Canadian Solar CS6R 420W vs Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W
The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W wins this comparison by a decisive margin. It leads in efficiency (21.3% vs 21%) and matches or exceeds on warranty (25 vs 12 years). For most residential installations, the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W is the stronger choice.
Key Differences
- • Canadian Solar CS6R 420W is rated at 420W while Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W is rated at 410W, a 10W difference.
- • Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W achieves 21.3% efficiency vs 21% for the other, a 0.3 percentage point gap.
- • Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W comes with a 25-year product warranty vs 12 years for the other.
- • Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W has a superior temperature coefficient of -0.29%/°C vs -0.34%/°C, retaining more power in hot climates.
- • Canadian Solar CS6R 420W uses PERC Mono cells while Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W uses TOPCon N-type cells, representing different technology generations.
Specifications Breakdown
Module Efficiency
The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W achieves 21.3% module efficiency compared to Canadian Solar CS6R 420W's 21%, meaning Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W converts 0.3 percentage points more sunlight into electricity per square meter. In practical terms, the Canadian Solar CS6R 420W produces 215.1 watts per square meter of panel area while the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W produces 210.0 W/m². For rooftop installations where space is limited, this efficiency gap determines how many kilowatts you can fit on your available roof area. Over a 25-year system life, even a small efficiency advantage compounds into meaningful additional energy production.
Power Output
The Canadian Solar CS6R 420W delivers 420W per panel versus 410W for the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W, a 10W difference per module. To build an 8 kW residential system, you would need 20 Canadian Solar CS6R 420W panels or 20 Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W panels. Despite the per-panel wattage difference, both require the same number of panels for this system size due to rounding. Higher wattage per panel is particularly valuable for commercial-scale installations where panel count directly impacts balance-of-system costs.
Temperature Coefficient
The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W has a temperature coefficient of -0.29%/°C versus -0.34%/°C for the Canadian Solar CS6R 420W. On a hot summer day when cell temperature reaches 65°C (40°C above the 25°C STC baseline), the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W retains 94.2% of its rated power while the other retains 93.2%. This difference is particularly significant in hot climates such as the American Southwest, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, where panels routinely operate 30-40°C above STC for several hours each day. Over the system lifetime, the cumulative energy advantage from a better temperature coefficient can amount to 2-4% of total production.
Warranty Coverage
The Canadian Solar CS6R 420W is backed by a 12-year product warranty and 25-year performance guarantee, while the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W offers 25-year product and 25-year performance coverage. The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W provides 13 additional years of defect protection, covering manufacturing issues, material failures, and premature performance loss. Based on their published degradation rates (1.5% first year then 0.5%/year for Canadian Solar CS6R 420W; 1% first year then 0.4%/year for Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W), after 25 years the Canadian Solar CS6R 420W should retain approximately 86.5% of original output versus 89.4% for the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W. This 2.9 percentage point gap in end-of-life output meaningfully impacts lifetime energy economics.
Physical Dimensions & Weight
The Canadian Solar CS6R 420W measures 1722×1134×30mm and weighs 21 kg, while the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W measures 1722×1134×30mm at 20.8 kg. 1.95 m² of panel area for the Canadian Solar CS6R 420W versus 1.95 m² for the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W. Their weights are closely matched, so neither panel imposes a significantly different structural load on the mounting system. Similar footprints mean both panels fit comparably on standard residential rooftop configurations.
Specification Comparison
| Specification | Canadian Solar CS6R 420W | Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 420W | 410W |
| Efficiency | 21% | 21.3% |
| Power Density | 20.0 W/sq ft | 19.5 W/sq ft |
| Cell Type | PERC Mono | TOPCon N-type |
| Bifacial | No | No |
| Weight | 21 kg | 20.8 kg |
| Temp Coefficient | -0.34%/°C | -0.29%/°C |
| Snow Load | 5400 Pa | 5400 Pa |
| Wind Load | 2400 Pa | 2400 Pa |
| Product Warranty | 12 years | 25 years |
| Performance Warranty | 25 years | 25 years |
| Degradation (Year 1) | 1.5% | 1% |
| Annual Degradation | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Country | China | South Korea |
5-Dimension Head-to-Head Analysis
1. Efficiency & Power Density
Winner: Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410WThe Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W achieves 21.3% efficiency versus 21% — a 0.3 percentage point advantage. On a typical 30-panel residential roof, this translates to approximately 0.3 kW more total system capacity, or 2 kWh more annual production in an average US location.
2. Hot Climate Performance
Winner: Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410WThe Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W has a better temperature coefficient of -0.29%/°C versus -0.34%/°C. On a 45°C summer day (20°C above STC), the winner retains 94.2% of rated power versus 93.2%. This is a meaningful difference in hot states like Arizona, Texas, and Florida.
3. Durability & Warranty
Winner: Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410WHanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W leads with a 25-year product warranty versus 12 years. Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W degrades more slowly at 0.4% per year versus 0.5%. After 25 years, expect 86.5% vs 89.4% of original output for Canadian Solar CS6R 420W and Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W respectively.
4. Power Output
Winner: Canadian Solar CS6R 420WThe Canadian Solar CS6R 420W delivers 420W versus 410W per panel — 10W more. For an 8 kW system, you need 20 panels with the higher-wattage option versus 20 panels, saving 0 panels and the associated racking and labor costs.
5. Cell Technology
Winner: Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410WThe Canadian Solar CS6R 420W uses PERC Mono: PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) is the current mainstream technology, offering good efficiency at the lowest manufacturing cost. The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W uses TOPCon N-type: TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) adds a thin tunnel oxide layer to reduce recombination losses, achieving higher efficiency than PERC while being manufacturable on existing production lines. TOPCon N-type represents a newer generation technology with a longer performance runway as manufacturing matures.
Canadian Solar CS6R 420W
The CS6R is Canadian Solar's residential PERC workhorse delivering 420W in a compact, roof-friendly form factor.
Pros
- + Compact residential size
- + Affordable pricing
- + Proven track record
- + Easy installation
Cons
- - Older PERC technology
- - Standard performance
- - Higher degradation
Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W
The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S delivers 410W N-type TOPCon performance in a compact residential format with a strong 25-year warranty.
Pros
- + 25-year product warranty
- + N-type TOPCon cells
- + Compact size
- + Korean quality
Cons
- - Moderate wattage
- - Premium pricing
- - Limited color options
Choose Canadian Solar CS6R 420W If...
- ✓ You want fewer panels to reach your target system size, reducing racking and labor costs
- ✓ Budget residential installations from a bankable Tier 1 brand.
Choose Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W If...
- ✓ Your roof space is limited and you need maximum power per panel
- ✓ Long-term warranty protection is a top priority and you plan to stay in your home for 25+ years
- ✓ You live in a hot climate (Arizona, Texas, Florida) where heat performance matters
- ✓ You want maximum output retention over the system's 25-30 year lifespan
- ✓ You prefer newer cell technology with a longer performance improvement runway
Our Recommendation
The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W is the decisive winner in this solar panel comparison, outperforming the Canadian Solar CS6R 420W in 4 of 5 dimensions. Unless you have a specific requirement that the Canadian Solar CS6R 420W uniquely addresses, the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W is the stronger choice for virtually every installation scenario.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Canadian Solar CS6R 420W or Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W?
The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W wins this comparison by a decisive margin. It leads in efficiency (21.3% vs 21%) and matches or exceeds on warranty (25 vs 12 years). For most residential installations, the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W is the stronger choice.
Which panel is more efficient, Canadian Solar CS6R 420W or Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W?
The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W at 21.3% module efficiency. Higher efficiency means more watts per square foot of roof space, which is critical for space-constrained installations. The difference of 0.3 percentage points translates to approximately 10W per panel under standard test conditions.
Which has a better warranty, Canadian Solar CS6R 420W or Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W?
The Canadian Solar CS6R 420W comes with a 12-year product warranty and 25-year performance guarantee. The Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W offers 25-year product and 25-year performance warranties. Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W provides 13 additional years of product coverage.
Which panel performs better in hot weather?
The Canadian Solar CS6R 420W has a temperature coefficient of -0.34%/°C and the Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W is -0.29%/°C. Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W retains more power in heat — important in states like Arizona, Texas, and Florida. A lower (less negative) temperature coefficient is better.
How many Canadian Solar CS6R 420W vs Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W panels do I need for an 8 kW system?
For an 8 kW system: you need 20 Canadian Solar CS6R 420W panels (420W each) or 20 Hanwha Q.TRON G11S 410W panels (410W each). The Canadian Solar CS6R 420W requires fewer panels, saving on racking hardware and installation labor.
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Last updated: February 2026