I haven't found that to be the case.
@Honyuk96 would probably say the same thing. They are good little saws, but I dont consider them in the same class as the 550mk2/5105(about the same weight/power as each other), and the 550mk1/261, of which the 550 is a little lower on power, which makes the 261 a better one saw plan(if that's what someone needs. With a muffler mod the echos do wake up nicely, but I'd still rather have the dolmar/husky or stihl. Personally I'd rather have the husky 450 than the echo 4910, and the 450 is a plastic cased saw, it starts, and handles better for me.
The easiest to start 50cc saws are the dolmar 5105 and the husky 550.
Some 261's start well, while others it's 6-8 pulls if they've been sitting, about the same as the echo.
Primer bulb saws rock when they've been sitting a bit, 2-3 pulls and running.
I still want to run the new echo 7310, haven't had my hands on one yet, all I've heard is good though.