RIVER 2 Pro
- you want the most runtime: 768Wh
- you run up to 800W
- you’d rather carry one box
RIVER 3 Max
- a PC needs a 10ms switchover
- it sits by a bed: under 30dB
- you like a detachable USB-C battery
Prices and stock checked by our price engine on November 13, 2026 at 9:29 AM EST. Each product is rechecked several times a day; the time refreshes when you load the page.
Same weight on the scale. One spends it on more battery, the other on a faster UPS and a quieter fan.
The EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro stores 768Wh and delivers 800W from four AC outlets in one 18.2 lb box, and refills from the wall in 70 minutes; its EPS switchover is rated under 30ms and EcoFlow says it can reach 62dB at high power. The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max is a RIVER 3 Plus with an EB300 extra battery clipped underneath: 572Wh and 600W from three outlets, a switchover under 10ms, a rating under 30dB, and about 18.1 lb in two pieces. Both take 220W of solar. For the most runtime and a compact microwave, the RIVER 2 Pro; to guard a PC or sleep next to it, a RIVER 3 Max you already own. EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026); the closest smaller model it sells today is the RIVER 2 Max 500, with 499Wh and 500W at 13.2 lb.
Below: what separates them with numbers, a 20-second calculator for your own gear, eight modeled situations, a third option, and what published tests found on each.
Close in weight and price class, different in character. The RIVER 2 Pro is the bigger battery and the bigger inverter in a single box. The RIVER 3 Max is the better UPS and the quieter unit, with a battery that unclips and works on its own as a 140W USB-C bank. EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026); buying new, the RIVER 2 Pro is the one of the two it sells, and the RIVER 2 Max 500 is the closest smaller model.
- you want 768Wh in one box
- you run a 700W microwave
- you refill in 70 minutes
- a desktop PC needs a UPS
- it runs a CPAP by your bed
- you want a 140W USB-C bank
The five differences that decide it
Both use LFP cells rated for 3,000 cycles to 80%, take 220W of solar, have X-Boost for heating loads, a 12V car outlet and the EcoFlow app over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, carry a 5-year US warranty and weigh about 18 lb. These five gaps decide it.
Will it run your setup? Check in 20 seconds
Estimates use 85% usable capacity and 70% of rated solar output. Real results vary with temperature, inverter load, shade and appliance cycling. Fridge and freezer watts are daily averages and do not include compressor startup surges.
Runtime by appliance, one at a time
Simple energy estimates, not measured runtimes. About 653Wh usable on the RIVER 2 Pro and 486Wh on the RIVER 3 Max; OutdoorGearLab and Digital Trends both measured about 600Wh out of a RIVER 2 Pro.
Appliance for appliance, the RIVER 2 Pro lasts 34% longer than the RIVER 3 Max.
Same appliance, same watts: the gap is always the size of the battery.Get our Black Friday alerts for EcoFlow
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What to buy instead today
The RIVER 2 Pro has no battery port, so it doesn’t grow. The RIVER 2 Max 500 is the closest smaller box EcoFlow US sells: 499Wh, 500W (1,000W X-Boost), 220W of solar and a 60-minute wall refill, at 13.2 lb. It lists no UPS switchover time, so it doesn’t replace the RIVER 3 Max’s 10ms UPS. EcoFlow US hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus on its own since November 4, 2026, so the RIVER 3 Max can’t be rebuilt from parts there. Both prices move often.
The third option: the RIVER 2 (240) at $199
EcoFlow RIVER 2 (240): $199 today
The RIVER 2 Max 500 is the closest current model to the RIVER 3 Max, so it’s covered in the price section above. If you want the lightest box of all: the RIVER 2 (240) stores 243Wh and delivers 300W at 7.7 lb, with an EPS that switches in 30ms and a 5-year warranty. That’s less than half the RIVER 3 Max’s battery at well under half the RIVER 2 Pro’s weight, for phones, a laptop and a router. See the RIVER 2 (240) at EcoFlow.
Eight modeled situations, worked out
Same formula as the calculator above: 85% of the rated capacity, with the RIVER 3 Max’s EB300 attached.
Wi-Fi router through an outage
Two days and more on the RIVER 2 Pro, a day and a half on the RIVER 3 Max. The RIVER 3 Max’s sub-10ms switchover is the safer bet for a router that must not reboot.
Full-size fridge in an evening outage
About eleven hours against eight, if the inverter starts the compressor; the RIVER 2 Pro’s 800W gives more headroom for that.
CPAP, one or two nights
Two nights on the RIVER 2 Pro, one and a half on the RIVER 3 Max. By a bed, the RIVER 3 Max is rated under 30dB; OutdoorGearLab found the RIVER 2 Pro’s fan high-pitched and unpredictable, a problem beside a CPAP at night.
A weekend of laptop and phone top-ups
Eleven laptop charges against eight. The RIVER 3 Max’s EB300 has a 140W USB-C port and works unclipped; the RIVER 2 Pro has one 100W USB-C on the unit.
A compact microwave
Only the RIVER 2 Pro, and only a small one: a full-size 1,100W microwave is out of reach on both. X-Boost helps heating loads, not microwaves.
A 300W desktop PC on battery
The RIVER 2 Pro runs longer, but the switchover matters more here: the RIVER 3 Max is rated under 10ms and has a USB-B port that tells EcoFlow’s Power Manager software to save and shut down. The RIVER 2 Pro’s EPS is rated under 30ms, which some PCs ride through and some don’t.
Refill from the wall before a storm
The RIVER 2 Pro, with 940W of AC input: 70 minutes per EcoFlow, 75 measured by OutdoorGearLab. The RIVER 3 Max takes about an hour and a half at 380W, by our estimate.
Refill from solar, each at its maximum
Same 220W input, so the smaller battery fills first: under four hours for the RIVER 3 Max, about five for the RIVER 2 Pro. OutdoorGearLab put the RIVER 2 Pro at about four hours on a 200W panel in ideal sun.
Nine more differences, the spec sheet and the box
Smaller gaps that rarely decide the purchase, then the full specifications and what ships in the box.
RIVER 2 Pro and RIVER 3 Max weight, dimensions and full specifications
Weight: 18.2 lb for the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro and about 18.1 lb for the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max (10.4 lb station plus 7.7 lb EB300, our sum). Dimensions: 10.6 × 10.2 × 8.9 in, and 9.2 × 9.1 × 5.8 in on top of 9.2 × 8.8 × 4.3 in.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro and EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max full specifications
Every published figure for both units, grouped. Green marks the better value.
What’s in the box
RIVER 2 Pro
- RIVER 2 Pro768Wh, 18.2 lb
- AC charging cable
- Quick start guide
- Solar and car cables sold separately
RIVER 3 Max
- RIVER 3 Plus286Wh, 10.4 lb
- EB300 Smart Extra Battery286Wh, 7.7 lb, clips on without cables
- AC charging cable
- Manuals
RIVER 2 Pro contents from EcoFlow US; the RIVER 3 Max is the RIVER 3 Plus box plus an EB300 Smart Extra Battery.
07 · ChargingHow fast each one refills
Shorter bar, faster refill. Each row is scaled to its slower unit.
RIVER 2 Pro: OutdoorGearLab measured a charge rate of 614Wh per hour on ACRIVER 3 Max: EcoFlow US gives no full-charge time for 572Wh; ours divides capacity by the 380W input
Our solar times assume panels deliver 70% of their rating; the brands’ figures assume ideal sun.
Every port, side by side
RIVER 2 Pro
RIVER 3 Max
Practical consequence: the RIVER 2 Pro adds a fourth AC outlet, a third USB-A port and two DC barrels. The RIVER 3 Max adds a 140W USB-C on the EB300 that works with the battery unclipped, and a USB-B port for EcoFlow’s Power Manager software.
09 · NoiseNoise: RIVER 2 Pro vs RIVER 3 Max
The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max is the quiet one: EcoFlow rates it under 30dB at 1.5 ft. For the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro, EcoFlow warns of up to 62dB at high power, and OutdoorGearLab found its fan high-pitched while charging.
Neither has a reviewer dB measurement.Every figure we found, with its source
What reviewers heard: A high-pitched, unpredictable fan during charging and heavy draw, a problem at a desk or beside a CPAP at night (OutdoorGearLab).
What reviewers heard: Fan noise rose during high-power use (Root-Nation, EU unit); EcoFlow notes real noise may differ with the extra battery attached.
Measured by a tester Brand figure
- The fans run hardest while fast charging, so charge during the day if the unit sits by a bed.
Cold, heat and storage: RIVER 2 Pro vs RIVER 3 Max
The EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro and the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max share the same limits: charging from 32°F to 113°F, running from 14°F to 113°F. Only the RIVER 3 Max’s battery pack carries a water rating, IP54.
Figures from EcoFlow US for both.RIVER 3 Max: EB300 drops to 100W above 95°F
- In a cold car or garage, bring either one inside to charge: neither charges below 32°F.
- For storage, keep the RIVER 3 Max between 68°F and 86°F, per EcoFlow US.
App, UPS and smart features
The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max is the better UPS: under 10ms, with a USB-B link that tells a PC to save its work, and a battery that unclips. The EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro has the bigger X-Boost.
Same app. The gap is the UPS and the extra battery.Green zone: a switch under about 16ms, which most desktop PCs ride through without restarting.
Can it tell a PC to save its work? The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max has a USB-B port for EcoFlow’s Power Manager software, which saves data and shuts a PC down on low battery. EcoFlow lists no such link for the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro.
Can you add a battery later? The EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro can’t be expanded. The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max already carries its one extra battery; an EB600 in place of the EB300 gives 858Wh.
Does it work as a UPS? The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max switches to battery in under 10ms. The EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro’s EPS is rated under 30ms, and EcoFlow calls it EPS rather than UPS.
Can it run a heater or kettle above its rating? Both have X-Boost for heating loads at reduced power: up to 1,600W on the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro, 1,200W on the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max.
How does the app connect? Both use the EcoFlow app over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Warranty and support
EcoFlow’s US warranty table lists both the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro and the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max at 5 years, with no registration condition.
Same term, same 3,000-cycle rating.Subject to each brand’s warranty terms and eligibility.
EcoFlow rates both at 3,000 cycles to 80%, about 8 years at one full cycle a day. Calendar aging and heat also reduce capacity, so read the rating as a ceiling.
- Keep proof of purchase: the 5 years run from delivery to the original buyer.
- If your RIVER 3 Max was built from a RIVER 3 Plus and an EB300 bought separately, keep both receipts: each is covered from its own delivery date.
What reviewers report
We have not lab-tested these two units. Here is what published reviews found, with the source, author and date for each point. Reviews of UK and EU units are flagged: those models charge from 230V outlets and have different sockets, so their charge times and outlet findings don’t carry over to US units. The only hands-on RIVER 3 Max reviews we found are two by Root-Nation, on an EU unit.
RIVER 2 Pro: OutdoorGearLab (January 2026), Digital Trends (April 2023), Camera Jabber (June 2023, UK unit)RIVER 3 Max: Root-Nation (May 2025, EU unit), Root-Nation (August 2025, EU unit)
Usable capacity
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer Measured 600Wh from the 768Wh battery, which the testers call its one glaring weakness. OutdoorGearLab, Kenji Mowrey, January 2026
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer A smart plug logged about 600Wh across several full cycles, short of the 768Wh rating. Digital Trends, Simon Sage, April 2023
Charging
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer Measured charge rate of 614Wh per hour on AC; full charge possible in about 75 minutes. OutdoorGearLab, Kenji Mowrey, January 2026
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer Solar input capped at 220W; a 200W panel in ideal sun takes about 4 hours. OutdoorGearLab, Kenji Mowrey, January 2026
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer Topped up in about an hour, versus roughly three hours the reviewer is used to in this class. Digital Trends, Simon Sage, April 2023
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer Recharged fully during a pub lunch break; the review states 0-100% in 70 minutes on UK mains (230V, not US-comparable). Camera Jabber, Camera Jabber Team (no named author), June 2023, UK unit
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer The EB300 has its own 140W USB-C port for input and output, so it also works on its own as a 286Wh power bank. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, August 2025, EU unit
Noise and heat
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer High-pitched, unpredictable fan during charging and heavy draw, a problem at a desk or beside a CPAP at night. OutdoorGearLab, Kenji Mowrey, January 2026
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer During high-power use, the only change the reviewer noticed was louder fan noise. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, May 2025, EU unit
UPS and output
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer A full-size TV plus gaming PC ran for about an hour; an electric kettle boil used about 10% of the battery. Digital Trends, Simon Sage, April 2023
- RIVER 2 ProReviewer Kept a Rotolight ANOVA Pro II light running an estimated 10 hours; heaters, irons and vacuums tripped it even with X-Boost. Camera Jabber, Camera Jabber Team (no named author), June 2023, UK unit
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer The reviewer stresses that X-Boost power up to 1200W is for resistive loads like heaters and hair dryers, not for desktop PCs. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, May 2025, EU unit
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer A dedicated USB-B port lets EcoFlow’s Power Manager software watch UPS status on a PC or a NAS. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, May 2025, EU unit
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer The reviewer says its UPS mode does not keep the internal electronics fully running, which keeps standby losses and noise down. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, August 2025, EU unit
Daily use and issues
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer The Extra Battery 300 stays clipped to the power station almost permanently, so both pieces travel together without trouble. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, May 2025, EU unit
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer In daily use the RIVER 3 Max barely drains itself on standby, unlike the reviewer’s RIVER 2, which lost about 30% in a week. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, August 2025, EU unit
- RIVER 3 MaxReviewer The battery latch is very secure; the reviewer sometimes found it hard to detach the extra battery on purpose. Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, August 2025, EU unit
Practical limits before you buy
- EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026). EcoFlow US hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus on its own since November 4, 2026; the RIVER 2 Max 500 is the closest smaller model it sells.
- The RIVER 2 Pro’s fan can be loud: EcoFlow warns of up to 62dB at high power, and OutdoorGearLab found it high-pitched while charging.
- The RIVER 2 Pro measured short of its rating: about 600Wh out of 768Wh for both OutdoorGearLab and Digital Trends.
- The RIVER 2 Pro’s EPS is rated under 30ms, not a true UPS: fine for most appliances, borderline for some desktop PCs.
- X-Boost is for heating loads only, at reduced power: 1,600W on the RIVER 2 Pro, 1,200W on the RIVER 3 Max. Camera Jabber’s heaters, iron and vacuum still tripped a RIVER 2 Pro.
- The RIVER 3 Max comes in two pieces; the EB300 drops to 100W in and out above 95°F.
- The RIVER 2 Pro ships without solar and car cables, per EcoFlow US.
- Neither charges below freezing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro and the RIVER 3 Max?
The RIVER 2 Pro stores 768Wh and delivers 800W from four outlets in one 18.2 lb box. The RIVER 3 Max is a RIVER 3 Plus with an EB300 extra battery: 572Wh and 600W from three outlets, a switchover under 10ms and a rating under 30dB, at about 18.1 lb in two pieces.
Is the RIVER 3 Max still sold?
Not in the US. EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026), and hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus on its own since November 4, 2026. Buying new, the RIVER 2 Pro is the one of the two EcoFlow US sells; the closest smaller model is the RIVER 2 Max 500, with 499Wh and 500W at 13.2 lb.
Which one runs longer?
The RIVER 2 Pro, with about a third more energy: two nights on a 40W CPAP against one and a half for the RIVER 3 Max. Reviewers measured about 600Wh usable on the RIVER 2 Pro.
Which one is the better UPS?
The RIVER 3 Max, rated under 10ms with a USB-B link for EcoFlow’s Power Manager software. The RIVER 2 Pro’s EPS is rated under 30ms.
Which one is quieter?
The RIVER 3 Max, rated under 30dB at 1.5 ft. EcoFlow says the RIVER 2 Pro can reach 62dB at high power.
Which one charges faster?
From the wall, the RIVER 2 Pro: 70 minutes at 940W. From solar, the RIVER 3 Max, since both take 220W and it has the smaller battery.
Can either run a microwave?
Only a compact one on the RIVER 2 Pro, up to its 800W. The RIVER 3 Max stops at 600W.
What warranty do they have?
5 years for both, per EcoFlow’s US warranty table, with no registration condition.
Related comparisons and reviews
How we compared and sources
Research-based comparison. We have not physically tested these two units. Specs come from EcoFlow’s US product pages; the RIVER 3 Max’s spec table there is the RIVER 3 Plus’s, completed by EcoFlow US’s extra battery page. Usage observations are attributed to named reviewers. Prices and availability were checked on October 31, 2026; RIVER 3 Max availability was rechecked on November 8, 2026.
- Specs: EcoFlow US, RIVER 2 Pro, EcoFlow US, RIVER 3 Max (page since removed; its spec table was the RIVER 3 Plus’s) and EcoFlow US, RIVER 3 Plus Smart Extra Battery (EB300: 286Wh, 7.7 lb, 140W USB-C), read on October 31, 2026; warranty terms from the EcoFlow US warranty policy.
- RIVER 3 Max weight, stacked height and full-charge times are our sums and estimates from EcoFlow’s figures; EcoFlow US showed the RIVER 3 Max bundle sold out on October 31, 2026, and no longer listed it on November 8, 2026.
- Reviewer reports on the RIVER 2 Pro: OutdoorGearLab, Kenji Mowrey, January 2026, Digital Trends, Simon Sage, April 2023, Camera Jabber, Camera Jabber Team (no named author), June 2023, UK unit; on the RIVER 3 Max: Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, May 2025, EU unit, Root-Nation, Denis Zaychenko, August 2025, EU unit.
- Runtime = capacity × 0.85 ÷ watts. Solar harvest = min(panel watts, max input) × sun hours × 0.70. Cost per lifetime kWh = price ÷ (cycles × capacity in kWh).
768Wh and 800W in one 18.2 lb box against 572Wh and 600W in two pieces, with a 10ms UPS. EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max (Nov 8, 2026).
Prices checked November 13, 2026 at 9:29 AM EST
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Originally published: November 13, 2026