Makita 40V Max XGT 16" Chainsaw Kit vs Makita 18V X2 LXT 14" Chainsaw Kit
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
Makita 40V Max XGT 16" Chainsaw Kit
- 5,020 FPM chain speed — the fastest chain in the 16" battery class, and it shows in cut speed
- Legitimate 42cc-class power that no longer embarrasses Makita next to EGO and Milwaukee
- Standard 3/8"LP/.050 91PX chain — replacement loops cost $15 anywhere, no proprietary sizing
- Outstanding build: XPT sealing, inertia chain brake, metal spikes, tool-free tensioning
- Variable-speed trigger with excellent low-speed control for careful limbing
- 45-minute rapid charger in the kit keeps a two-battery rotation viable
- $629 kit price is the highest in the 16" battery class — an EGO CS2005 20" kit costs less
- Included 4.0Ah pack manages only ~30 cuts in 12" wood by Makita's own claim; spares are $200+
- 13.9 lbs with battery — heavier than the LXT saw it effectively replaces
- XGT batteries don't interchange with Makita's own 18V LXT fleet, restarting your battery investment
- Modest 46-review pool at retail; long-term durability record is still thin compared to rivals
Makita 18V X2 LXT 14" Chainsaw Kit
- Four 5.0Ah LXT packs and a dual-port rapid charger in the box — most of the price is battery you can use elsewhere
- 8.2 lb bare, among the lightest 14" saws of any power source
- Makita quotes up to 380 cuts in 4x4 cedar across the four included batteries
- Captured bar nuts and a tool-less chain adjuster; the bar hardware does not get lost in the grass
- Brushless, and the X2 layout puts both packs over the handle, which is why it is one of the quieter and smoother saws in the class
- Consumes two 18V packs per charge, so effective runtime per dollar of battery is half what a single-pack saw gives
- $629 is a lot of money against 14" rivals, and only makes sense if you want the four packs
- Narrow-kerf .043" chain and a 14" bar keep it out of serious bucking
- 3-year tool and battery warranty, shorter than EGO's 5-year tool coverage
- Both battery doors must be closed and both packs charged; one weak pack drops the whole saw's output