Head-to-head test
EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 Air vs Anker SOLIX C300 DC
Real-world runtimes, scenario verdicts, and ownership costs compared — which wins for your use case.
Full profiles: Anker SOLIX C300 DC →
Written by Wenny ZhengUpdated
Portable Power Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
EcoFlow
DELTA 3 1000 Air
2,933Power Score · Appliance Class
No longer sold
EcoFlow has discontinued the DELTA 3 1000 Air — it has left EcoFlow's own store and our price tracking, though remaining retailer stock may linger. Our recommended replacement is the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic: the same 1kWh class, with an 1,800W inverter to the Air's 500W.
DELTA 3 Classic · $559.00
$199.99 · direct from Anker
Last checked 1 day ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Spec deltas
The EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 Air (960Wh) and Anker SOLIX C300 DC (288Wh) sit in different weight classes. The real question: do your power needs justify the larger unit, or would you be overpaying for capacity that sits unused? The DELTA 3 1000 Air has a slight edge, but the margin is close enough that your use case should break the tie.
The DELTA 3 1000 Air holds 672Wh more than the SOLIX C300 DC — about 5 hours on a fridge against 2 — a real but modest edge that shows up mainly on longer outages. For camping, tailgating, or keeping devices charged, both have the headroom, so price, weight, and longevity lead the decision instead.
Pick the DELTA 3 1000 Air if your primary use is cpap overnight or tailgate party. Go with the SOLIX C300 DC if its specific strengths below line up better with your use. Most buyers stop at the sticker price and miss this: over a full lifespan the DELTA 3 1000 Air works out to about $0.11/kWh against the SOLIX C300 DC's $0.23, a gap that compounds in the DELTA 3 1000 Air's favor the more you cycle it. Keep scrolling for the full breakdown. The scenario verdicts below hold a few surprises.
Bench Notes
What each unit does well, where it falls short, and the trade-offs that matter.
EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 Air
At 500W, this unit is strictly for personal electronics (phones, laptops) and small CPAP machines. Do not expect to run kitchen appliances. At only 22 lbs, it is exceptionally portable. You can easily carry it one-handed to a campsite or tailgating party. A standout feature is the value proposition: at roughly $0.32 per watt-hour, it's one of the most cost-effective options on the market.
Strengths
- +Larger battery capacity
- +Higher AC output
- +Faster solar charging
Trade-offs
- –Substantially more expensive (+$109) than the SOLIX C300 DC.
- –Significantly heavier (+15.8 lbs), making it harder to move.
Anker SOLIX C300 DC
At 300W, this unit is strictly for personal electronics (phones, laptops) and small CPAP machines. Do not expect to run kitchen appliances. At only 6.2 lbs, it is exceptionally portable. You can easily carry it one-handed to a campsite or tailgating party.
Strengths
- +Costs $109 less
- +Lighter by 15.8 lb
- +Longer warranty
Trade-offs
- –No major technical downsides compared to rival.
Will It Power Your Gear?
Scenario math and per-appliance runtimes, modeled from the spec record.
Scenario verdicts
We ran the math on seven 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
The SOLIX C300 DC has no AC outlets, so the led lights and box fan in this scenario never plug in — it's a DC station for USB and 12V gear, and no wattage figure changes that, so capacity never gets a say. This is the wrong kind of unit for the job rather than a close call. The DELTA 3 1000 Air doesn't have the energy either — 816Wh usable against 2,100Wh, 1,284Wh short — so neither route works.
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
The SOLIX C300 DC has no AC outlets, so the fridge, router + modem and the rest in this scenario never plug in — it's a DC station for USB and 12V gear, and no wattage figure changes that, so capacity never gets a say. This is the wrong kind of unit for the job rather than a close call. The DELTA 3 1000 Air doesn't have the energy either — 816Wh usable against 1,645Wh, 829Wh short — so neither route works.
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
DELTA 3 1000 Air
The SOLIX C300 DC doesn't finish — 245Wh usable against the 320Wh this needs leaves it 75Wh short, about 76% of the scenario covered. The DELTA 3 1000 Air covers it with 496Wh to spare.
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
The SOLIX C300 DC has no AC outlets, so the external monitor and router + modem in this scenario never plug in — it's a DC station for USB and 12V gear, and no wattage figure changes that, so capacity never gets a say. This is the wrong kind of unit for the job rather than a close call. The DELTA 3 1000 Air doesn't have the energy either — 816Wh usable against 910Wh, 94Wh short — so neither route works.
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
DELTA 3 1000 Air
The SOLIX C300 DC has no AC outlets, so the blender and led tv in this scenario never plug in — it's a DC station for USB and 12V gear, and no wattage figure changes that. The DELTA 3 1000 Air handles this scenario with 146Wh to spare.
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
The SOLIX C300 DC has no AC outlets, so the mini-fridge, led lights and the rest in this scenario never plug in — it's a DC station for USB and 12V gear, and no wattage figure changes that, so capacity never gets a say. This is the wrong kind of unit for the job rather than a close call. The DELTA 3 1000 Air doesn't have the energy either — 816Wh usable against 4,685Wh, 3,869Wh short — so neither route works.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Mini-Fridge 150W×24h · Laptop 60W×4h · Phone Charger 15W×3h · LED Lights 40W×5h · Fan 75W×8h
SCN-07 · an afternoon · needs 100Wh
Afternoon Off-Grid
Phones and a speaker at the park, beach, or campsite — the small-unit job description
Either unit
This row is here for the SOLIX C300 DC's class of job: phones and a speaker, 100Wh across an afternoon. Both cover it — the SOLIX C300 DC finishes at 41% used, and the DELTA 3 1000 Air barely notices it. For this job the DELTA 3 1000 Air's extra capacity is dead weight, not headroom; take the SOLIX C300 DC at 6.2 lbs and leave the rest at home.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Phone Charger (×2) 30W×2h · Bluetooth Speaker 10W×4h
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
Only the DELTA 3 1000 Air can run this load — the SOLIX C300 DC has no AC outlets for the wall-plug gear in it.
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 0–54.4hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–10.9hHigh-Draw Appliances
These reveal the real limits¹ 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 10, 2026
Verdict: the DELTA 3 1000 Air, on Power Score margin
These two units are closely matched on individual specs, but our Power Score analysis gives the DELTA 3 1000 Air the edge with a composite score of 2,933 vs 1,610. One class note: the SOLIX C300 DC is DC-only — its output figure is a USB/12V port total, not an inverter rating, and nothing with a wall plug runs on it.
Overall score margin: 2,933 vs 1,610 — note the SOLIX C300 DC is DC-only, so its output enters the score as a USB/12V port total, not an inverter rating (+82.2%)
List prices as of July 10, 2026. The links below open EcoFlow's and Anker's current prices.
$309.00 · direct from EcoFlow
or check the SOLIX C300 DC price$199.99 list
Written by Wenny Zheng, Portable Power Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated July 10, 2026
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Not rated for both units (minimum threshold unmet): UPS, CPAP, Solar Generator, Tailgating.
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.
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, DELTA 3 1000 Air rates 5.0/5 (99th percentile of 20 Compact-class units), and SOLIX C300 DC rates 4.4/5 (62nd percentile of 22 Personal-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.
DELTA 3 1000 Air: USB-C Maxes at 18W
The DELTA 3 1000 Air's fastest USB-C port outputs 18W. A MacBook Air needs 30W minimum, a MacBook Pro needs 96W, and most USB-C laptops need at least 60W for full-speed charging. At 18W, your laptop will charge slowly. Under load, it might not charge at all. The SOLIX C300 DC handles this at 140W.
SOLIX C300 DC: No AC Outlets At All
The SOLIX C300 DC's 300W is a DC port total — USB and 12V — not an inverter rating. Anything with a wall plug (a fridge, a TV, a coffee maker, most fans and lamps) never plugs in, at any wattage. That's the design, not a defect: it buys weight, silence, and efficiency for phone, laptop, camera, and 12V-CPAP loads. The DELTA 3 1000 Air carries a real inverter behind 3 AC outlets, so it plays in both worlds. Decide which side of that line your gear lives on before weighing anything else on this page.
Only the DELTA 3 1000 Air Lists a UPS Mode
The DELTA 3 1000 Air can sit between the wall and your gear and hand it to battery when the grid drops — rated ≤10ms — quick enough on paper that desktop PCs and routers should ride through, treating that as the rating it is. Worth it for a router, a desktop PC, or a CPAP. The SOLIX C300 DC's spec sheet lists no UPS mode, so anything plugged into it rides an outage only as far as your reaction time.
Warranty: 3 Years vs 2
The SOLIX C300 DC is covered for 3 years against the DELTA 3 1000 Air's 2 years. An underrated factor if you're keeping this unit for years.
SOLIX C300 DC: Noise Level Not Disclosed
The DELTA 3 1000 Air publishes its noise level (39dB); the SOLIX C300 DC doesn't publish one. That isn't evidence the SOLIX C300 DC 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 DELTA 3 1000 Air's 39dB as the only published number on the table — a spec-sheet figure, not a measurement — and look for hands-on reports of the SOLIX C300 DC before deciding.
Full record above — the Test Desk pick is the DELTA 3 1000 Air.
Check DELTA 3 1000 Air price →or check the SOLIX C300 DC 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 C300 DC is cheaper to buy, but the DELTA 3 1000 Air is cheaper to own. At $0.11/kWh over its lifetime vs $0.23/kWh, the DELTA 3 1000 Air's higher cycle life and capacity make each dollar go further over the years. One thing to know reading the table: both carry the same 3,000-cycle rating, so the lifetime rows are sticker price and capacity in disguise — the wear horizon is identical and decides nothing here.
Delivers each lifetime kWh for $0.12 less — check the DELTA 3 1000 Air price →
Brand trust
EcoFlow
Ecosystem
Largest in portable power — 12-15 models across DELTA Pro, DELTA 3, and RIVER 3 series, plus solar panels and smart home panels
Support
US-based phone/email/chat support (1-800-368-8604). Experiences are polarized — many report hassle-free prepaid-label replacements, but others report long waits and refurbished units sent for new claims. Pro tip: buying from Costco or Amazon gives you a stronger return safety net.
Community
Largest community in the space — Reddit r/Ecoflow_community (~31K members), multiple Facebook groups, and an official community forum
App experience
Rated 4.6/5 iOS (~8,400 ratings) · 4.2/5 Android (~17,000 ratings)
Unique strength
Fastest-charging technology (X-Stream), deepest product ecosystem, and most active innovation cadence. At the very top of the range, the DELTA Pro Ultra platform stacks batteries and inverters into whole-home backup — a flagship path, not a line-wide feature.
Worth knowing
Tested subscription paywalls for advanced app features in early 2025 before community backlash paused the plan. No parts or service offered out of warranty.
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.
Analyst note
EcoFlow positions itself as a mid-to-premium brand with stronger support infrastructure, while Anker competes on value. The question is whether the EcoFlow ecosystem and support premium is worth it for your use case.
Growth path
DELTA 3 1000 Air
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 960Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 500W of solar. Suitable for a 1-2 panel setup.
Adequate ports for most setups, but heavy users may want a power strip.
SOLIX C300 DC
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 288Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 100W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Adequate ports for most setups, but heavy users may want a power strip.
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 DELTA 3 1000 Air gives you the larger ceiling); you can't add to either later.
The Bottom Line
The full picture comes down to this. The DELTA 3 1000 Air edges ahead on our overall analysis, but the margin is narrow enough that your specific use case should drive the decision. Review the scenario verdicts above — if the SOLIX C300 DC wins in the scenarios that match your life, it's the right choice regardless of aggregate scores.
If neither the DELTA 3 1000 Air nor the SOLIX C300 DC feels like the right fit, your power needs probably sit outside what these two target. If you're planning whole-home backup or running power-hungry appliances (electric heaters, window AC), you'll want a larger system in the 3,000–5,000Wh range with expansion battery support. Prices on portable power stations fluctuate frequently. Both EcoFlow and Anker discount regularly, so check the current price before committing. Prime Day and Black Friday pricing typically drops 20-30%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
Is the DELTA 3 1000 Air worth $109 more than the SOLIX C300 DC?
The short answer: yes, if you'll actually use the extra capability. The DELTA 3 1000 Air costs $109 more, but that premium buys you 672Wh more battery capacity (that's 4 extra hours of running a mini-fridge); 200W higher AC output (opening the door to more demanding appliances); 400W faster solar charging for quicker off-grid recovery. On a cost-per-watt-hour basis, you're paying $0.32/Wh vs $0.69/Wh. Factor in cycle life and the math flips: the DELTA 3 1000 Air costs $0.11/kWh over its lifetime vs $0.23/kWh. The "expensive" unit is actually cheaper to own. For regular use, we'd pay the premium.
How does the 672Wh capacity difference actually affect daily use?
The DELTA 3 1000 Air's 960Wh battery keeps a mini-fridge running for roughly 5 hours vs the SOLIX C300 DC's 2 hours. What specs don't mention: runtime drops 20-30% in cold weather (below 32°F/0°C) as battery chemistry slows down. The DELTA 3 1000 Air's extra capacity provides a critical cold-weather buffer. For occasional phone and laptop charging, both are overkill. This gap only matters for sustained, multi-appliance use.
Can I actually carry the DELTA 3 1000 Air, or is the SOLIX C300 DC the only portable option?
The SOLIX C300 DC at 6.2 lbs is genuinely grab-and-go. Toss it in a backpack, carry it one-handed to a picnic, take it on a boat. The DELTA 3 1000 Air at 22 lbs is a different story. It's like carrying a large suitcase full of books. If you're setting up and breaking down camp frequently, this weight difference will exhaust you by day two.
How fast can each unit recharge from solar panels in real conditions?
On paper, the DELTA 3 1000 Air accepts 500W vs the SOLIX C300 DC's 100W of solar input. What the spec sheet won't tell you: solar panels typically deliver only 60-80% of their rated output due to panel angle, cloud cover, and temperature. In realistic conditions, expect full recharge in about 2.7 hours for the DELTA 3 1000 Air and 4.1 hours for the SOLIX C300 DC. That gap widens on cloudy days, when the DELTA 3 1000 Air's higher input ceiling captures more of whatever sunlight is available. One more thing: summer gives you ~7 productive solar hours per day. Winter drops to ~4. If solar is your primary recharge method, the DELTA 3 1000 Air's advantage is substantial.
Can I use the DELTA 3 1000 Air as a home UPS to protect my electronics during blackouts?
Yes. The DELTA 3 1000 Air has UPS mode with true 0ms switchover (double-conversion). Even hospital-grade equipment won't notice. Plug in your desktop PC, router, NAS, or CPAP machine and it switches to battery seamlessly when the grid drops. The SOLIX C300 DC does not have this feature. Without UPS, a blackout means: your PC reboots (potentially corrupting unsaved work), your NAS may corrupt its drive array, your CPAP alarms and wakes you up, and your security cameras go dark until you manually switch them over. If always-on power protection matters, this is a dealbreaker advantage for the DELTA 3 1000 Air.
Is EcoFlow or Anker more reliable for long-term ownership?
Both brands have strengths and trade-offs. EcoFlow: Mixed. 2-5 years depending on model (DELTA Pro Ultra line gets 10 years). Some users report smooth claims; others report runarounds. Register your product to extend coverage. Anker: 5-year warranty standard on portable stations, 10-year on home energy systems. Historically very reliable, though some recent firmware updates have altered product functionality without notice or rollback option. One piece of advice from the power station community: regardless of brand, buy from Costco or Amazon. Their return policies provide a safety net that manufacturer warranties alone can't match, especially for a product you'll rely on in emergencies. Both brands use LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries in their current lineup, the most proven chemistry for longevity and safety.
Bottom line: should I buy the DELTA 3 1000 Air or the SOLIX C300 DC?
We'd pay the premium for the DELTA 3 1000 Air. Yes, it costs more. The capability jump is real: you're stepping into a tier that handles appliances the base model can't start. The SOLIX C300 DC is still solid if budget is the priority, but the DELTA 3 1000 Air will leave you less likely to wish you'd "gone bigger" six months from now. That regret costs more than the price difference.
Check DELTA 3 1000 Air price →
Where to buy
EcoFlow DELTA 3 1000 AirPick
$309.00
$309.00 · direct from EcoFlow
Anker SOLIX C300 DC
$199.99
$199.99 · direct from Anker
Last checked 1 day ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.