Darwin-OP vs NEO
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and NEO (1X Technologies AS) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Last-Mile Delivery buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- NEOUnited States
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- NEO2026
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- NEO0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- NEO$20,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- NEO4 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- NEOACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- NEO167.64 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- NEO29.9 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- NEObipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- NEOservice humanoid
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- NEO1.4 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEONo
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- NEOflat_indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- NEO25 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- NEO52
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- NEO7
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- NEO22
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEOYes
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- NEO1X NEO Cortex (Nvidia Jetson Thor)
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEOYes
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- NEO1X World Model
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEONo
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- NEOvoice, mobile app
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- NEO4 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- NEONo
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- NEOvoice, mobile app
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- NEONo
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- NEONo
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- NEOprototype
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- NEO$20,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- NEO<10K
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- NEOpurchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- NEO3 yrs
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- NEOcleaning, eldercare_assistance, hospitality
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2026 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $20,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 167.64 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 29.9 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | service humanoid |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1.4 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat_indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 25 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 52 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 22 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | 1X NEO Cortex (Nvidia Jetson Thor) |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | Yes |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | 1X World Model |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | voice, mobile app |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | voice, mobile app |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | commercial | prototype |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $20,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | <10K |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | cleaning, eldercare_assistance, hospitality |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload (Peak), 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, Developer Unit Price, 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 | NEO |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $20,000 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 4.8 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $230,000 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +1150% |
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 NEO?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. NEO is made by 1X Technologies AS, based in US.
When were Darwin-OP and NEO launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. NEO launched in 2026.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to NEO?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. NEO is listed at $20,000.
How do Darwin-OP and NEO compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. NEO grades A. 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 NEO 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 NEO?
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 NEO 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.