Short answer:
If you are just cutting up branches or taking down small trees get a smaller, lighter saw.
If you are going to cut down trees, get the saw with a bigger bar AND a bigger motor.
Long answer:
Waaaaay back in the 80's I developed an interest in burning wood for heat. I took any and all downed trees that I could get my hands on. That lead me to an arrangement with a guy who had his property logged. My task was to cut the "tops" which were laying on the forest floor and haul them away in 8' lengths. On each trip to his land the first pick up load went to him and the second went home with me. I did this for a dozen trips or so.
My 14" Homelite saw was fine for this. A few years later I bought a lot in VT with the intention of building a log home from a kit. It was 100 miles from home. I chose to cut down all the trees necessary to make room for the driveway, septic and leach field, house and yard. It only took a few days with the 14" to figure out that I was out gunned by the larger trees on the VT lot. With the driving involved, I needed to be more efficient.
I bought a Craftsman 20" and was amazed by the difference. The chain gauge was larger and would throw big chips. The motor was much more powerful and could toss those big chips with ease. The longer bar gave me better reach into the larger tree trunks and cut all he way through the smaller ones.
The moral to the story?
Don't build your own log home 100 miles from where you live.
Put the money in Apple or Microsoft instead!
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