Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

If you’re looking for a powerful Dyson vac for your home, you may have already noticed their battery-powered stick vacuums, which combine lightweight cleaning and portability with powerful Dyson motors. But there are quite a few versions of these cordless vacs. We’re taking a look at two popular models, the Cyclone v8 and the Cyclone v10, less expensive (although Dyson vacs tend to be on the high end) models that are ideal for smaller rooms or spaces. These two vacuum cleaners may look similar, but there are differences you should know. Here’s how they stack up.

While both are slim stick vacs that can transform into handhelds, the v8 and the v10 have noticeably different designs, due mostly to the motor upgrade of the v10. The v8 uses a Dyson digital motor that spins up to 110,000 rpm for powerful suction, but it’s noticeably bulky at the top thanks to the large canister integrated into the handle. The v10 uses an upgraded digital motor with 14 cyclones to generate even more suction, and the design has been slimmed down for easier handling and storage.

The revamped motor also means that the v10 is generally better at picking up debris. There isn’t much difference in cleaner heads either, as both models sport the Motorbar head, as well as the Fluffy head and a number of other accessories, which means the v10’s motor is the significant difference here.

The Dyson v8 has two power modes: a Powerful mode to save on energy and a Max mode for increasing suction at the cost of battery life. But the v10 upgrades this to three modes with clearer purposes. There’s a low-suction mode to maximize battery life, a medium/automatic mode for regular cleaning, and a Max mode for tackling especially dirty areas. It’s a notable improvement.

The v8 model uses a six-cell battery designed to deliver up to 40 minutes of cleaning power — with the understanding that this can vary a lot based on the cleaning mode you choose. The v10 upgrades this with a seven-cell nickel-cobalt-aluminum battery designed to last up to 60 minutes — notably more cleaning time. Once again, it’s an easy decision about which is the best.

The Dyson v8 weighs 5.51 pounds, while the Dyson v10 weighs 5.71 pounds. Obviously, this will vary depending on the type of attachments you are using and other factors, but when it comes to lifting the vacuum to clean sofas, drapes, etc., the v8 is slightly easier to handle than the v10.

Noise is always a consideration when vacuuming, especially if you plan to vacuum frequently or have sensitive ears. Research has shown that the v8 and the v10 are pretty similar. In low-power modes, they are similar — around 62 to 64 decibels. Switching to the Max mode increases the difference a bit, as the v8 is around 74 decibels and the v10 is around 79 decibels.

Keep in mind, at the higher levels, that’s very loud — Dyson motors are powerful, but they’re always noisy, even with the tightly sealed designs. A few decibels higher for the v10, and we would start recommending earplugs. But if you are interested in a quieter experience, the v8 is slightly better in this regard.

Dyson offers its stick vacs in a couple of packages, which typically switch around the included accessories. This can be an important choice if you want to get a kit tailored to your cleaning needs (lots of pet hair, both hard flooring and carpet, etc.). Keep in mind, many attachments are compatible with both the Cyclone v8 and v10, so you wouldn’t need to have separate attachments like two Motorheads for each vacuum — that may be important if you’re thinking about upgrading your current Dyson.

The v8 comes as a standard model without any additional accessories, as well as an Absolute model that contains a full package with an additional Fluffy cleaner head for hard floors and eight attachments for various use cases. Both these options are still available, and Dyson doesn’t appear to have discontinued the v8 at this time.

The v10 is a bit different. It offers an Animal version with a selection of accessories tailored to homes for pets, like a hair screw tool, and an Absolute version that comes with all available attachments. That gives you a bit more customization than the v8, although since you can buy your own attachments, there’s not a lot of difference here.

Dyson vacs can be pricey suction monsters, and if you want to save money, you may need to sacrifice some features for a lower price, so let’s take a look.

Dyson Cyclone v8 packages have a list price of $449.99 and $499.99, depending on what you choose. The Cyclone v10’s list prices are $549.99 and $599.99. That’s about a $100 difference between the models, which could be significant if you want to save as much money as possible.

Even at $100 less, the v8 can’t really compare to the v10, which comes with a significantly upgraded battery life, motor, cleaning modes, and more. Stick with the v10 and look for discounts or deals if possible.

Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.