Video summary

Ecoflow Trail 300 DC vs Anker SOLIX 300 DC Detailed Review & Comparison

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product(s) Compared

  • EcoFlow Trail 300 DC vs Anker SOLIX 300 DC (head-to-head review; not sponsored; reviewer bought both)

Key Features Mentioned (What They Offer)

Shared / Largely Similar

  • USB-C output up to 140W (bidirectional): can charge the unit via USB-C and power devices from it up to the stated wattage.
  • Additional ports: both include USB-A ports and solar input.
  • Battery safety focus: both use safer LFP (LiFePO4) battery chemistry (avoids thermal runaway associated with older lithium types).

EcoFlow Trail 300 DC Specific

  • Adds a 12V accessory port with a covered socket.
  • Includes solar input for charging from solar panels.
  • Multiple USB-C options:
    • two bidirectional 140W USB-C ports
    • a third USB-C that is single-direction 100W
    • another USB-C listed as 15W (single-direction as described)

Anker SOLIX 300 DC Specific

  • Has 12V accessory output (no heavy emphasis on app/software depth; review focuses on charging capability and hardware behavior).
  • App/phone control & visibility:
    • shows state of charge, temperature, inputs/outputs, port status
    • supports toggles such as:
      • car (12V) charger on/off
      • timers
      • light brightness
      • screen on/off
      • device timeout
      • power-saving mode
      • firmware updates
  • Dual charging capability:
    • supports USB charging + solar charging at the same time (the standout difference)

Measurements & Physical Comparison

Size (Cubic Inches)

  • EcoFlow: 197.4 in³ (~15% larger)
  • Anker: 174.8 in³

Weight

  • Anker: 2884 g
  • EcoFlow: 2586 g (Anker ~11.5% heavier)
  • Reviewer notes the difference isn’t obvious unless you do an “AB pick-up” comparison.

Power Button Behavior

  • EcoFlow: easier/lower-effort single press behavior (as shown)
  • Anker: requires more press-and-hold to turn on (less likely to turn on accidentally)

Solar Charging Performance (Tested)

EcoFlow Solar Results

  • Reviewer tested many input combinations.
  • Minimum voltage behavior
    • Reviewer states EcoFlow can accept near its stated range.
    • Specifically: Anker didn’t trigger at 10V, while EcoFlow did.
  • Solar power loss
    • When using a power supply, EcoFlow showed some transfer inefficiency (example: ~91W into the unit when ~100W supplied).
  • EcoFlow maximum
    • Claims up to ~110W solar input capability during testing (values shown around the low-110W range).
    • Reviewer concludes EcoFlow has slightly better solar capacity, described as a mild exception.

Anker Solar Results

  • Minimum voltage
    • Reviewer says Anker needs at least ~11V to start; 10V did not trigger it.
  • Solar MPPT behavior
    • Reviewer suggests MPPT range is not very different, but EcoFlow is slightly better at:
      • low-voltage acceptance
      • max wattage

Major Charging Behavior Difference (USB + Solar Simultaneously)

This is the core “winner” factor in the review.

EcoFlow Limitation / Issue

  • When attempting USB + solar at the same time, reviewer reports:
    • EcoFlow stops solar charging when USB is connected.
    • USB is treated as priority/preference, and solar effectively becomes 0 (not accepted) in that scenario.
  • Reviewer also encountered “overload” protection while using a 100W USB phone charger:
    • EcoFlow repeatedly displayed “overload” and stopped charging when attempting higher draw.
    • This prevented the reviewer from completing a planned multi-charger comparison properly.

Anker Advantage

  • Anker supports simultaneous dual charging.
  • With USB charging (two ports) + solar connected, the reviewer observed charging into the unit at ~142W (shown around 142–143W).
  • Reviewer calls this out as a major discovery and says it “absolutely sets” Anker apart.

Capacity Test (Battery Capacity)

Results were very close:

  • Anker: 14,028 mAh
  • EcoFlow: 14,002 mAh

Reviewer implies the cells are likely nearly identical, and that capacity doesn’t explain performance differences—charging behavior/features do.

Pros and Cons (As Implied by the Video)

Anker SOLIX 300 DC

Pros

  • Dual charging works: USB + solar simultaneously (fastest charging scenario)
  • More reliable charging behavior in the tested scenario (no repeated overload warnings mentioned for Anker)
  • Slightly better overall practicality, despite slightly weaker solar-only performance
  • App provides useful status/control features (state, temperature, port status, timers, updates)

Cons

  • Solar minimum voltage appears higher (~11V) compared to EcoFlow’s lower-voltage acceptance

EcoFlow Trail 300 DC

Pros

  • Better solar-only capability in testing: accepts slightly lower voltage and reaches ~110W
  • LFP safety highlighted
  • Multiple high-power USB-C options, including a single-direction 100W USB-C
  • 12V port has a cover (reviewer liked it)

Cons

  • USB charging overrides solar (no simultaneous charging)
  • Overload protection issue encountered with a 100W charger (reliability/quality-control concern)
  • Power button behavior may be easier to trigger (higher accidental turn-on risk)

Comparisons and Conclusions Stated

  • Reviewer referenced a claim that Anker is essentially the same but better in every way.
  • After testing, reviewer agrees the claim is essentially correct, with only a mild exception:
    • EcoFlow is slightly better at solar-only charging.
  • Reviewer explicitly states Anker is the superior product.

Numerical / Scoring Details Included

Price (as stated in the video)

  • Anker: $150
  • EcoFlow: $159 ($10 more)

Size and Weight

  • Size difference: EcoFlow ~15% larger
  • Weight difference: EcoFlow lighter by ~11.5%

Capacity Test

  • 14,028 mAh vs 14,002 mAh (nearly identical)

Solar Power Observations

  • EcoFlow: about 110W peak
  • Anker dual charging: about 142–143W (USB + solar together)

Overall Verdict / Recommendation (Concise)

Buy the Anker SOLIX 300 DC for a more capable, practical unit—especially because it can charge from USB and solar at the same time and avoids the EcoFlow’s overload/charging-priority problems seen in testing.

EcoFlow is better only in a narrow case of solar-only performance (slightly higher/better solar acceptance), but that advantage is outweighed by the EcoFlow dual-charging limitation and the reviewer’s reliability concerns.

Speakers

  • Single main speaker: Patrick (Vicious Computers) performed all comparisons/tests and delivered the final recommendation.

Original video