I tested the SMC HCL-HP LiPo battery to find out whether this budget-friendly pack could compete with the popular CNHL 5200mAh 90C under the same 105A load conditions. It’s a 4S 5000mAh 80C pack priced at $46.95, which makes it of the least expensive packs I’ve put through my standardized IR and load tests. The big question was whether the low price would mean budget performance — or whether this would be the surprise of the season.
What Makes It Unique
The HCL-HP combines long cycle life chemistry with high discharge performance. HCL-HP literally stands for High Cycle Life, High Performance. “Budget” packs usually sacrifice high performance.
Another advantage is SMC’s connector customization. You can get multiple different connector options for your pack when you order from SMC. I tested mine with an SC5 connector (compatible with EC5/IC5), making the comparison to the CNHL pack fair and direct.
Internal Resistance (IR)
The average IR measured 1.6 mΩ per cell, which placed the calculated continuous rating at 27.44C and 143A maximum continuous current using my LiPo calculator. Those numbers don’t break IR records, but they are excellent for this price point and more than enough to support the 105A test.
Load Test
The pack passed the full 105A discharge without overheating or triggering thermal cutoff. Voltage reached the cutoff point first, not temperature, which confirms the pack can sustain 105A for the entire usable duration.
Total usable capacity reached 4977mAh vs 4682mAh on the CNHL, making the HCL-HP the new record holder for the highest delivered capacity on a 5000/5200-class pack on my channel. We also have a 5800mAh pack that was tested and did not achieve what the SMC HCL-HP pack could.
It also beat CNHL in mAh to 3.5V and time to 3.5V while the CNHL edged ahead only in average wattage per cell and mAh to 3.60V.
The differences were small, and the SMC’s mAh total is the standout metric — you can be past 4800mAh discharged, still pull full throttle at 100A, and the car won’t hit voltage cutoff until ~4977mAh.
Practical Applications
This battery is ideal for:
- Bashers who want strong output without paying premium prices
- Racers and drag setups that need full-throttle power but want budget packs.
- RC enthusiasts who want to get many cycles out of their packs but also decent performance and pricing.
If you typically choose CNHL for the “best budget performance,” this pack proves there’s real competition now.
Final Thoughts
The SMC HCL-HP LiPo battery shocked me. I expected a decent value pack, not a record-breaking runtime under heavy load. It keeps costs low, offers connector flexibility, and delivers more usable capacity than any 5000–5800mAh battery I’ve tested so far. For anyone with a performance budget under $50, this is now the pack to beat.
If you’d like full access to the raw data and comparison sheets from my battery tests, consider joining my Patreon community. Tier 1 members get access to the same RC LiPo calculator used in these reviews.