIX S5000 and 3,840Wh on the SOLIX F3800 PLUS, so count lifetime energy — roughly 30,144 kWh against 11,520 kWh over the rated life. After hitting the cycle limit, the battery doesn't die — it drops to ~80% of original capacity, which is still very usable.
SOLIX F3800 PLUS: Noise Level Not Disclosed
The SOLIX S5000 publishes its noise level (30dB); the SOLIX F3800 PLUS doesn't publish one. That isn't evidence the SOLIX F3800 PLUS is louder — it means there's no figure to hold it to, and no way to compare the two on this without hearing them. If you're buying for a bedroom, a CPAP, or an apartment, treat the SOLIX S5000's 30dB as the only published number on the table — a spec-sheet figure, not a measurement — and look for hands-on reports of the SOLIX F3800 PLUS before deciding.
Full record above — the Test Desk pick is the SOLIX S5000.
Check SOLIX S5000 price →or check the SOLIX F3800 PLUS 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
The SOLIX S5000 wins on both sticker price and long-term value. At $0.08/kWh over its lifetime, it's meaningfully cheaper to own. Clear value winner.
Delivers each lifetime kWh for $0.15 less — check the SOLIX S5000 price →
Growth path
SOLIX F3800 PLUS
EXPANDABLESupports Anker expansion batteries, so you can add capacity later without replacing the base unit — useful if your needs may climb past 3,840Wh.
Accepts up to 3,200W of solar. Enough for a serious multi-panel array.
Generous port selection supports complex multi-device setups.
Expansion batteries are Anker-specific. You're investing in the Anker ecosystem.
SOLIX S5000
EXPANDABLESupports Anker expansion batteries, so you can add capacity later without replacing the base unit — useful if your needs may climb past 5,024Wh.
Accepts up to 3,000W of solar. Enough for a serious multi-panel array.
Adequate ports for most setups, but heavy users may want a power strip.
Expansion batteries are Anker-specific. You're investing in the Anker ecosystem.
Realistic full solar rechargeat 70% of rated panel output — see methodology
Analyst note
Both expand, so neither locks you out of growth — decide on capacity, price, and the rest, not the expansion checkbox.
What Owners Report
Patterns from published owner reports and long-term reviews — every claim cited to its source below.
Anker SOLIX F3800 PLUS
Most of the Plus's record comes from reviewers who kept it for weeks or months rather than from owner forumsA0. One called it a repeat success after a few months of useA7, and another, running it through a whole-home panel, saw the lights barely flicker on switchoverA3. Reviewers consistently describe the fans as background noise at household loads, rising only past 4,000W or at full-speed chargingA10A12, and one credits the Plus with fixing the solar input so ordinary MC4 panels workA11.
The complaints are physical and procedural. One reviewer found the wheels stall on small bumpsA8, and a user-feedback roundup flags portability and packagingA14. A single source says a firmware update cut idle draw by about half after early reviews focused on itA9. Support is split: one owner reports being ignored over a noisy battery packA1, another describes fast advance replacement, though that reply may concern a different Solix modelA2.
“I've called them and submitted tickets via their portal, always very responsive. They've even done advanced replacement for me.”
Sources
campingsolar.us · cleanenergybusinesscouncil.com
Anker SOLIX S5000
The S5000 has no owner or reviewer reports to draw on. Its record is Anker paperwork: the rating label covers the 5,024Wh LiFePO4 pack and both solar inputsB1B5, the product page covers the 6,000-cycle rating, the ≤10ms switchover and the 30 dB quiet figureB12B13, and Anker's own testing supplies the idle-draw numbersB16. Nothing in it has been checked independently yetB0.
“5,024 Wh LiFePO4 pack rated 16 V, 314 Ah; the cell code IFpP72/175/208[5S] reads as five large prismatic cells in series.”
Sources
ankersolix.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
- Owner support experiences with Anker/Solix diverge sharply — some report being ghosted after repeated contact attempts over a hardware fault, while others describe fast, responsive advanced-replacement service. [SOLIX F3800 PLUS · 2 entries]
- Real-world runtime drops off steeply with load: light loads (lights, router, occasional laptop/e-bike charging) stretch toward the ~17-hour mark, but running a fridge and freezer together drains the base unit in around 7 hours. [SOLIX F3800 PLUS · 2 entries]
- Fan noise is reported as low/background during normal household loads and only becomes noticeably audible under heavy loads (4,000W+) or max-speed charging. [SOLIX F3800 PLUS · 2 entries]
- The unit's near-137 lb weight is a recurring friction point: reviewers note the wheels/handles work for moderate use but struggle over rough terrain, and aggregated user feedback flags portability and packaging as concerns despite praise for raw performance. [SOLIX F3800 PLUS · 2 entries]
- No owner or reviewer reports exist yet: every entry is Anker documentation (rating label, product page, launch announcement), plus one of our own readings of the app and label drawing. [SOLIX S5000 · 20 entries]
- A1
“I think it may be a fire hazard with this crazy noise it's making. I have emailed Anker support over 5 times... Anker support is ghosting me after I spent over 20k on their solix line and solar panels within a month.”
DIY Solar Forum — "Big issue with Anker Solix F3800 plus battery pack (Large Anker Solix setup)" · 2025-08 · [negative]
- A2
“I've called them and submitted tickets via their portal, always very responsive. They've even done advanced replacement for me.”
DIY Solar Forum — "Big issue with Anker Solix F3800 plus battery pack (Large Anker Solix setup)" (reply from another Solix owner) · 2025-08 · [positive]
- A3
“In UPS mode, the F3800 Plus can switch in about 20ms. There's more cabling and components when connected to the whole home setup, but the lights still barely flicker.”
Android Authority — "Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus with Home Power Panel review: Total power backup" · 2025-05 · [positive]
- A5
“With both the freezer and my fridge plugged in at the same time, I was about to get 7.34 hours before the unit was completely drained.”
Digital Trends — "Anker Solix F3800 Plus review: this power station wins for versatility and value" · 2025-05 · [mixed]
- A7
“After a few months with its successor, I can easily say it is a repeat success.”
AppleInsider — "Anker Solix F3800 Plus portable power station review: investment in reliable home power" · 2025-08 · [positive]
- A8
“The big wheels in the back are enough to go over grassy terrain, but avoid anything too challenging. Small bumps can be enough to slam everything to a halt.”
AppleInsider — "Anker Solix F3800 Plus portable power station review: investment in reliable home power" · 2025-08 · [mixed]
- A9
“Early reviews focused heavily on the standby drain of the Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus. Anker later released a firmware update that said it can cut idle use by about 50%.”
VoltNest — "Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus Review: My Honest Test Results" · 2026-04 · [mixed]
- A10
“Under normal loads (lights, fridge, TV), the fans are barely audible. It only gets loud when you're pulling over 4,000W or charging at max speed.”
CampingSolar.us — "Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus Review: The Ultimate 240V Home & RV Power" · 2026-02 · [positive]
- A11
“Anker really addressed this issue with the F3800 Plus. You now get a true 3,200W solar input, which is compatible with normal MC4 solar panels.”
TheSolarLab — "Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus Review: Big Power, Big Price?" · unknown · [positive]
- A12
“It doesn't match the whisper-quiet performance of the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra, which remains one of the quietest power stations we've ever tested, but the F3800 Plus is still surprisingly quiet, even when you're really pushing it.”
TheSolarLab — "Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus Review: Big Power, Big Price?" · unknown · [positive]
- A14
“Overall, feedback indicates a mixed experience. Customers appreciate its robust performance but express concerns about portability and packaging.”
CleanEnergyBusinessCouncil.com — "Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus Review: Power Unleashed" (site's summary of user feedback) · 2025-08 · [mixed]
- B1
“5,024 Wh LiFePO4 pack rated 16 V, 314 Ah; the cell code IFpP72/175/208[5S] reads as five large prismatic cells in series.”
Anker rating label, model AS510 (certified 2026-09-15) · 2026-09-15 · [positive]
- B5
“Two solar inputs, 3,000 W together: 11–60 V at 17 A (1,000 W) and 16–165 V at 17 A (2,000 W).”
Anker rating label, model AS510 (certified 2026-09-15) · 2026-09-15 · [positive]
- B7
“Rated for residential non-habitable spaces; holding more than 1 kWh, it belongs outside sleeping rooms and other living spaces.”
Anker rating label, model AS510 (certified 2026-09-15) · 2026-09-15 · [mixed]
- B10
“An upright cabinet with a handle on top, a full-width front panel with a display, and wheels at the base; the label drawing of the back adds a foot step marked STEP ON for tipping it back onto its wheels.”
Power Station Arena, read from the S5000 card in the Anker app and the label drawing, 2026-09-20 · 2026-09-15 · [positive]
- B11
“Net weight 97 lb; 10.6 × 22.0 × 15.2 in (W × D × H), on wheels with a pull rod and foot pedal.”
Anker SOLIX S5000 product page, ankersolix.com/s5000 (published 2026-10-09) · 2026-10-09 · [positive]
- B12
“Cycle life: 6,000 cycles to 80% capacity, 10,000 cycles to 60%; Anker estimates a 15-year lifespan at 1 to 2 cycles a day, with 5 years of product coverage.”
Anker SOLIX S5000 product page, ankersolix.com/s5000 (published 2026-10-09) · 2026-10-09 · [positive]
- B13
“UPS switchover ≤10 ms; Anker quotes 30 dB in quiet operation.”
Anker SOLIX S5000 product page, ankersolix.com/s5000 (published 2026-10-09) · 2026-10-09 · [positive]
- B15
“Front panel: four NEMA 5-20R outlets at 120 V, one L14-30R and one TT-30R, plus USB-A 12 W, USB-C 15 W and USB-C 100 W. No 12 V car outlet is listed.”
Anker SOLIX S5000 product page, ankersolix.com/s5000 (published 2026-10-09) · 2026-10-09 · [neutral]
- B16
“Idle draw 8.8 W on 120 V output and 13.7 W on 240 V output (Anker internal testing).”
Anker SOLIX S5000 product page, ankersolix.com/s5000 (published 2026-10-09) · 2026-10-09 · [positive]
Research compiled October 9, 2026.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the SOLIX F3800 PLUS if you…
- →The house whose outage plan includes two big 240V loads running at once; 6,000W continuous is the margin the S5000 doesn't have.
- →The cabin that drains to empty and refills from a fixed solar array daily, where 3,200W into 3,840Wh gets back to full fastest.
- →The buyer who won't put a whole-home backup on a unit until reviewers have lived with it, and wants nine AC outlets and a 12V socket on the box.
Buy the SOLIX S5000 if you…
- →Anyone shopping this size for energy: more battery, for less money, on twice the rated cycles.
- →The household riding out multi-day outages on a fridge, freezer and furnace blower, where 2,625Wh left after the first night is the point.
- →The person moving it alone between garage and patio, for whom 97 lb on a pull rod is a chore and 132.3 lb is a phone call.
If neither fits
The CPAP user who wants the box beside the bed should skip both; the S5000's own label puts units this size outside sleeping roomsB7. A small station built for the nightstand is the right buy.
The Bottom Line
Buy the S5000. It's the cheaper unit and the bigger battery, and over its rated life it delivers energy at $0.08 a kWh to the Plus's $0.23. A matchup rarely lines up this neatly.
The Plus earns its place for the house that needs 6,000W at once, or the buyer who wants a unit reviewers have already tested. Everyone else gets more for less by going the other way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
Is the Anker F3800 Plus better than the S5000?
Only if you need 6,000W running at once. The S5000 costs $100 less and holds 1,184Wh more, on 6,000 rated cycles against 3,000. The Plus's advantages are its bigger inverter, more outlets, slightly more solar input and an independent review record the S5000 doesn't have yet.
Which charges faster from solar, the F3800 Plus or the S5000?
The Plus, from empty to full. Its 3,200W input refills 3,840Wh in about 1.2 hours at rated input, while the S5000's 3,000W needs about 1.7 hours for 5,024Wh. Real panels rarely hold rated output, so treat both as best cases.
Can I keep the Anker S5000 in a bedroom?
No. Its rating label says it's for residential non-habitable spaces and, holding more than 1 kWh, belongs outside sleeping rooms and living spaces. Put it in a garage or utility room and run a cord, however quiet the 30 dB figure sounds.
How long will the S5000 run a fridge and freezer?
Roughly 9.5 hours, by proportion. A reviewer got 7.34 hours from the Plus's 3,840Wh with both running; scaled to the S5000's 5,024Wh that's about 9.5. It's an estimate, not a test, since no one outside Anker has run an S5000.
Where to buy
Anker SOLIX F3800 PLUS
$2,399.99
$2,399.99 · direct from Anker
down from $2,600 · 8% below usual
Last checked 28 days ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Anker SOLIX S5000Pick
$2,499.99
$2,499.99 · direct from Anker
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.