In my opinion (and I have used ALL of these types):
- Rigid panels, with topsheets of shock-resistant glass, are by far the best. Lifespan maybe 20-30 years, unless catastrophic impact damage occurs. (These are generally replaced by newer and more efficient panels for efficiency reasons, and not because they actually wore out.)
- Newer Technology "shingled panels are second best. I have an EXPECTANCY for lifespan of 6-12 years on RVs, (not enough experience yet, because they are far too new - although none of the panels which I have installed has yet failed). They're superior to other "semi-flexible" types because the plastic top sheets vary in thickness from extremely thick (in the "valleys" between cell edges") down to a pretty thick "moderately thick" at the ridges of cell edges. The shingled cells also provide great additional strength between cells and resistance to cracking between adjacent cells where they are shingled on top of each other. HOWEVER, the quality of lower sheet wiring is not necessary any better than a traditional thin panel - this is where a frequently bending mounting surface or improper mounting might allow them to die younger.
- In my limited experience, old-style CIGS panels have had an advantage in lifespan advantage over old-style multi-celled panels. 3-8 years, depending on the mounting surface. (I always work on RV and Trailer roofs, they are ALL somewhat unstable and flexible.)
- At the very bottom in expected lifespan, multi-celled thin-silicone panels. The cells themselves are THIN and WEAK, highly prone to cracking microscopically and macroscopically (taking an out an entire diode string when one dies completely.) The top sheet is always done thin and cheap, with very limited strength - doing virtually nothing for the cells underneath. The bottom wiring is less reliable than shingled cell designs, and with weak structure above - this is where they usually die. They get only about 2-4 years average lifespan on an RV, depending on the stability of the mounting surface and relative quality of the panels.
Slightly thicker is almost always better. Even without considering the vastly inflated watts (which are impossible with the surface area of that panel, and its small number of cells) - this super thin "old-style" non-shingled panel is about
as bad a choice as its possible to buy. "PTFE" might sound nice, but at a TOTAL thickness of only .3 mm, there's only about 1/3 as much thickness as i currently want to use (with shingled panels). Thickness makes strength, and the "shingled" cell layout makes them even stronger than the nominal thickness.