BallIP vs Hobbs W1
Side-by-side comparison of BallIP (Tohoku Gakuin University) and Hobbs W1 (Noetix) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Hospitality & F&B buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- BallIP—
- Hobbs W1China
Year First Available
- BallIP2017
- Hobbs W12025
Verified Deployments
- BallIP0 Deployments
- Hobbs W10 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price Range (USD)
- BallIP$1,000
- Hobbs W1$320
Battery / Shift Runtime
- BallIP1 hrs
- Hobbs W16 hrs
Availability Status
- BallIPACTIVE
- Hobbs W1ACTIVE
Cross-Category Comparison
Showing shared foundation fields. Select robots from the same category for full spec comparison.
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | — | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2017 | 2025 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price Range (USD) (values differ) | $1,000 | $320 |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 1 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
Cross-Category Comparison Showing shared foundation fields. Select robots from the same category for full spec comparison. | ||
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Reach, IP Rating
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes BallIP and Hobbs W1?
BallIP is made by Tohoku Gakuin University. Hobbs W1 is made by Noetix, based in CN.
When were BallIP and Hobbs W1 launched?
BallIP launched in 2017. Hobbs W1 launched in 2025.
How much does BallIP cost compared to Hobbs W1?
BallIP is listed at $1,000. Hobbs W1 is listed at $320.
How do BallIP and Hobbs W1 compare on the Robolist Product Score?
BallIP scores 33/100. Hobbs W1 scores 44/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
What is the payload difference between BallIP and Hobbs W1?
BallIP carries up to 10 kg. Hobbs W1 carries up to 2 kg.
Are BallIP and Hobbs W1 comparable?
BallIP is categorized as Research; Hobbs W1 as Humanoid. The Product Score is calculated per category, so the absolute scores reflect their respective category tiers.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Research And Humanoid robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Research And Humanoid TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: The real cost of a research platform.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between BallIP and Hobbs W1?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
The real cost of a research platform
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The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags
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A 90-day playbook to stand up a new platform in a lab
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Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time
8 min readHumanoid Robots
Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask
10 min readHumanoid Robots
About this comparison
BallIP vs Hobbs W1 compares two robots in the research and humanoid categories. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robolist Product Score is calculated.