Head-to-head test
EcoFlow RIVER 3 MAX vs Anker SOLIX C300
For about the same money the RIVER 3 MAX carries twice the battery and twice the inverter, so the only live question is whether a 288Wh box at half the weight is all you will ever ask of it.
Full profiles: EcoFlow RIVER 3 MAX → · Anker SOLIX C300 →
Written by Wenny ZhengUpdated
Portable Power Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
Spec deltas
The RIVER 3 MAX is the cheaper of these two by $11 at typical prices, and it carries 572Wh to the SOLIX C300's 288Wh behind a 600W inverter to the C300's 300W. That's $319 against $330 for nearly double the battery. Buyers usually trade capacity against price. Here the bigger box is also the cheaper one, and the trade simply isn't there.
What the C300 hands back is real: 9 lb, half the RIVER's weight, two USB-C ports to the RIVER's one, the faster rated 140W against 100W, and a battery small enough that a 100W panel refills it in under three hours. If your entire kit is a laptop and a phone in a backpack, that's a genuine reason to take the lighter box. Hold onto it, because it's most of what the C300 has.
The harder question is whether either belongs in your cart. Five of the seven loads we bench beat both units, and not narrowly: a weekend's camping list is 2,100Wh and an eight-hour outage is 1,645Wh, against 486Wh usable in the larger of these two. The jobs this class actually does are an afternoon of devices, which both handle with room to spare, and a CPAP night, which only the RIVER finishes.
What the Numbers Reveal
Each conclusion stated first — the numbers behind it on one line, the full analysis below.
continuous output
Identical 3,000-cycle ratings mean that gap compounds over the life instead of washing out: 1,716 kWh of rated lifetime energy from the RIVER against 864 kWh from the C300, or $0.19 a lifetime kilowatt-hour against $0.38. Picking the C300 doesn't save money. It spends slightly more to own half the battery.
RIVER 3 MAX: $319, 572Wh, 600W continuous, 1,200W surgeSOLIX C300: $330, 288Wh, 300W continuous, 600W surgeBoth rated 3,000 cycles with a 5-year warrantyShelf cost per Wh: $0.56 for the RIVER, $1.15 for the C300
Why it mattersAnyone who narrowed to these two on price can stop weighing price, because it points the same way as every capacity figure on the sheet.
The tempting counter is the C300's lower noise figure, and it doesn't hold. EcoFlow publishes the RIVER's 30 dBA as the ceiling it reaches charging or discharging hard, and a CPAP is a light load, so the two figures aren't the same kind of number and the five-decibel gap isn't a measured one. What is measured is that one box stops before morning. The RIVER's 166Wh of headroom is what covers a longer night or a heavier setting without arithmetic at bedtime.
CPAP Overnight needs 320Wh; every unit is derated by a flat 15% before countingUsable on that basis: 486Wh for the RIVER 3 MAX, 245Wh for the SOLIX C300The RIVER finishes with 166Wh spare; the C300 stops 75Wh short, about 76% of the night coveredPublished noise: 30 dBA for the RIVER, which EcoFlow states as a maximum at high wattage; 25 dBA for the C300
Why it mattersIf a CPAP is why you're shopping, take the RIVER; the C300 isn't the quiet choice here, it's the undersized one.
Capacity
So there's no route from here to the outage class at 1,645Wh. The case for the RIVER is the 572Wh it ships with, at a lower price than the 288Wh box beside it.
Neither expands: the RIVER 3 MAX already carries its one extra battery at 572Wh; the C300 is sealed at 288WhSome coverage puts the RIVER 3 MAX at up to 858WhA1; as sold it holds 572Wh and takes no further batteryRemote Workday needs 910Wh; the RIVER alone is 424Wh short8-Hour Blackout needs 1,645Wh
Why it mattersBuy the RIVER for what it does the day it arrives; if you expect to outgrow it, a bigger class of station now is the only upgrade path.
The specific dimensions that decide these two units — everything else is a tie.
Your Life, Your Pick
Selected because: Five of the seven loads we bench beat both units; the 320Wh CPAP night is the one that splits them, and only the RIVER 3 MAX finishes it.
Both of these are device chargers built in the shape of a power station. After the flat 15% derate our scenario math applies to every unit, the RIVER 3 MAX has 486Wh to spend and the C300 has 245Wh, and the smallest failed load on the board is a 670Wh tailgate. The RIVER misses it by 184Wh. The C300 misses it by 425Wh and fails a second way first, because the tailgate asks for a 400W peak and its inverter is rated 300W continuous; the 600W surge figure starts that load but can't hold it.
The CPAP night is the whole pattern in miniature: 320Wh of load, which the RIVER finishes with 166Wh in hand and the C300 misses by 75Wh. Drop to an afternoon of devices at 100Wh and both finish easily. Climb to anything with a fridge or a full day in it and both fail together, and the useful number stops being which one wins and starts being how far away the finish line is.
Lifetime Value
Selected because: Identical 3,000-cycle ratings turn a 284Wh capacity gap into 1,716 kWh of rated lifetime energy against 864 kWh.
cost / lifetime kWh
Nineteen cents a lifetime kilowatt-hour against thirty-eight. Both units carry the same 3,000-cycle rating and the same five-year warranty, so nothing later in their lives claws back the capacity gap: the RIVER delivers 1,716 kWh of rated energy over that life and the C300 delivers 864 kWh, and the RIVER is the one with the lower price tag to begin with.
The honest catch is that lifetime cost flatters the bigger box automatically and never asks whether you'll use the watt-hours. If your real draw is a phone and a laptop on a weekend, you won't touch the RIVER's extra 284Wh, and the C300's worse figure stays trapped in a spreadsheet. Buy the RIVER anyway. Capacity you don't use costs you nothing extra here, and capacity you needed and didn't buy costs you the evening.
Portability & Form Factor
Selected because: The SOLIX C300's best arguments are its 9 lb weight saving and its 140W USB-C port, and this is where they get weighed.
weight
Nine pounds is the weight argument, and it's a real one: 18.1 lb for the RIVER, 9.1 lb for the C300, so the C300 is half the load. Both still lift with one hand, but over a day's walk the C300 is the one you forget is in the pack. If weight is deciding the purchase, this is the C300's strongest card.
The port sheet is where the C300 lands a real hit. It has two USB-C ports to the RIVER's one, and the faster runs to 140W against the RIVER's 100W. For a station that exists to keep a laptop alive and never touches its AC outlets, that's a functional edge with a number on it. Along with weight, it's one of the two specs on the page where the smaller unit is simply better.
What the Specs Don't Tell You
Selected because: Solar refill time and fixed capacity both cut differently than they first look on this pair.
Solar is closer than the battery sizes suggest. The RIVER 3 MAX accepts 220W, so refilling 572Wh takes about 2.6 hours of sun that is actually delivering 220W, and panels hit their rating for a slice of the day rather than all of it. The C300's 100W ceiling against 288Wh is just under three hours. With a big enough array, a full refill takes about the same time on either and the RIVER banks twice the energy doing it. With the same single 100W panel on both, the C300 still fills first, since the RIVER can only take what the panel gives.
Neither unit expands. The C300 is sealed at 288Wh, and the RIVER 3 MAX already is a RIVER 3 Plus carrying its one extra battery, so 572Wh is its ceiling too. Every load both units fail here sits at 670Wh or above, so no add-on was going to rescue either. The warranty card is a wash at five years each. Size the C300 as the permanent 288Wh purchase it is, and the RIVER as the permanent 572Wh one.
Strengths & trade-offs
EcoFlow RIVER 3 MAX
Strengths
- +Larger battery capacity
- +Higher AC output
- +Faster solar charging
Trade-offs
- –No major technical downsides compared to rival.
Anker SOLIX C300
Strengths
- +Lighter by 9 lb
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
A weekend's 2,100Wh is more than four times the RIVER 3 MAX's 486Wh usable and more than eight times the C300's 245Wh. The RIVER finishes 1,614Wh short and the C300 1,855Wh short. Neither is in range, and no port or feature narrows a gap that size. Pack one for the phones and bring a bigger station for everything else.
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
Eight hours without the grid asks for 1,645Wh. The RIVER 3 MAX is 1,159Wh short and the C300 is 1,400Wh short, so this isn't a close call between them; it's a size class neither one is in. Both keep phones and a laptop alive through the evening. Neither runs the list this scenario is made of.
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
RIVER 3 MAX
The RIVER 3 MAX takes this one. The night needs 320Wh: the RIVER has 486Wh usable and ends with 166Wh spare, while the C300's 245Wh stops 75Wh short of morning. The C300's lower published noise figure doesn't change that, since EcoFlow states the RIVER's 30 dBA as a high-wattage maximum and a CPAP is a light load.
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
A full workday's 910Wh outruns both, though not by the same distance. The RIVER 3 MAX gets through about 53% of it and the C300 about 27%, which is the difference between finding a wall outlet mid-afternoon and finding one before lunch. Treat either as part of a day untethered, not all of it.
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
The tailgate's 670Wh leaves the RIVER 3 MAX 184Wh short. The C300 is 425Wh short and fails a second way first: the scenario asks for a 400W peak, its inverter is rated 300W continuous, and its 600W surge gets the load started without holding it. Neither takes this one, but only one of them loses twice.
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
4,685Wh a day is a different product category, not a harder version of this one. The RIVER 3 MAX covers 486Wh of it and the C300 245Wh, leaving shortfalls of 4,199Wh and 4,440Wh. If this is your day, you're shopping for a van electrical system, and nothing on this page is the answer.
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 is the job small stations exist for, and both do it: the RIVER 3 MAX finishes at 21% used, the C300 at 41%. With both comfortably through, the tiebreak is what rides in the bag and what you paid. The C300 is half the weight; the RIVER is the cheaper of the two and leaves far more in reserve.
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
For this load: RIVER 3 MAX runs 2.4h vs 1.2h.
$319 list · direct from EcoFlow
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 0–32.4hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–6.5hHigh-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
November 1, 2026
Verdict: the RIVER 3 MAX
Take the RIVER 3 MAX. At $319 it's the cheaper of the two by $11, and it holds 572Wh to the SOLIX C300's 288Wh, runs 600W continuous to 300W, and surges to 1,200W to 600W. Both carry a 3,000-cycle rating and a five-year warranty, so the capacity gap holds for the whole life: 1,716 kWh of rated lifetime energy against 864 kWh, $0.19 a lifetime kilowatt-hour against $0.38. The C300 answers with half the weight, 9.1 lb against 18.1, and a second USB-C port, the faster of its two rated 140W against the RIVER's single 100W. If your load is a laptop and a phone in a pack, that's a coherent case for the smaller box. It's the only one, and it doesn't reach the CPAP night, the one overnight job on our bench this size class is built for, which the RIVER finishes and the C300 doesn't.
Editor-assigned confidence, based on cited owner research and spec analysis.
List prices as of November 1, 2026. The links below open EcoFlow's and Anker's current prices.
$319.00 · direct from EcoFlow
Last checked 28 days ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
or check the SOLIX C300 price$429.99 list
Written by Wenny Zheng, Portable Power Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated November 1, 2026
Black Friday · 26 days out
Prices to beat:RIVER 3 MAX $319SOLIX C300 $270
The lowest we have recorded for each. We have never seen the RIVER 3 MAX discounted, so any real cut on it would be a first.
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Not rated for both units (minimum threshold unmet): Solar Generator.
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, RIVER 3 MAX rates 4.3/5 (58th percentile of 20 Compact-class units), and SOLIX C300 rates 4.3/5 (58th percentile of 25 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.
Warranty: No Difference
Both units carry the same 5-year warranty, so coverage isn't a tiebreaker here.
Full record above — the Test Desk pick is the RIVER 3 MAX.
Check RIVER 3 MAX price →or check the SOLIX C300 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 RIVER 3 MAX wins on both sticker price and long-term value. At $0.19/kWh over its lifetime, it's meaningfully cheaper to own. Clear value winner. 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 $0.19 less — check the RIVER 3 MAX 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 top of the range sit two whole-home paths: the TITAN line, one 5 kWh unit that grows to 30 kWh, and the DELTA Pro Ultra platform, which stacks batteries and inverters further — flagship paths, not line-wide features.
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
RIVER 3 MAX
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 572Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 220W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Adequate ports for most setups, but heavy users may want a power strip.
SOLIX C300
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 RIVER 3 MAX 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.
EcoFlow RIVER 3 MAX
There's no long-term owner record for this model. What the file holds is platform-level reviewing of the RIVER 3 family: praise for the chassis as quiet and IP54-ratedA2, the 3,000-cycle LFP rating read back off the spec sheetA3, and a general nod to the line's engineering and portability for people who aren't trying to power a houseA4, though our research couldn't confirm which RIVER 3 model that last source handled, so take it as character rather than evidence. None of it tells you how this unit behaves in year three.
One figure needs handling with care. A review puts the line at up to 858WhA1. That isn't this unit: the RIVER 3 MAX is a RIVER 3 Plus with one extra battery, 572Wh as it ships, and it takes no further battery. 858Wh belongs to the RIVER 3 MAX PLUS.
“Offers up to 858Wh of LFP battery storage — the largest capacity in the RIVER 3 line — as a compact, portable unit.”
Sources
powerstationadvisor.com · ecoflow.com · backuppowerhub.com · amazon.com · portablepowernerd.com
Anker SOLIX C300
Same story on the Anker side: the file is mostly the spec sheet and first impressions. Reviewers list 288Wh, 300W output and 600W with SurgePadB1, relay Anker's claim that the C300 is 30% smaller than competing stations and find it light and compact for hikes and campingB2, and position it for buyers who want reliability and a compact designB4. That's useful colour, not field experience.
Two claims in the file don't survive contact with the record. A review describes dual 140W USB-C portsB1 where our spec record carries one 140W and one 100W, and our own research cites the weight a little under the 9.1 lb we recordB0; trust the record on both. And reviewers call the C300's 10ms UPS switchover unique in its size and price classB3, which the unit on the other side of this page contradicts, since the RIVER 3 MAX lists the same ceiling of no worse than 10ms. Treat switchover as a wash between these two.
“288Wh capacity with 300W output (600W with SurgePad) and dual 140W USB-C ports for fast device charging.”
Sources
ankersolix.com · trustedreviews.com · im.com.au · solarwaypoint.com · backuppowerhub.com · powerstationlab.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
- Largest RIVER 3 capacity (up to 858Wh), quiet IP54 build, and 3,000-cycle LFP are the standout points. [RIVER 3 MAX · 3 entries]
- Compact, light design; dual 140W USB-C fast charging; and a standout 10ms UPS rare at this size are the highlights. [SOLIX C300 · 3 entries]
- A1
“Offers up to 858Wh of LFP battery storage — the largest capacity in the RIVER 3 line — as a compact, portable unit.”
powerstationadvisor.com / ecoflow.com — RIVER 3 line review · 2026 · [positive]
- A2
“Built on the same RIVER 3 platform reviewers praise for sub-30dB whisper-quiet operation and IP54 ruggedness.”
backuppowerhub.com — RIVER 3 review · 2026 · [positive]
- A3
“LiFePO4 chemistry rated for 3,000+ cycles to 80% — roughly a decade of everyday use.”
backuppowerhub.com / amazon.com — RIVER 3 line · 2026 · [positive]
- A4
“Reviewers value the RIVER 3 family for quality engineering and genuine portability for those who don't need to power a whole house.”
portablepowernerd.com — RIVER 3 review · 2026 · [positive]
- B1
“288Wh capacity with 300W output (600W with SurgePad) and dual 140W USB-C ports for fast device charging.”
ankersolix.com / trustedreviews.com — SOLIX C300 review · 2026 · [positive]
- B2
“Anker claims the C300 is 30% smaller than competing power stations; reviewers call it impressively light and compact for the capacity, aimed at keeping phones and gadgets charged on hikes and camping trips.”
im.com.au / solarwaypoint.com — SOLIX C300 review · 2026 · [positive]
- B3
“Its 10ms UPS switchover is legitimately unique in this size and price class.”
backuppowerhub.com / powerstationlab.com — SOLIX C300 review · 2026 · [positive]
- B4
“Targets users who value reliability, smart features, and compact design.”
backuppowerhub.com — SOLIX C300 review · 2026 · [positive]
Research compiled November 1, 2026.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the RIVER 3 MAX if you…
- →You run a CPAP away from a wall outlet. It's the only unit here that finishes the 320Wh night, and it ends with 166Wh still in the tank.
- →You want one box for car camping, a laptop and a phone, and you'd rather carry headroom you never touch than find a shortfall at 2 a.m., especially when the bigger box is also the cheaper one.
- →You need to run something around 400W. A 600W continuous rating takes it in stride; a 300W rating can start it on surge but can't hold it.
Buy the SOLIX C300 if you…
- →Your load is a laptop and a phone, full stop, and you want two USB-C ports with one rated 140W.
- →You're counting weight into a pack over real distance: 9.1 lb against 18.1 lb, half the weight, is the whole case, and it matters most on a long walk.
- →You'll recharge from a single 100W panel every day rather than from a wall. 288Wh refills from it in under three hours; the RIVER's 572Wh needs nearly six off that same panel, and only catches up with a bigger 220W array.
If neither fits
Anyone whose list includes a refrigerator, a space heater, or a night without grid power should close this tab. The eight-hour outage we bench is 1,645Wh and the van-life day is 4,685Wh, against 486Wh usable in the larger of these two. Divide by the same 0.85 derate and the outage wants roughly 1,935Wh on the label while the van wants better than 5,500Wh. Look at a station several times this size instead; either of these bought for that job gets you a very good device charger and a false sense of coverage.
The Bottom Line
Take the RIVER 3 MAX. It's the cheaper of the two and it carries nearly double the energy behind double the inverter, and the price of that is 9 lb more to carry and a USB-C port that tops out at 100W. Neither of those shows up in a scenario. The missing 284Wh shows up in all of them, including the CPAP night the C300 can't finish.
If the scenario board made your stomach drop, that's the page doing its job. Both of these are for phones, laptops, a CPAP and a string of lights. If your list has a fridge or a blackout on it, take the RIVER for the trips and buy something several sizes up for the house.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
Is the EcoFlow RIVER 3 MAX better than the Anker SOLIX C300?
Yes, for almost any use, and it's also the cheaper of the two by $11. It holds 572Wh to the C300's 288Wh and runs 600W continuous to 300W, on the same 3,000-cycle rating and five-year warranty. The C300's edges are half the weight and a 140W USB-C port.
Am I looking at the C300 with an AC outlet, or the DC-only one?
Check the listing, because the C300 name also covers a DC-only version with no AC inverter and a C300X variant. Everything on this page is the standard C300 with AC output: 288Wh, 300W continuous, 600W with SurgePad. If a listing doesn't spell out AC output, it isn't the unit compared here.
Will either of these get me through a power outage?
No. The eight-hour outage we bench needs 1,645Wh, and the larger of these two has 486Wh usable after the flat 15% derate our scenario math applies to every unit, under a third of the job. Neither one takes an add-on battery to close that gap. If backup power is why you're shopping, look at stations several times this size.
Which one should I get for a CPAP?
The RIVER 3 MAX; it's the only one of the two that finishes the night. The night we model needs 320Wh, which the RIVER covers with 166Wh to spare while the C300's 245Wh usable stops 75Wh short. Don't let the C300's lower noise figure pull you the other way, because the two makers don't publish noise on the same basis.
Is the SOLIX C300 quieter than the RIVER 3 MAX?
The spec sheets can't tell you. EcoFlow publishes the RIVER's 30 dBA as a maximum reached when charging or discharging at high wattage, so a light load runs well below it, while the C300's 25 dBA isn't stated on that basis. The five-decibel difference on paper is two different kinds of number, not a measured gap.
Related comparisons
Where to buy
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EcoFlow RIVER 3 MAXPick
$319.00
$319.00 · direct from EcoFlow
Last checked 28 days ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Anker SOLIX C300
$429.99
$429.99 · direct from Anker
Last checked 28 days ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.