Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II vs Echo CS-620P
Tinted cells mark the better figure on that row alone: more engine, longer bar, lighter, cheaper. A lighter weight is only a win on the same basis.
What owners like and complain about
Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II
- Class-leading power-to-weight — 3.0 kW in an 11.7 lb package
- Mark II revision put the original's air-leak reputation behind it
- AutoTune self-adjusts for altitude, fuel, and filter condition
- Factory X-Cut SP33G chain is sharp and smooth out of the box
- Magnesium crankcase built for rebuild-and-run-again pro life
- Light enough and smooth enough to run at full output all day, though fallers who run both rate the Stihl MS 261 as the less vibey saw in the cut
- Crank-bearing failures are still reported on Mark II saws despite Husqvarna calling the problem fixed — one dealer stopped stocking them over it
- Dealer-only pricing runs $660-760 — double a big-box 50cc saw
- Wants to be run at full throttle; feels flat when lugged
- AutoTune requires a dealer with diagnostic gear for deep service
- Overkill money for occasional weekend cutting
- 20-inch bar is its ceiling — big-wood buyers need the 562/572
Echo CS-620P
- 3.3 kW with a torque curve owners say out-pulls the MS 362 and 562XP in big wood
- Magnesium crankcase, decompression valve, and X-Series build are genuinely professional grade
- Handles bars from 16 to 27 inches — one saw covers bucking through real felling
- Typically $200+ cheaper than equivalent Stihl/Husqvarna 60cc pro saws
- 5-year consumer warranty is unheard of on a pro-tier saw
- Responds dramatically to the well-documented muffler mod and retune
- A vocal minority of owners report very stubborn cold starts after the saw sits
- Felt air filter setup is widely disliked compared to Stihl's HD2 filtration
- Drinks fuel faster than strato-engine rivals
- 13.7 lb powerhead gives up a little agility to the newer 60cc generation
- 4.2-star / 61%-recommend retail aggregate trails its own CS-590 sibling