Unitree's R1: The $5,900 Humanoid Robot Pushing Boundaries in Affordability and Capability

China's Unitree Offers a Humanoid Robot for Under $6,000

Unitree Robotics is marketing one of the world's first humanoid robots for under $6,000, drastically reducing the entry price for what's expected to grow into a whole wave of versatile AI machines for the workplace and home. The startup, among the frontrunners in Chinese robotics, on Friday announced its R1 bot with a starting price of 39,900 yuan (or $5,900). The machine weighs just 25kg and has 26 joints, the company said in a video posted to WeChat. It's equipped with multimodal artificial intelligence that includes voice and image recognition.

Unitree's $5,900 humanoid robot flips, fights, and holds conversations

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? Elon Musk has long said he envisions a world where every household has a humanoid robot, but one of several factors preventing this scenario from becoming a reality is the machines' price. But with Unitree's R1, the cost of entry into this sci-fi world has been lowered. The R1, from Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics, is four foot tall, has 26 joints, and weighs around 55 pounds. Much like the humanoid robots of Boston Dynamics, the R1 can perform some impressive acrobatics. The company's video shows it doing cartwheels and handstands. It also appears quite adept at boxing and martial arts, is able to dance (another favorite hobby of Boston Dynamics' machines), and can run - or at least jog. Consumer humanoid robots like the R1 tend to carry weighty price tags, but the R1 sells for $5,900. For comparison, Unitree's own G1 is one of the cheaper models at $16,000, while its H1 is a massive $90,000. Figure AI has the Figure 02, which is a little more than $30,000. The R1 can do more than physical tricks. It boasts binocular vision and LLM-powered voice and image identification capabilities. It also comes with integrated Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. While the video only shows the R1's agility, the robot is able to respond to voice commands and hold basic conversations. The message at the end of the clip reads: "Movement first, tasks as well (A diversity of movement is the foundation for completing tasks)." The video promises that buyers can customize their robots, too. It seems Unitree is a fan of 2011's Real Steel movie. The company held what it calls the first-ever humanoid robot combat competition, though it looks more like two tiny metal children clumsily flailing their limbs at each other. There are also some confusing and frankly ominous warnings in the video. "Currently, the global humanoid robot industry is in the early stages of exploration. Individual users are strongly advised to thoroughly understand the limitations of humanoid robots before making a purchase," reads a message at the end. "The humanoid robot has a complex structure and extremely powerful power. Users are asked to keep a sufficient safe distance between the humanoid robot and the humanoid robot. Please use with caution." That second part of that warning brings to mind an incident that happened in May. A video was circulated on social media that appeared to show Unitree's H1 robot going berserk on a factory floor, almost injuring workers in the process. While the R1 is certainly a long way from the Detroit: Become Human-style home helper robots, the fact it costs under $6,000 illustrates how much cheaper this technology is becoming, which could lead to more advanced, mass produced models sooner than we predicted.

You Can Buy This Cartwheeling Humanoid Robot for Less Than Two Apple Vision Pros

The Unitree R1 costs as much as a high-end e-bike, and you can make it fight for you. “Dance for me, robot," you scream at your mechanical servant from your gilded throne. "Now flip for me, robot. Fight for me, robot.†That's the future that China-based robotics maker Unitree is offering with surprisingly dexterous bots like the new R1 model. It is nearly as tall as a human, has decals and a mask that remind me of a scaled-up Power Rangers action figure, and is built with AI voice recognition and the ability to do flips. Even with all that, the real surprise is the cost. The Unitree R1 is only $5,900. If that still seems expensive, know that it's actually less than the cost of two $3,500 Apple Vision Pros. The R1 is built with both image and voice recognition AI, according to Unitree. Beyond that, the model is built with a “movement-first design†for “dynamic, lifelike mobility.†You can witness the robot's dexterity in a video posted by the company on Friday. The machine can do handstands and cartwheels, punch at the air, and sprint over level ground. It’s enough to make me envious of the machine’s athleticism, although it doesn’t seem to come with any fine finger dexterity, so at least the robots won’t be taking my number one spot as king of the high-fives. We’ve seen other Unitree humanoid and dog-shaped robots in the field, though only in carefully contained demos controlled by an engineer sitting somewhere off to the side. The R1 costs nearly half of the company’s previous consumer-end human-shaped bot, the G1. The new design is also far lighter than the previous model, clocking in at 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds, compared to the G1’s 77 pounds. If you’re looking for specifics, Unitree told us the robot has 26 total joints, with six in each leg, two in the waist, five in each arm, and two in the head. Despite that, the R1 isn’t built to become your robo butler. The device is still mostly there for prototyping and testing. That certainly won’t stop people from forming their own robot boxing leagues to try and reenact the 2011 movie Real Steel starring Hugh Jackman. Untiree already hosted a fisticuffs tournament with its G1 models earlier this year. Perhaps we won’t have to wait long for a bot with a screw loose after taking a shiner to the silicon. There’s no R1 listing on the company’s store page just yet, so maybe you should cool your jets before dropping close to $6,000 on a new robot. More than pushing a future where the robots fight off the inevitable return of Rita Repulsa, it establishes how far ahead Unitree is compared to the U.S.-based competition. Elon Musk’s Tesla is still working to pump out a consumer-end humanoid robot called Optimus. Tesla has tried to promote its bot as a real-life Rosey from the Jetsons. They’ve had the bot pouring drinks and cleaning dishware, though at a very slow pace and with a human controller standing off-screen. Tesla claimed it plans to produce 5,000 Optimus bots by the end of 2025, but that’s looking less likely every day. A new report from The Information states that more than halfway into the year, Tesla has only created a few hundred bots after reportedly halting production in mid-June. Musk recently claimed Tesla will have Optimus gen 3 prototypes available by the end of the year, and then it will scale production. Even if it follows throughâ€"which seems less likely considering ongoing staffing and resource issues cited by Fast Companyâ€"the robot will likely be nowhere near as cheap as Unitree’s bot and its cartwheeling, karate-chop action.

What is Unitree's new $6,000 humanoid robot good for?

The R1 is 4 ft tall and weighs just 55 lb, so it can't do a whole lot - but it's great for robotics research and automation training projects Chinese robotics firm Unitree has launched the R1, its most affordable humanoid robot, at a shockingly low asking price of US$5,900. It's hard to fathom that you can now get a walking, command-obeying machine that costs less than one of Leica's Q3 enthusiast-grade cameras. The R1 measures just below 4 ft (1,210 mm) in height, weighs about 55 lb (25 kg), and has a total of 26 joints. It's good for about an hour of activity on a single charge of its internal battery, supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and of course, features a camera, mics, and speakers for communication. With all those joints and a relatively low weight, this humanoid is plenty flexible. You can see what appears to be a visualization of its athletic capabilities below (it might be actual footage, but I just can't be sure and we've written to ask). While the movements above are indeed impressive, it's worth noting the R1 is missing a couple of key things: hands. Unlike Unitree's more advanced humanoids, the R1 doesn't have dexterous mitts that can grip and manipulate objects. Between the lack of paws, the relatively low battery life, and its short height, the R1 isn't going to be very useful out of the box. Don't expect to power it on and immediately have it do your laundry and dishes, and take out the trash. What it is good for right now, though, is research and education. By that I mean that scientists are using it to test what they can train robots to do with their algorithms and AI models, and also testing the capabilities and reliability of these robots as they're programmed to perform various tasks in industrial settings. For example, automaker Geely is trialing a Unitree robot on its assembly line to see how it can assist with vehicle production. Whichever way you slice it, it's still amazing that you can buy a functioning humanoid robot with these specs at this price already. For reference, Unitree's general-purpose H1 robot that can climb stairs and do backflips costs $90,000, while the lower-end G1 comes in at $16,000. Tesla's hotly anticipated Optimus is expected to land somewhere between $20,000 - $30,000. So what's remarkable here is that in this early adoption phase, the price of a humanoid robot has dropped significantly with the R1, well before a path to mainstream adoption has been established. If you're dead serious about getting a more customizable robot, the R1 can be had in an 'EDU' version with dexterous hands, each of which cost about $5,200. That version will also cost more, thanks to the inclusion of a higher-end computing module on board. With this sub-$6,000 price tag, Unitree has set the stage for more humanoids to feature in automation experiments. Expect to see it in use among industrial companies running pilot programs, research institutions, and early adopters interested in robotics development. Source: Unitree

This kickboxing robot is just $6,000 and could be the humanoid breakthrough we've been waiting for

The race to put a humanoid robot in every home is accelerating, and the $5,900 Unitree R1 robot might just sprint to the front of the pack. Unitree unveiled the pint-sized but "powerful" android on Friday with a new YouTube video and then followed with more details on an official product page on their website. In the video, the Unitree R1 Intelligent Companion showcases its remarkable movement skills, which include cartwheels, handstands, boxing, kickboxing moves, and even running down a hill. The robot comes equipped with binocular vision backed by LLM image and voice identification capabilities. None of that, though, was on display in the video, which focused on movement. In fact, there's a brief message at the end of the clip that says, "Movement first, tasks as well (A diversity of movement is the foundation for completing tasks)". Unitree is well-known for producing versatile humanoid bots. I've seen a few in person, including the tiny but agile G1 and the taller and somewhat more frightening H1. G1 lists for $16,000, and the H1 lists for $90,000. Pricing under $ 6,000 is unheard of for Unitree and humanoid offerings in general. Figure AI's Figure 02, for instance, will likely list for over $30,000. As for what $5,900 might get you, the R1 is about four feet tall and weighs roughly 55 lbs, so it's the size of a child. It features the aforementioned binocular camera, a 4-microphone array, speakers, an 8-core CPU and GPU (no word on whose silicon, but Unitree has been partnering with Nvidia), 26 joints, and hands that look as if they may be permanently fixed into fists. There's a removable battery that promises one hour of activity. There are, however, some significant caveats to consider. Unitree warns that the final robot may look different than what's currently on display. At the bottom of the product page are some more dire (and often confusing) warnings, including: "Currently, the global humanoid robot industry is in the early stages of exploration. Individual users are strongly advised to thoroughly understand the limitations of humanoid robots before making a purchase." and "The humanoid robot has a complex structure and extremely powerful power. Users are asked to keep a sufficient safe distance between the humanoid robot and the humanoid robot. Please use with caution." So while the Unitree R1 might be pitched as a home helper robot, it's hardly ready to be in anyone's home. The R1's level of intelligence and autonomy, despite the built-in AI, remains a mystery. Most of the Unitree robots I've witnessed at CES have been either been remotely controlled or running through a set of previously scripted movements. To be useful in any home, they must marry all the sensors with awareness and enough intelligence to help and not harm their human owners. Still, less than $6,000 for a robot with these advertised skills is something of a humanoid robotics breakthrough. I wonder if we can get one into the labs.

For Just $5,900, You Can Own a Chinese-Made Unitree R1 Humanoid Robot That Dances Like Nobody's Watching & It's Surprisingly Good at It

Well, humanoid robots are far from becoming mainstream right now, but the Chinese firm Unitree plans to make robots available to people around the world, which are amazing at dancing. Unitree's Latest "Budget-Friendly" Robot Offers Awesome Movements & Immersive AI-Infused Experience AI-infused robots, or, as NVIDIA's CEO says, "Physical AI," are indeed the next major advancement in the technology after generative AI. While companies like Tesla and others are preparing to bring solutions to the market, it appears that the Chinese firm Unitree is once again ahead of them. According to an X post shared by the company, they are planning to launch the newest Unitree R1 humanoid robot, that not only comes with an impressive price tag, but also with surprising movements and consumer-oriented features, which make the robot unique in its own way. The company's demo of the Unitree R1 tells us it is great at acrobatics and as a dance partner since it is equipped with 26 joints, allowing for more fluid and complex movement. Interestingly, the robot weighs only 25 kg, which is one of the lightest ones out there. This means that the Unitree R1 can act as an awesome companion for lower-age consumers. Unitree advertised the robot as "born to move", and the firm has showcased the robot running, sparring, and much more. For a more personalized experience, the robot is equipped with an LLM onboard for consumer interaction, along with voice and image recognition capabilities to provide a more immersive experience. More importantly, the robot is price at $5,900, which might seem a lot for now, but considering that other prototypes are valued way more higher, the Unitree R1 does become one of the more cheaper option available, when you also factor in the features it comes with. The Unitree R1 is also customizable, and you can send custom designs according to the preference. The showcase of this particular robot does make it clear that we are moving into the era of "humanoid robots", and the efforts being made by Chinese firms in this segment also indicates that the region will indeed have a massive influence.

This humanoid robot can run, cartwheel and fist-fight - and it...

The latest humanoid robot on the market can purportedly run across a grassy lawn, do cartwheels and even fist-fight - and it costs less than $6,000. In a promotional video from China's Unitree Robotics on Friday -- which provoked skepticism from some on social media whether it was legit or instead a product of CGI -- the new R1 robot is seen doing cartwheels and handstands, as well as throwing combination punches and spin-kicking the air. It weighs about 55 pounds, has 26 joints to allow for flexible movement and is equipped with multimodal artificial intelligence, including voice and image recognition, according to Unitree. The humanoid's price tag - just 39,900 yuan, or $5,900 - is drastically lower than the typical entry point for this burgeoning tech market. Some users online, however, said they would rather spend their money on a helpful household robot over one with tumbling tricks and "security" capabilities. "Can it vacuum? Can it run the washing machine? Can it fold clothes? Can it iron? Can it cook?" one user wrote in a post on X. Another user wrote: "My daughter does gymnastics all day. i don't need a robot for that." Some joked about the robot's fighting capabilities, asking if the humanoid could protect owners from bullies, while others questioned whether AI and computer graphics were used to make the marketing video. US firms, like Boston Dynamics and its Atlas robots, have helped pioneer the humanoid robot market. But an advanced human-like bot for just $6,000, if done successfully, would mark a major milestone for China in the robotics and AI race. Unitree already has several models available, including robotic arms, quadrupeds and other humanoid bots - like a boxing robot complete with gloves and a helmet. The firm, which was founded by Wang Xingxing in 2016, started to gain more recognition earlier this year after its founder and CEO joined big names in tech like Alibaba's Jack Ma and Tencent's Pony Ma at a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Its latest R1 reveal comes as China is prepared to kick off its World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai this weekend, gathering together state officials, tech founders and deep-pocketed investors. Chinese firms have been pushing ahead in the robotics race as they aim to bring robotics into everyday use in households, factories and even the military. Unitree's older G1 humanoid, which has a $16,000 price tag, grew popular for use in research labs and schools. The G1 has dozens of flexible joint motors, can simulate human hands and its technology is accelerated by AI "upgrading and evolving every day," according to the Unitree website. Unitree's larger, more advanced humanoid robot H1 sells for more than $90,000. It weighs more than 100 pounds with the highest levels of speed, power, maneuverability and flexibility, able to walk and run on complex terrain, according to Unitree. The H1 is equipped with a 3D LiDAR and depth camera. For its qualifications, the latest R1 model comes at a shockingly low entry point. Chinese rival UBTech Robotics Corp. is planning a humanoid robot to serve as a household companion, which is expected to have a $20,000 price tag. Morgan Stanley Research estimates that the cost of the most-sophisticated humanoid last year was about $200,000.

China's Unitree debuts $5,900 humanoid robot that flips, fights, and runs - VnExpress International

Marketed as "born for sport," the 121-centimeter-tall robot weighs 25 kilograms and is equipped with 26 joints, according to the South China Morning Post. A promotional video released on July 25 shows the R1 performing handstands, spin-kicks, and mock combat moves, sparking both interest and skepticism online. The R1 is Unitree's third and cheapest humanoid model. Its earlier G1 and H1 robots, priced from 99,000 yuan and 650,000 yuan respectively, stand taller and are heavier than the R1. Compared to rivals, the R1 is among the lowest-priced humanoids on the market. In March, Hong Kong-listed UBTech Robotics released a research-focused robot priced at 299,000 yuan. Shenzhen-based EngineAI's PM01 model was available for 88,000 yuan as of late March. The launch adds pressure on U.S. and European companies to reduce costs, tech site Interesting Engineering reported. Tesla's Optimus robot, still under development, is expected to cost under $20,000 only if mass production reaches one million units per year. Figure AI's Figure 02 robot, currently being tested at BMW's plant in South Carolina, is estimated to cost around $50,000. Despite the buzz over its price, some users questioned the robot's practicality. "Can it vacuum? Can it run the washing machine? Can it fold clothes? Can it iron? Can it cook?" one person wrote on X, as cited by the New York Post. Another added: "My daughter does gymnastics all day. I do not need a robot for that." Others poked fun at its fighting abilities, asking if it could fend off bullies, while some speculated the video may have been digitally enhanced using AI or CGI. The Hangzhou-based company's unveiling of the R1 comes shortly after it announced plans to go public, potentially becoming the first humanoid robot manufacturer to list on China's mainland stock exchange.

Unitree R1: The $5,900 humanoid robot that may change everything

It may start cultural shift toward everyday human-robot existence There's a high probability that when we look back at July 2025 in the future, it might well be remembered as the tipping point when we stopped wondering when robots will enter our homes, and started asking where we plug them in and planning our lives surrounded by them. Because Unitree Robotics - best known until now for its affordable quadruped bots that look like Boston Dynamics' athletic cousins - just dropped a humanoid robot named the Unitree R1. And while it's definitely far from cheap, it finally comes at a price point that pushes the dream of a real household robot from science fiction into "maybe we'll budget for it next year" territory. Also read: Amazon to soon deliver packages using humanoid robots: Here's what we know How much exactly? Just under $6,000 (or approximately ₹5.1 lakh). For context, that's what you'd pay for roughly three Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7s, a few more flagship iPhones, just a bit more than a single maxed-out Alienware 16 Area-51 gaming laptop, or a 15-day European vacation - where all you talk about is how humanoid robots might take your job (or do your laundry). In that sense, yes, the Unitree R1 is the world's most affordable humanoid robot right now. When you contemplate on it a bit more, that price tag doesn't seem so outrageous when you look under the hood. We're talking about a 25kg, 165cm-tall humanoid that walks, runs, does handstands, maps its surroundings in 3D, responds to voice commands, and - crucially - ships with an open SDK so developers can teach it new tricks. It's not some clunky "mechanoid" you keep in the garage. This thing is made to live with you. Also read: From AI agents to humanoid robots: Top AI trends for 2025 What makes the Unitree R1 a potential pivotal moment isn't just its capabilities, impressive as they seem to be on paper - and the company's promo video. It's the fact that for the first time, a fully articulated humanoid robot with 26 degrees of freedom, real-time visual processing, conversational AI, and developer support is entering the ultra-premium consumer space - not just university labs or factory floors. For years, we've seen tech demos of robots that fold laundry, do parkour, or carry boxes in warehouses. But the fine print always read that they weren't for consumer use - partly because they were one-offs, and mostly because they cost as much as an expensive SUV or more. Even the much-hyped Tesla Optimus, which isn't expected to go into production until 2026, is gunning for a $30,000+ price point (₹25.9 lakh). And Boston Dynamics' electric Atlas? Gorgeous moves, absurd price of $100,000 (₹86.5 lakh), for research / industrial use, zero consumer availability until at least 2028. Unitree's R1 is the first humanoid robot to break that mold, as it's made for end users, priced for prosumer adoption (for now), and built with the flexibility to grow. So, let's dream a little, and ask yourself -:what would you actually do with a humanoid robot in your home? In your life? Imagine your morning routine. You wake up groggy, coffee not yet brewed. R1's already detected movement and started prepping your French press. It hands you your glasses, reads out your schedule, and reminds you of expected heavy rains in the evening. All of this with the fluid movement of something designed to live in human spaces, a bit like Rosey from The Jetsons (which I saw as a kid growing up in the '80s and '90s). Also read: India's first humanoid robot to debut in 2025 by Mukesh Ambani-backed Addverb It could be your kid's homework buddy, answering geography questions while teaching a bit of coding on the side. It could help grandma fetch a medicine bottle from the top shelf. Or yes, let's indulge the fantasy - it could bust out a somersault when your friends come over, just to remind everyone that you live in the future. But perhaps most importantly, it gives us a way to prototype and experiment with the ethics, etiquette, and expectations of sharing our spaces with intelligent machines. Because, I don't think the hardware is the hard part anymore - as Boston Dynamics, Tesla, and now Unitree have demonstrated. It's the culture that needs catching up. More than the humanoid robots adjusting to us, we need to adjust to them. At ₹5.1 lakh in India (assuming import and taxes allow it in at all), this isn't mass-market, of course. It's a bold experiment targeted at researchers, developers, and early adopters. The use case today isn't flipping burgers or babysitting toddlers - it's largely about affordable exploration. But let's not understate the leap this represents. Compared to previous humanoid robots that cost north of $20,000 - or $100,000 in the case of Atlas - the R1 is a price disruption akin to when Xiaomi launched the ₹9,999 Redmi and suddenly smartphones weren't a luxury anymore. Also read: Apple and Meta reportedly developing AI-powered humanoids but launch may take years Unitree is taking a loss-leader approach to democratize robotics. And whether the company nails the product roadmap or not, it's definitely lit a spark. Once people have real robots in their apartments and dorm rooms - not just Roombas or smart speakers, but bipedal companions with arms and eyes and semi-personality - we'll start building a new layer of digital-human interaction. It's one thing to talk about the "embodied AI revolution" in theory. It's another to have it bring you your morning coffee while you're still in bed. Ultimately, what excites me most about the R1 isn't what it can do right now, but how it makes me imagine the possibilities. Not careless flights of fancy, but real, grounded workflows. Of course, the Unitree R1 is far from perfect. It's not folding your laundry just yet, and it's unlikely to recite Gandalf's monologues from Tolkien's books. But it's real. You can order one. And that alone is a significant cultural threshold we just crossed. I'm not saying everyone needs one today. I'm just saying that for the first time it's not crazy to start thinking about where the robot should sleep. Standing straight, to save space. Near the router, probably. Better Wi-Fi.