Stihl MS 462 C-M vs Stihl MS 500i

Stihl / Gas

Stihl MS 462 C-M

70cc+ class

~$1,670

Stihl / Gas

70cc+ class

~$1,780

The Stihl MS 462 C-M costs about $110 less; the Stihl MS 500i has more engine (79.2cc); the Stihl MS 462 C-M is lighter at 13.2 lb on the same basis.

Spec	Stihl MS 462 C-M	Stihl MS 500i
Approx. price	~$1,670with 25" bar and chain	~$1,780with 25" bar and chain
Engine class	70cc+ classby displacement	70cc+ classby displacement
Power type	Gas	Gas
Use case	Professional	Professional
Engine	72.2 cc	79.2 cc
Rated power	4.4 kW	5 kW
Bar length	25 in	25 in
Single-pass cut	about 23 in	about 23 in
Bar range	16-32 in	16-36 in
Chain	3/8" pitch / .050" gauge (33 RS3)	3/8" pitch / .050" gauge (33 RS3)
Weight	13.2 lbpowerhead only	13.9 lbpowerhead only
Warranty	1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy from Jan 1, 2026)	1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy from Jan 1, 2026)

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.

Class-leading power-to-weight: 4.4 kW from a 13.2 lb powerhead, the lightest Stihl in its fuel class
M-Tronic self-tuning delivers max power at any altitude or fuel quality — praised as a game changer for felling
Comfortably buries 25"-28" bars in hardwood; owners retire their heavier 660-class saws after buying one
Strong low-end torque that pulls full-comp 3/8" chain without falling on its face
Owner threads are overwhelmingly positive — 'no buyer's remorse' is the recurring verdict
Rebuildable pro construction with full dealer parts support

Price keeps climbing — $1,619.99 with a 25" bar at Ace, hundreds more than at launch
Overkill for typical firewood duty; owners admit it sees less use than they expected
The newer MS 400 C-M is noticeably lighter and cheaper if you don't truly need 72cc
No meaningful retailer review aggregate exists — dealer-channel sales mean almost no online reviews
1-year warranty in professional use

Electronic fuel injection — no carburetor at all; starts in 2-3 pulls and auto-adapts to altitude and temperature
5.0 kW from a 13.9 lb powerhead — Stihl claims the best power-to-weight ratio on the market
Instant throttle response owners say no carbureted saw can match
Runs bars from 16" to 36", covering everything from bucking to serious felling
Owner threads report multi-year reliability — 'always starts, never let me down' is the common refrain
Strong resale value; used 500is barely depreciate

Heavy fuel consumption is the most repeated owner complaint — plan on carrying extra mix
Documented gripe about fine dust entering around the plastic air-filter attachment point
Price has climbed roughly $500 since launch to ~$1,780, prompting even fans to hesitate
Some high-hour owners report warm-start stalling quirks after several years
Injection system is dealer-only territory — no backyard carb fixes if the electronics act up