Husqvarna 550 XP Mark II vs Husqvarna 540 XP Mark III
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
Husqvarna 540 XP Mark III
- 9 lb powerhead — three quarters of a pound under the 440 and the lightest pro rear-handle in the range
- Narrow-kerf .325 mini / .043 chain cuts small wood noticeably faster than standard .050 stock
- Pro-grade anti-vibe and magnesium construction in a saw sized for a full day of carrying
- Rated to 16 inches, which is realistic rather than aspirational for 39.1cc
- Alternative 3/8 mini / .050 build available when chain availability matters more than kerf
- $730 for 1.9 kW — the 445S makes more power for $280 less
- The .043 narrow chain is pricier and far less widely stocked than .050
- 16-inch bar ceiling rules it out for felling anything substantial