Canadian Solar Inc review

Canadian Solar Inc - Solar Panel Reviews

4.8

Based on 2130 ratings

Finn's Canadian Solar Inc Panels Review & Verdict

Finn Peacock has been a Chartered Electrical Engineer since 1998, and is ex-CSIRO

Canadian Solar is one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the world.  While none are now made in Canada, some are produced in the United States.  But the ones that end up on our roofs come from China.  They're reliable panels that do exactly what they say on the tin.  They are well supported and warranted in Australia and I'd be happy to have them on my roof.

There's not much more to say. A sensible choice that should sit on your roof for decades churning out the kilowatt-hours and paying for themselves quicker than a more expensive brand. Very often, the boring but sensible choice is the right choice.

Canadian Solar Inc Panels: Pros & Cons

  • A long track record of reliability
  • High efficiency of up to 23.4%
  • Warranty allows partial, non-permanent shading
  • Some panels have better than normal hail resistance and can withstand 35mm or 45mm hail
  • Latest panels have 30 year performance warranties with low permitted rates of deterioration
  • When installed residentially, their TOPHiKu6 panels have a long 25 year product warranty
  • They're not Canadian at all.
  • Few models are offered in an install-friendly width, most are 1130mm or 1300mm wide, making them difficult to handle and easy to damage.

About Canadian Solar Inc

While Canadian Solar started in Canada and has its headquarters there, all their panels are made in China. This isn’t a problem. China produces some quality products, and Canadian Solar panels are among them.

Their panels are supported by an Australian office in Melbourne. Because they are reliable and have a good track record under Australian conditions, we have no problem recommending them.

Canadian Solar Production

In the middle of 2024, Canadian Solar claimed their total panel production was over 133GW. In 2023, they shipped 31GW of solar panels – around the total amount in service in Australia that year. This massive amount was definitely enough to make them one of the world's largest solar manufacturers.

In addition to solar panels, Canadian Solar also produces solar silicon and solar cells.  This makes them a vertically integrated company.  Most production occurs in China, with none currently in Canada. But in October 2024, they opened a 5GW solar panel assembly plant in Texas and intend to open a similar-sized facility in Indiana. But panels arriving in Australia will be Chinese-made.

Company History

In 1987, the founder of Canadian Solar, Shawn Qu, was earning around $7 a week in today's money teaching in China. This is terrible by our standards.  It's even terrible by modern Chinese standards, as the average pay there is now around $160 a week.  But at the time, it was still better than around a billion of his compatriots.

That year, he moved to Canada and studied to obtain a master’s degree in physics. In 2001, he founded Canadian Solar and in 2002 began production in China. It wasn’t until 2011 that they began producing panels in Canada, but they gave up on that years ago, as it wasn't competitive.

Shawn Qu is still CEO of the company. While a Canadian citizen, he spends most of his time in China. I totally get this because Canada is so cold it’s possible to freeze to death in less time than it takes for a bear to find and eat you.

Like most panel manufacturers, Canadian Solar has had its ups and downs. One major setback was in June 2016 when a cell manufacturing plant they owned in Funing was hit by the worst tornado in China in 50 years, killing two, injuring others, and collapsing almost 4 hectares of factory buildings.

Financial Stability

While there’s no guarantee Canadian Solar won’t run into financial difficulties in the future and go bust, leaving customers without warranty support, at the moment they appear to be in a better financial position than most panel manufacturers. In 2020 they were one of the most bankable solar companies on a list composed by BloombergNEF.  If a company is "bankable" it basically means they’re considered unlikely to go belly up any time soon.

Canadian Solar Panels

The Canadian Solar panel series aimed at the home market is the TOPHiKu6. The "TOP" at the start of its name refers to "TOPCon" which is a type of solar cell technology.  When installed on residential roofs in Australia, these panels have a 25-year product warranty. They also all have 30-year performance warranties. There are three main sorts:

  • TOPBiHiKu6 – a bifacial panel
  • TOPHiKu6 – a dual glass monofacial panel
  • TOPHiKu6 (All Black) – an all-black dual glass monofacial panel

Because these are Canadian Solar’s most up-to-date panels and the ones most likely to go on Australian roofs, I’ll give their details below.

To see the technical details of these panels and compare them to others we recommend, check out our Solar Panel Comparison Table.

Dual Glass Panels

All TOPHiKu6 panels are dual glass.  Instead of having a plastic backsheet and a sheet of glass on top, the solar cells are placed between two layers of glass. The TOPBiHiKu6 is bifacial, which means it can use light hitting it from the front and the rear. The other TOPHiKu6 panels are monofacial and can only use light that hits the front.

In a typical rooftop solar installation, panels are mounted only a few centimeters above the roof surface.  This means very little light can get in from the sides to hit the rear of the panel, so using bifacial panes provides little or no benefit. But it doesn’t hurt to use them.

The all black panel has nothing to do with rugby and simply has a black frame and surface.  Some people prefer their appearance.

Dimensions

All TOPHiKu6 panels are 1.13m wide with lengths that vary from 1.72m to 1.96m.  It's now common for panels to be this large, but their size can make installation on rooftops difficult.  Sometimes using smaller panels will allow more panels in total to be installed, allowing for a solar system with higher total capacity.

High Efficiency

In 2024, I'm happy to call any panel with an efficiency of 22% or more "high efficiency." The TOPHiKu6 bifacial panels can be up to 22.8% efficient, so most of them fall into this category. The monofacial ones can be up to 23.4% efficient, but the all black ones can only manage 23%.

Average Heat Tolerance

Solar panels lose efficiency as they get hotter. The average modern panel has its output reduced by around 0.29% for every degree over 25°C. Canadian Solar’s TOPHiKu6 panels lose exactly this amount. This isn’t bad, but it isn’t exceptional these days.

Temporary Shading Is Tolerated

The Canadian Solar installation manual states their panels cannot be located in permanent shade and specifically states that if a panel suffers a defect due to permanent shade, it warranty will be void.  Temporary shading is acceptable. This is important because it’s common for rooftop solar panels to be shaded early and/or late in the day.

Hail Resistance

The hail-resistance of Canadian Solar panels depends on the specific panel type.  Panels are rated to withstand multiple impacts by hail travelling at 23m/s while suffering less than a 5% reduction in output. The width of the hail they can withstand varies:

  • TOPHiKu6 CS6R and CS6.2 can withstand 45mm hail, which is wider than a golf ball.
  • TOPHiKu All Black panels can withstand 35mm hail, which is wider than a 50c coin.
  • TOPHiKu CS6.1 can withstand 25mm hail, which is the width of a $1 coin.

If hail resistance is important to you, check what they’re rated for on their datasheet. As most panels are only rated for 25mm hail, this makes some Canadian Solar panels much more resistant than average.

Seaside Installation May Be OK

Canadian Solar panels are certified as corrosion-resistant, but for locations near the sea, they recommend anti-corrosion measures be taken during installation and recommend contacting them for more information if required.

15° Tilt Recommended

So rain can effectively wash them clean, Canadian Solar recommends panels be installed at a tilt of at least 15°.  Usually, panels with at least 10° tilt will be adequately cleaned by rain alone.  But at a tilt less than this they may need regular cleaning.

Performance Warranty

Performance warranties promise panel output won’t deteriorate over time by more than a set amount. The TOPHiKu6 panels all have 30-year performance warranties. They allow for up to 1% decline in their first year and then a 0.4% decline from their original rating in each subsequent year. While there are other modern panels with similar performance warranties, it’s still very good.

Product Warranty

The product warranty covers defects in panel materials and manufacture. If a panel stops working for no external reason, it should be covered by its product warranty. When installed residentially, TOPHiKu6 panels have 25-year product warranties.

Warranty Procedure

If you have a problem with your panels, you should first contact your installer. But if they’re no longer around you can make a warranty claim directly from Canadian Solar. Their customer service number in Australia is 03 8609 1844.  Affected customers should contact this line for assistance and advice on how to arrange for panel replacement under warranty.

We Recommend Canadian Solar Panels

In the SolarQuotes 2024 Installers Choice Awards, Canadian Solar panels took third place for Best Value Solar Panels. In the 2022 Installer’s Choice Awards, they also took third place in the same category in a tie with QCELLS. This indicates that installers like them.  Canadian Solar produces reliable solar panels and – provided you get the right ones – have long product and performance warranties when installed residentially. As they’re well supported in Australia, we have no problem recommending them.

If you have Canadian Solar panels and would like to let people know what you think of them, please feel free to leave a review. The information will be appreciated.

Canadian Solar Inc has 20 solar panels in our database

Filter by:

Type of solar panel 
Wattage 
Panel Efficiency 
Approx. Cost/Watt 
Model number
Series
Wattage
Panel efficiency (%)
Approx Cost per Watt AUD Retail incl GST
Approx cost per panel AUD Retail incl GST
Panel technology
Country of manufacture
CS3N-400MS
HiKu Mono (132)
400 W
19.7%
$0.38
$158
Monocrystalline
China
CS3N-405MS
HiKu Mono (132)
405 W
19.9%
$0.38
$158
Monocrystalline
China
CS3N-410MS
HiKu Mono (132)
410 W
20.2%
$0.38
$158
Monocrystalline
China
CS3N-415MS
HiKu Mono (132)
415 W
20.4%
$0.38
$158
Monocrystalline
China
CS3N-420MS
HiKu Mono (132)
420 W
20.7%
$0.38
$158
Monocrystalline
China
CS3N-425MS
HiKu Mono (132)
425 W
20.9%
$0.38
$158
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-415HAG
HiHero
415 W
21.3%
$0.42
$184
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-420HAG
HiHero
420 W
21.5%
$0.42
$184
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-425HAG
HiHero
425 W
21.8%
$0.42
$184
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-430HAG
HiHero
430 W
22.0%
$0.42
$184
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-435HAG
HiHero
435 W
22.3%
$0.42
$184
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-440HAG
HiHero
440 W
22.5%
$0.42
$184
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-395MS
HiKu 6
395 W
20.2%
$0.34
$140
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-400MS
HiKu 6
400 W
20.5%
$0.34
$140
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-405MS
HiKu 6
405 W
20.7%
$0.34
$140
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-410MS
HiKu 6
410 W
21.0%
$0.34
$140
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-415MS
HiKu 6
415 W
21.3%
$0.34
$140
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-420MS
HiKu 6
420 W
21.7%
$0.34
$140
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-415T
TOPHiKu 6
415 W
21.3%
$0.32
$140
Monocrystalline
China
CS6R-440T
TOPHiKu 6
440 W
22.5%
$0.32
$140
Monocrystalline
China

 

Canadian Solar Inc Reviews (2130)

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  • 5 star 1697
  • 4 star 397
  • 3 star 24
  • 2 star 4
  • 1 star 8

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Had 10 kW Canadian Solar panels installed almost 7 years ago with 2 x SMA SunnyBoy inverters. Both components of this solar array seem to be pretty much bullet proof.
The system is producing around 13,000 kW per year, down from 14,000 kW per year initially.
Very happy with this system. It paid for itself in approx 3 years.
We had not received a power bill until just recently, following the recent increases in power prices, and we are now planning to add batteries.

System Cost

$10,000 to $12,500

System Size

10kW

Installed By

The 25 year manufacturer warranty and the 25 year performance warranty on the product is a major confidence reassurance and this is what influenced our decision to choose Canadian Solar panels.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$10,000 to $12,500

System Size

10kW

Installed By

From what I can see these panels work great, we had Canadian panels in our last home with great reliability so I’m looking for a repeat from these new panels.

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

5kW

Installed By

Again, we went with Canadian Solar due to the high ratings. We got the flameless model as the panels are installed onto a flat roof making water run off more efficient acting on the advice from Solar Wholesalers.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

8kW

Installed By

DC optimizers that come with Canadian solar has been very helpful with shading on two of my panels helping me get the most out of each and every panel on my roof.

Inverter Brand

Solaredge

System Cost

$6,000 to $10,000

System Size

5kW

Installed By

They look great and seem to perform well, even as the sun is coming up and going down.
Goliath took the time to position my panels so they would catch sun at all times of the day.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$8,000 to $10,000

System Size

13kW

Installed By

We have been generating quite limited solar energy during the winter months (e.g. ~0.4MWh total during June), which is probably to be expected. However, we were told they were very high efficiency so I had naively hoped to maintain reasonable production during this time!

Inverter Brand

SolarEdge

System Cost

$10,000 to $12,500

System Size

10kW

Installed By

Because there is an export limit to the grid, we haven’t actually used the full amount of power available to us from the panels yet, but we’re looking forward to the warmer months when we should be able to run all aircons and appliances directly from the sun.

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

More than $20,000

System Size

13kW

Installed By

Canadian solar have worked very efficiently and so far have no complaints

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

More than $20,000

System Size

10kW

Installed By

The number of panels installed were fewer than I have had previously, and the size of the system was slightly bigger, because of improvements in technology. Right from the start I've had 99% efficiency at peak times.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

4kW

Installed By

Canadian Solar - TOPHiKu6 440w N-Type (CS6R-440T) TOPCon Tech S0923

Inverter Brand

Enphase

System Cost

More than $20,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

An incentive was offered by Go Green Energy for this review. Learn more here.

We have't paid a power bill as yet, and it appears that this won't happen. At the moment we are using an air conditioner and clothes drier most every day and the solar panels account for this usage.

The only time I contacted Go Green was to get his recommendation for a solar panel cleaner.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$8,000 to $10,000

System Size

9kW

Installed By

Our 8kW of panels are split over the east and west faces of our roof. (The north face is too small for the array size we have.) The east bank get us off grid in the morning very early in the sun's travel, and the west-facing panels keep us off grid until just before sunset for almost all our electrical loading.

In the middle of the day, neither set of panels is generating full power, but because the total array power exceeds the (6kW) inverter capacity, the inverter is running at full power for a major part of the day, which would not happen if the panels were all concentrated on one side of the roof.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6kW

Installed By

The Solar Wholesaler solar panel report also provided the estimated system efficiency and energy output for each month of the year. Currently, the power generation from the solar panels is within the range as per the report provided.

However, it has only been 3 weeks since my system was installed. Time will tell.

Inverter Brand

SolarEdge

System Cost

$8,000 to $10,000

System Size

10kW

Installed By

Neil finished on a very overcast day and I was surprised of the power that was generated
Since I've had solar, My bill comes monthly. First couple bills had small amount to pay but after about 3rd month haven'tplayed cent, have been in credit for approximately $230 each time.
Happy even times when weather wet for most month no bill and have been using air-conditioning more

Inverter Brand

SMA

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

The Canadian panels are still clean and usually generating the full 5.05kw from the installed 6kw system.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Appears to be working to specifications



Not impressed that your web site has recommended a business that was travelling so close to the wind.
Will not recommend your service in the future.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Newest Canadian panels, so less on the roof,

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$10,000 to $12,500

System Size

10kW

Installed By

Seems industry standard, all quotes used Canadian panels. I’m happy with them

Inverter Brand

Goodwe

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Can't really comment on the quality of the panels, they are still on the roof, that's a good thing. The overall performance of teh system is pretty bad but no idea if that's down to the panels or the inverters

Inverter Brand

Delta

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

The panels are working fine so far , I run an 8 KW system , 5 Kw to the feed in , . The 8 allows . quicker start up , I have panels on three sides East ,North ,West or close enough to. I try to select what time or days that i need more power. Hotwater system runs when i turn it on not off peak . A good System , i am quite happy with it so far. hoping it keeps working top grade for years to come . even with a cold winter and price rises on the way i still believe the system will keep in front .

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

8kW

Installed By

Very pleased we went with an East/West configuration on our roof as they start producing quite early in the morning & continue producing early into the evening. Much longer than our previous system.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

They produce enough power on a very cloudy rainy day to charge my batteries and provide power to the house the grid is turned off until the new meter is installed

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

$15,000 to $20,000

System Size

5kW

Installed By

The cost of our system was increased by the need to upgrade our supply cable from the street, and upgrade our meter box.Those extra costs were clearly explained to us before installation.There were no surprises.

Inverter Brand

SolarEdge

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Happy with the panels. All black and sits clean on my roof. Also too early to tell in regards to reliability. I do get 25 year product warranty and performance warranty so I do hope it lives up to it's marketing

Inverter Brand

Growatt

System Cost

$2,000 to $4,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Again, after 2 and half weeks they are working well

For 12 months they have been very efficiently using the sun to our advantage. on clear days we always hit 5kw and on cloudy days, they still catch a certain amount of energy. Very happy.

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

$2,000 to $4,000

System Size

5kW

Installed By

Great performance from the Canadian Solar Inc panels and Sungrow Inverter.
The digital app is very informative and easy to use.

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

1 year on and we have had no issues with our panels at all and they continue to generate efficiently, maxing out the capacity of the converter regularly during the typical times.

They have also held up against a number of storms with relatively small hail recently, not sustaining any damage.

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

10kW

Installed By

The App connected to this solar and battery system works well. Rated the panels as good and not fantastic only because research will tell you where they fit into the overall range.

System Cost

$15,000 to $20,000

System Size

8kW

Installed By

Ergon energy finally allowed a feedin tarrif connection after they found that they had infact already upgraded the local transformer on the grid. Several performance and other factors to be reviewed.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

High performance 370W panels are very sensitive to sunlight. Great see the inverter hit maximum output power with the rising sunshine.

Now mid winter, the 18 panels generate a peak of 4.9 to 5kW of energy. On a sunny day, the panels will fully charge our PowerWall battery by midday.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$15,000 to $20,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

We are already impressed by the amount of power our 7.7kW system produces and even on cloudy June days we are usually self sufficient and exporting back to the grid.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

7kW

Installed By

I’ve actually got 6.3kw, getting 32 - 33kwh on a nice day going into Winter.
Electricity used to be $7 - $8 per day, down to about $3 now, can’t wait for Summer.

Inverter Brand

Goodwe

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

6kW

Installed By

Panels are fixed in a professional way, without any damage on my property. I always recommending my friends to approach them. As they are very genuine and good in deal. They are so promised people.
Happy to continue with them for a Long term.

Inverter Brand

SolaX Power

System Cost

$2,000 to $4,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

I'd like to think these panels weren't made in China but then they probably were. My research reveals they are supposed to be a reasonably good quality, good performing panel but I guess time will tell.

Update: I am disappointed in the performance of these panels as they are not generating the amount of electricity I thought they would. I'm not sure if there is a problem with them or if it's just because of inclement weather but I am still getting electricity bills that are not that much improved on what I used to get pre-installation of this system.

Inverter Brand

SMA

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

7kW

Installed By

I'm very happy with our solar panels - usually running at around 4.5kW. Our last 2 power bills over Spring and Summer have both been in credit. Our annual power cost is about $200!

Inverter Brand

Sofar 3ph (Other)

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Some of the panels I have are working fine but others are really underperforming with 3 of 18 only producing 75% of the norm produced by the others. I don not see there to be shading problems and they have a west orientation which is match by 5 others in the system and yet they are not producing.

Inverter Brand

SolarEdge

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

The panels are the latest 365Kw models, slightly larger than the 300's apparently but well made with additional reinforcing with black surrounds. They face WNW but start generating power at 8.00 am in the morning (winter) before they even have direct sunlight on them.

Over summer I ended up producing up to 40Kw daily, so exporting up to 30 Kw at times so very happy. Over the last Qtr I got a $65 Credit from Red Energy with a FiT of 11c pkw.

Inverter Brand

Huawei

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Producing nicely considering the poor weather we have had since install date.
1 Year on and still very happy with the panels... They stay very clean and appear like new after rain. System is producing super results and so pleased that had Green Wiring install another system at our business premises.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

I'm happy with the performance and reliability of my Canadian Solar Inc panels

Inverter Brand

Guangdong East Power

System Cost

$2,000 to $4,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

These panels have been working superbly since installation. On a good (Spring) day, our 7kWh panels can pull in excess of 40kWh. The output per panel is also good as we only needed 19 panels for our 7kWh system.

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

7kW

Installed By

Panels are performing well but, during install, the installers did not let me know that some of the panels would be in part shade during part of the day, they should have discussed it with me before and we could have decided on a better location, there was a lack of comunication between installers and myself, until after the the system had been installed.

Inverter Brand

Solaredge

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

5kW

Installed By

Old one was Canadian, well established brand, old one lived through hail storms, got to be good enough.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

13kW

Installed By

Been using Canadian only since 6 years ago. never had an issue, so the new one ofcourse going to be the same.

Inverter Brand

Fronius

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

13kW

Installed By

Again, these have only been installed for a few weeks but the performance seems good and each panel has very similar output each day. Like the 370W panels because I need less space on the roof. So far so good.

Inverter Brand

Solaredge

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6.6kW

Installed By

Again the panels are probably fine but because Infinity Energy hid the monitoring software from me I have no idea how long I had the issue the the problem panel.

Inverter Brand

Solaredge

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

3kW

Installed By

We have the Canadian Solar panels with black surround and they look great

Inverter Brand

Solaredge

System Cost

$6,000 to $8,000

System Size

6kW

Installed By

Panels are canadian solar

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Size

5kW

Installed By

They look good.

I think the installer set them too close to my gutter, I'm going to have to get them moved when I install my patio roof... which is unfortunate...

Inverter Brand

Sungrow

System Cost

$8,000 to $10,000

System Size

1.5kW

Installed By

So glad that we went for a big system and covered the whole of our top roof as we have the added bonus of it shading the roof and now the top floor doesn’t get anywhere near as hot in summer.

Inverter Brand

Shenzen Sofar Solar

System Cost

$4,000 to $6,000

System Size

8kW

Installed By

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