Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Levoit - Vital 200S | Winix - 5500-2 |
|---|---|---|
| CADR | 380 m³/h | 415 m³/h |
| Coverage | 35 m² | 33 m² |
| Min noise | 23 dB | 27 dB |
| True HEPA H13+ | true | false |
Between the Vital 200S and 5500-2, the Vital 200S comes out ahead in coverage / min noise, while the 5500-2 wins on cadr. Overall, the Vital 200S scores 75.2 and the 5500-2 scores 60.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Vital 200S is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 15.1 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Vital 200S if you care most about coverage / min noise. The biggest gaps in its favor are coverage, min noise, true hepa h13+. The single most decisive one: Coverage — 6.06% more. 35 m² vs 33 m².
Pick the 5500-2 if you care most about cadr. Its strongest claims are cadr. The single most decisive one: CADR — 9.21% more. 415 m³/h vs 380 m³/h.
Both ship with comparable activated carbon, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Vital 200S is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Levoit - Vital 200S or Winix - 5500-2?
Levoit - Vital 200S leads the current Mars Score by 15.1 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare cadr, coverage, true hepa h13+, min noise against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Levoit - Vital 200S if…
Levoit - Vital 200S has the measurable edge on coverage m2, noise db min, has hepa 13.
Choose Winix - 5500-2 if…
Winix - 5500-2 has the measurable edge on cadr m3h.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Levoit - Vital 200S wins
- ▲Coverage — 6.06% more. 35 m² vs 33 m².
- ▲Min noise — 4.00 dB less. 23 vs 27.
- ▲Has True HEPA H13+.
Why Winix - 5500-2 wins
- ▲CADR — 9.21% more. 415 m³/h vs 380 m³/h.
Spec comparison
Performance
| Spec | Levoit - Vital 200S | Winix - 5500-2 |
|---|---|---|
| CADR | 380 m³/h | 415 m³/hlead |
| Coverage | 35 m²lead | 33 m² |
| True HEPA H13+ | truelead | false |
| Activated carbon | true | true |
Smart & Noise
| Spec | Levoit - Vital 200S | Winix - 5500-2 |
|---|---|---|
| Min noise | 23 dBlead | 27 dB |
| Air quality sensor | true | true |
| Smart app | truelead | false |