Unitree Launches Affordable Humanoid Robot R1 for Under $6,000
For less than the cost of a high-end MacBook Pro, robotics company Unitree has unveiled its latest humanoid robot, the R1, priced at just $5,900. Weighing around 55 pounds and standing four feet tall, the R1 is equipped with a Large Multimodal Model designed to handle complex tasks, though its exact real-world applications remain unclear.
Unitree describes the R1 as fully customizable and has showcased its agility in a demo video featuring cartwheels, handstands, boxing, roundhouse kicks, and even downhill running. While these displays highlight the robot’s physical capabilities, practical uses are still speculative. The lightweight bot includes an ultra-wide field of vision and a four-microphone array for voice and image recognition, along with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity.
Potential applications range from household assistance—similar to Meta’s rumored robot butler project—to entertainment, such as robot combat. Unitree has already teased a fighting tournament featuring the R1, drawing comparisons to the sci-fi film Real Steel.
The R1 represents a significant price drop compared to Unitree’s previous humanoid robot, the G1, which starts at $16,000 and had a rocky debut at CES 2025. While $6,000 is still a substantial investment, it undercuts competitors like Tesla’s Optimus bot, expected to cost at least $20,000.
As robotics technology advances, the R1 could pave the way for more accessible humanoid robots, though whether it will find a mainstream market remains to be seen. For now, it offers an intriguing glimpse into the future of personal robotics at a relatively affordable price.
