Cat 250 vs Case SR270B

Caterpillar

Cat 250

$66,000

4.5★ (140)

Case

$66,000

4.3★ (170)

Quick take: The Case SR270B has a higher rated operating capacity (2,700 vs 2,689 lbs); the Case SR270B has more engine power (90 vs 74 hp).

✓The 2,689 lb rated operating capacity essentially matches the bigger 262D3 it helps replace, so buyers get medium-frame lifting numbers in a lighter, cheaper package.
✓At 7,829 lbs it tows comfortably on a standard 10k equipment trailer with attachments, a practical advantage owners highlight over the heavier 260 and every CTL.
✓The new C2.8T holds its 74 hp across a wide RPM band with a big torque gain over the old D3 engines, and operators say it lugs through pushing and grading work without the constant downshifting feel.
✓The sealed, pressurized one-piece cab filters out dust and drops noise dramatically - rental operators note even first-time users comment on how quiet it is.
✓The 124-inch bucket pin height is 3 inches taller than the outgoing machines, enough to clear the sideboards on most tandem dump trucks.
✓No DEF system thanks to the sub-75 hp rating means one less consumable and no SCR sensors to fail, a real reliability plus for high-hour fleet duty.
✓Factory High Flow-ready plumbing means the 30 GPM upgrade is an enablement rather than a retrofit, so the machine can grow into hungrier attachments later.
✓The 8-inch touchscreen, rearview camera, and standard Product Link telematics bring fleet-management features to a price class where competitors still charge extra.

✗Standard auxiliary flow is 20 GPM versus 23 GPM on the old 262D3, so some attachments that ran fine on the D3 need the High Flow enablement on the 250.
✗The next-gen price premium is real - it lists thousands above the equivalent outgoing D3, and budget buyers note Bobcat's S66 and Case's SR-series undercut it.
✗Wheeled machines still can't follow CTLs onto soft or muddy ground, and buyers in wet climates increasingly skip straight to the 255 despite the higher price.
✗As the smallest of the new wheeled line it shares its frame with the 260, so it gives up capacity to its sibling while costing only moderately less - several reviewers call the 260 the better value.
✗Early-production software glitches with the touchscreen and displays showed up across the next-gen line, and fixes require a dealer visit rather than an owner reset.
✗The electronics-rich platform makes DIY troubleshooting harder than the D3s, effectively increasing dependence on Cat dealer service at whatever rates they charge.
✗The used market hasn't established residuals for the new series yet, making lease-end and trade-in values a guess compared to the deeply documented D3 machines.
✗Optioning it up with XPS hydraulics, premium seat, and advanced display erodes the price advantage that makes the 250 attractive in the first place.

✓The 90 hp FPT's 282 lb-ft of torque is the most of any B-series Case, and operators say it pushes and digs with machines well above its weight class.
✓The enhanced high-flow option delivers 35 GPM at 4,000 psi, enabling cold planers and rock saws that standard 3,050 psi systems can't run properly.
✓Radial geometry with up to 8,677 lbs of breakout force makes it a true excavating machine - the pick of the big Cases for below-grade work.
✓The DPF-free DOC/SCR emissions package means no regen cycles ever, just DEF top-offs, which owners prefer to particulate-filter headaches.
✓The heavy-duty hydraulic coupler comes standard, so attachment swaps are done from the seat.
✓Case's wide cab, big door, and low entry point are consistently praised by operators spending full days in the machine.
✓The 8,117 lb operating weight gives it a planted, stable feel pushing heavy piles that lighter mid-frames can't match.
✓It undercuts a comparable 90 hp Bobcat S86 or Cat 270 build on price while matching them on standard flow.

✗Unlike the 74 hp B-series machines, the 90 hp engine needs SCR - so you're buying, storing, and dosing DEF, plus risking dosing-system faults.
✗Radial lift limits dump height and reach at full lift, so buyers loading tall trucks all day are better served by the SV280B or SV340B.
✗Case's dealer network is thinner than Bobcat's, Cat's, or Deere's, and parts delays are the most common ownership complaint.
✗Resale trails the big three, so the purchase-price advantage narrows over the ownership cycle.
✗B-series electrical and sensor gremlins - especially the operator-presence system - show up regularly in owner forums.
✗At over 8,100 lbs it demands a heavy trailer and at least a 3/4-ton truck, adding real transport cost for small outfits.
✗Enhanced high-flow, ride control, and cab upgrades are pricey options that push a loaded unit into large-frame Bobcat money.
✗The 2,700 lb rated capacity trails the cheaper vertical-lift SV280B by 100 lbs, so pure material handlers get better value elsewhere in the lineup.