How loud is this saw by comparison to a regular chainsaw? Is this quite enough to run outside a home in the early morning?

My mother didn't flinch when I started it...without warning...in her living room...just a few feet away. No joke. It's THAT quiet. It sounds almost lovely, compared to the racket of traditional gas-powered saws.

the chain is the noise, no engine noise

Quiet enough that a person across the yard can't hear it running. A person in the house would not hear it running either.

The difference in the noise level is HUGE! The Kobalt motor is practically noiseless and when not under load and at full power, the most noise comes from the friction of the chain on the blade. When you put it under load the chipping of the wood makes more noise than the saw itself. I do not use ear protection with the Kobalt Cordless Chainsaw, I do with my gas powered saw. As for using in the early morning, you'd have to judge that for yourself. If there is any construction going on in your neighborhood, the builders will be louder than the chainsaw cutting limbs or trees. But you may also have grumpy neighbors that you would not want to give an excuse to complain to the neighborhood association. Frankly, I would not hesitate to take my Kobalt Chainsaw out at 6:00 or 7:00 AM and start cutting limbs and trees down. Some of my neighbors have trucks whose tuned exhaust systems make more noise than my chainsaw.

There is no comparison in my opinion. I love this saw for that very reason. It is quiet and much better for the environment that a traditional chain saw. Don't get me wrong it makes noise, but it is not loud.