Darwin-OP vs G1
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and G1 (Unitree Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- G1China
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- G12024
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- G10 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- G1$16,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- G14 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- G1ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- G1132 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- G1—
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- G1bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- G1full bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- G11.9 m/s
Running Capable
- Darwin-OP—
- G1static walk
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- G1—
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- G1flat_indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- G115 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- G1—
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- G1—
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- G1—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- G1—
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- G1—
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- G1—
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- G1—
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- G1—
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- G14 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- G1—
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- G1—
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- G1—
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- G1—
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- G1production scale
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- G1$16,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- G110-20K
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- G1capex
Developer Unit Price
- Darwin-OP—
- G1$16,000
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- G1—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- G1research
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2024 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $16,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 132 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | — |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1.9 m/s |
| Running Capable (values differ) | — | static walk |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | — |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat_indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 15 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | — |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | — |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | — |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | — |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | — |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | production scale |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $16,000 USD |
| Price Tier | 10-20K | 10-20K |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | capex |
| Developer Unit Price (values differ) | — | $16,000 |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | research |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Payload (Peak), Hand DOF, Arm Reach, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Teleoperation, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Charging Method, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Recovery, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Human Detection Method, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, Delivery Lead Time, Production Pilots
ROI Comparison
Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.
Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000
| Metric | Darwin-OP | G1 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $16,000 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 3.8 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $234,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +1463% |
Estimates labor-cost displacement only — not a full total cost of ownership. Actual ROI depends on integration, maintenance, training, downtime, and task fit. Converted currencies are indicative; USD is the price of record.
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Darwin-OP and G1?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. G1 is made by Unitree Robotics, based in CN.
When were Darwin-OP and G1 launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. G1 launched in 2024.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to G1?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. G1 is listed at $16,000.
How do Darwin-OP and G1 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. G1 grades BBB. The Robo Index is a credibility grade (AAA … C) that blends commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Darwin-OP and G1 in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Humanoid on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Humanoid robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Humanoid TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: Humanoid TCO: Hardware, Cloud Subscriptions, and the Cost of Teleop Time.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Darwin-OP and G1?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: Vendor Selection for Humanoids: The 10 Questions You Must Ask.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
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
Running a Humanoid Pilot: Scope, Success Criteria, and Exit Options
9 min readHumanoid Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
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About this comparison
Darwin-OP vs G1 compares two robots in the humanoid category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robo Index is calculated.