# Power Output

The maximum power the engine or motor delivers, stated in kilowatts (kW). It determines how well the saw holds chain speed when the cutters are loaded in the cut, rather than how fast it spins free.

Source: https://chainsawdata.net/en/glossary/power-output-kw/
Site: ChainsawData (chainsawdata.net) — open technical specification database
Last updated: 2026-08-24
License: free to quote with attribution to chainsawdata.net

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Power is what stops the chain bogging down when you bury the bar in hardwood, so it matters far more than displacement when you are cutting large-diameter timber. Manufacturers measure it at a stated engine speed, and figures from different brands are not always taken under identical conditions, so treat small differences as noise. For battery saws, compare kW directly with petrol saws only with caution: an electric motor delivers its torque differently and a battery saw may match a petrol one in light cuts while fading in sustained heavy work. One kilowatt is about 1.34 hp — see **Power Output (HP)** for the same figure in the other unit.

## This spec across the catalog

Recorded on 88 models in this database, from 0.7 kW to 5.97 kW, averaging 2.12 kW.