AGM vs. Lithium vs. SuperBANKS: Which XS Power Setup Actually Fits Your Build?

AGM: The Workhorse

Absorbent Glass Mat batteries are lead-acid done properly — the electrolyte is held in a glass mat separator instead of sloshing around loose, which makes the battery sealed, spillproof, and vibration-resistant. XS Power builds theirs with 99.99% virgin lead, and low internal resistance is what lets them dump serious current on demand.

The D3400 is the benchmark. Group 34, 3,300 max amps, 1,012 cold cranking amps, 1,150 cranking amps, and 160 minutes of reserve capacity — enough to run your car while powering an audio system up to 2,500 watts, or 4,000 watts if you're using it as a secondary. It weighs 49.97 lbs and carries a 3-year warranty.

The rest of the AGM lineup splits by application:

Lithium: Power-to-Weight

XS Power's lithium offerings are built mostly around two type of lithium: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) and lithium titanate oxide. Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) is a chemistry chosen for high-burst output and fast recharge rather than maximum energy density. Each have their place, but we'll start with breaking down LTO first.

The Titan8 PWR-S5-4800 shows what that buys you. It's a Group 48/H6 direct-fit at 9.75 lbs — versus 49.97 lbs for the D4800 Group 48 AGM. It puts out 5,000 watts of burst power, 2,000 max amps, 1,000 cranking amps, and holds 240 watt-hours across 20 amp-hours. On top of that, XS Power offers a Four-year warranty on 12-volt Titan8 models. Being that every Titan8 model is comprised of Lithium Titanate Oxide, it's easy to see where the name came from.

Getting back into the specs, the 20 Ah number is the one people get wrong. XS Power publishes a "Pb Eq" figure alongside it — Pb equivalent — because lithium holds voltage under load far better than lead does. The PWR-S5-4800's 20 Ah behaves like 60 Ah of AGM, and its 1,000 CA behaves like 1,500 CA. Compare the equivalent numbers, not the raw ones.

Lithium iron phosphate is more energy dense in comparison to LTO, but each have their place in operation. With XS Power's xMAX-Series products, they are not rated for under-hood use or to be used around heat sources. They have a different resting voltage compared to AGM and Titan8, making mixing with other products more difficult. The benefit of xMAX is the raw power capabilities, with products like xMAX90 offering 20,000 watts of burst power. The energy per dollar is unmatched in comparison.

The rest of the lithium range:

SuperBANKS: Not a Battery at All

This is where most of the confusion lives, so let's be blunt: a SuperBANK is not a battery. It's an ultracapacitor bank. It stores energy electrostatically rather than chemically, which changes everything about what it's good at.

Capacitors have almost no energy capacity. The US1100-31 UltraStart module — a Group 31 supercapacitor starting module rated at 700 CCA and 1,100 amps peak — holds 24 watt-hours. The Titan8 next to it holds 240. The SB75-5 holds 2.34 Wh.

What they do have is the ability to release and reabsorb that energy almost instantly, over and over, effectively forever. The SB1000 delivers a surge to the vehicle's battery as it cranks, then recharges in a matter of seconds, ready to go again. XS Power rates them to more than a million cycles, with a typical service life measured in decades, and they operate from -40°F to 150°F — which is why they shine in cold climates where an AGM cranks slowly.

The range scales by farads and watts:

There are 16V banks too — 430F, 860F, and 1050F — plus loose SuperCELLs like the 33-1200 (2.85V, 3,150 farads) for anyone building a custom bank from scratch.

So Which One?