Bluetti AC50S vs Jackery Explorer 500 Power Station: A Concise Review

The Bluetti AC50S and Jackery Explorer 500 are both aimed at frequent travelers. They offer similar amounts of power, are backed with generous warranties, and don’t cost so much as to blow a hole in your pocket. Yet, when they are pitted against each other, a clear winner does emerge.

In summary, the Bluetti AC50S might be a better choice if you want more charging options. This portable power station has 4x USB-C ports, 1x USB A port, 2x AC ports, and 1x wireless charging port. By contrast, the Explorer 500 lacks a USB-C or wireless charging port, though it has 3x USB-A and 1x AC ports. 

Let’s take a closer look at both these portable power stations.

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Bluetti AC50S Vs. Jackery Explorer 500 – Comparison

Here’s how both these portable power stations compare with each other

Design and Weight

• Winner: Bluetti AC50S (color display; SOS light)

The Jackery Explorer 500 weighs 13.32lbs with the battery pack. It has a stylish front-facing control panel. A black and white LCD displays indicators such as output wattage, input wattage, and remaining battery life, and a slew of input and output ports complete the control panel. 

The Bluetti AC50S weighs almost the same as the Explorer 500 (13.6lbs), which is unsurprising given that both offer equal battery capacities. Power indicators, SOS light, color display, and DC ports are on the first row of its control panel, with USB and AC ports on the second row.

There are three major differences between these units’ designs:

• Carrying handle. The Explorer 500’s carrying handle is part of its body (you cannot open/close it). In contrast, the Bluetti AC50’s dual-carrying handle can be opened and laid flat at will.
• Display. While the Explorer 500 comes with a black and white display, a color display is what you get with the Bluetti AC50. This makes the latter a slightly more convenient option to use at night.
• SOS light. The absence of an SOS light means the Explorer 500 might not be as handy in emergency situations as the Bluetti AC50 (which has a built-in emergency/SOS light right next to the display).

Compatible Solar Charger

• Winner: It’s a tie

Jackery offers three models in its SolarSaga Series. These include SolarSaga 60W, 100W, and 200W. It recommends using the 100W for juicing up the Explorer 500. Four SolarSaga 100W panels will charge the Explorer 150 in 4 hours, whereas two pieces of this solar panel will need 9.5 hours.

Maxoak, the manufacturer of Bluetti AC50S, also offers multiple solar panels. Under ideal conditions, the SP120 solar panel can take the Bluetti AC50S from zero to a hundred percent charging in less than five hours. However, under normal conditions, the panel would take 6 hours.

Bluetti AC50S Ratings

• 4.9⭐ out of 22 reviews on Bluetti
• 4.6⭐ out of 229 reviews on Amazon

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Battery

• Winner: Jackery Explorer 500 (slightly more powerful battery)

The Explorer 500 packs a 518Wh Lithium-ion battery. The Li-ion battery can retain up to 80% of its capacity for the first recharging cycles. On a single charge, it can juice up a MacBook Pro 4.5 times, a 10W camera more than 24 times, and an iPhone 8 up to 53 times.

The Bluetti AC50S has a 500Wh battery that it claims can last up to 1,000 lifecycles. However, unlike Jackery, it fails to give a number as to how much of the original battery capacity would remain intact for the 1,000^th charging cycle, as batteries are known to lose power over time.

Another thing I didn’t like about the AC50S is that it fails to give an exact number of how much battery life is still remaining. Sure, its LCD display shows a general battery indicator. But it leaves you guessing whether you’ve got 25% or 5% battery left.

Surge Capacity

• Winner: Jackery Explorer 500 (higher surge capacity)

Surge capacity refers to the maximum power a power station can output for a short time.

A power station’s surge capacity needs your full attention if you’re planning to run power-hungry devices on your model during your camping trips. For instance, if you ought to run portable fridges, CPAP machines, or refrigerators on either of these models, you’d need to focus on surge capacity.

The Explorer 500 boasts a 1,000W surge capacity, a massive number considering it’s twice its running battery capacity. However, the AC50S’ surge capacity is only 450WH, less than half of what you’d get by opting for the Explorer 500.

Jackery Explorer 500 Ratings

• 4.8⭐ out of 118 reviews on Jackery
• 4.8⭐ out of 6106 reviews on Amazon

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Number of Output Ports

• Winner: Bluetti AC50S (has USB-C and wireless charging ports)

Comparing the Bluetti AC50S vs Jackery Explorer 500, this is where the AC50S really shines.

The Explorer 500 packs three USB-A ports, one AC port, and one 12V car charger port. That means you won’t get a USB-C port with this model, an inexplicable decision by Jackery, as almost every device these days charges off of a USB-C port.

Not only does it come with 4x USB-C ports, but the Bluetti AC50S also has a wireless charging port. It also packs 1x USB-A port, 2x AC ports, and a 12V car charger port. All in all, if you want more charging options, and have to decide between the Bluetti AC50S vs. Explorer 500, there will only be one winner.

Expansion

• Winner: It’s a tie

You cannot daisy chain the Explorer 500 with another Jackery model or an extra battery. This leaves you with no option to expand the built-in battery capacity. Similarly, you cannot daisy chain Bluetti units together.

Warranty

• Winner: It’s a tie

Both these units are warrantied for 24 months.

Jackery also offers a 30-day moneyback guarantee and a free replacement warranty on all models. Similar is the case with Bluetti, whose power stations are also backed with a one-month replacement warranty. However, unlike Jackery, you have to pay the return shipping fee.

Price

• Winner: Bluetti AC50S

On the official Jackery website, the Explorer 500 is available for $529.99. The Bluetti AC50S, meanwhile, will set you back $379.99. 

Bluetti AC50S

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Jackery Explorer 500

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Bluetti AC50S Vs. Jackery Explorer 500 – Final Verdict

In conclusion, here’s how the Jackery Explorer 500 and Bluetti AC50S stack up against each other:

• Weight and build: Tie.
• Number of Ports: Bluetti AC50S wins.
• Battery and Surge Capacity: Explorer 500 has a higher surge capacity.
• Warranty: Tie.
• Price: Bluetti AC50S is more budget-friendly.

Portable power station guides

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