Solar Panel System GuideSunPower's Maxeon brand and REC both make premium residential panels with different cell technologies and warranty lengths. This page compares their datasheet numbers and picks no favorite.
How to read this comparison
Every figure below is quoted from the manufacturer datasheet for a specific model. Efficiency and wattage are stated at standard test conditions, the same lab benchmark for both, so the numbers compare like for like. Warranty terms are worth reading closely because manufacturers split product and performance coverage differently. Numbers change as manufacturers release new model years, so always confirm against the current datasheet for the exact model a quote lists.
SunPower Maxeon 6 DC (from the Maxeon datasheet)
Maxeon lists the Maxeon 6 DC on 66 monocrystalline Maxeon Gen 6 cells with Interdigitated Back Contact technology, a power range of 425 to 440 watts, and panel efficiency up to 22.8 percent.
On warranty, Maxeon lists 40 years of product coverage and 40 years of performance coverage, with a minimum warranted output of 98.0 percent in year one and maximum annual degradation of 0.25 percent.
REC Alpha Pure-R (from the REC product page)
REC lists the Alpha Pure-R on heterojunction cell technology with a power range of 400 to 430 watts and a maximum module efficiency of 22.3 percent.
On warranty, REC lists a 20 year product warranty and a 25 year performance warranty, with 0.25 percent warranted annual degradation and at least 92 percent minimum power in year 25.
Where they differ on paper
On cell technology, Maxeon lists Interdigitated Back Contact cells while REC lists heterojunction cells. Both are high efficiency N-type approaches on different architectures.
On peak efficiency, Maxeon lists up to 22.8 percent against REC's up to 22.3 percent, and both list the same 0.25 percent annual degradation. The warranty length differs most: Maxeon lists 40 years of product and performance coverage against REC's 20 year product and 25 year performance terms. These are the documented figures, not a verdict.