Husqvarna has debuted two saws in its nominal 70cc pro-saw 500 series, the 565 and 572 XP. Both have a lot in common, including the same bore and stroke for their 70.6cc engines … but with the XP model developing 4.3kW/5.8hp against the 3.7kW/4.8hp of the 565. Here we try the more powerful 572 XP

Choosing a saw for farm use was never easy, as we found out when comparing models in our group chainsaw test in the 10/2013 and 11/2013 issues. At the time, we essentially said the best saws for most farm use will be semi-pro models, these combining a decent balance between affordability, performance and ease of use. Last month, we broke our own advice with an impression of the Stihl MS 462, a new saw that really targets the professional user. Our logic was simplified by the company replacing two of its nominal 70cc models with just one saw. With a 50cm (20in) guidebar, the latest Stihl weighs in at ‘just’ 8.25kg, which is lighter than its predecessors and we felt such a saw could perhaps provide a one-saw farm solution.