Darwin-OP vs Phoenix (7th Gen)
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and Phoenix (7th Gen) (Sanctuary AI) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Manufacturing buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- Phoenix (7th Gen)Canada
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- Phoenix (7th Gen)2023
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- Phoenix (7th Gen)0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Phoenix (7th Gen)$65,000–$300,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Phoenix (7th Gen)4 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- Phoenix (7th Gen)ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- Phoenix (7th Gen)170 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- Phoenix (7th Gen)70 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- Phoenix (7th Gen)bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- Phoenix (7th Gen)full bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- Phoenix (7th Gen)1.3 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- Phoenix (7th Gen)No
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- Phoenix (7th Gen)education, automotive, food and beverage, packaging, healthcare, electronics, aerospace and defense, energy and utilities
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- Phoenix (7th Gen)25 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- Phoenix (7th Gen)40
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- Phoenix (7th Gen)—
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- Phoenix (7th Gen)20
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- Phoenix (7th Gen)No
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- Phoenix (7th Gen)Carbon™ AI control system
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- Phoenix (7th Gen)No
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- Phoenix (7th Gen)false
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- Phoenix (7th Gen)No
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- Phoenix (7th Gen)pilot-assist or autonomous operation
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- Phoenix (7th Gen)4 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- Phoenix (7th Gen)No
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- Phoenix (7th Gen)pilot-assist or autonomous operation
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- Phoenix (7th Gen)No
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- Phoenix (7th Gen)No
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- Phoenix (7th Gen)commercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- Phoenix (7th Gen)$65,000–$300,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- Phoenix (7th Gen)—
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- Phoenix (7th Gen)—
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- Phoenix (7th Gen)—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- Phoenix (7th Gen)general-purpose, logistics, retail
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | Canada |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2023 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $65,000–$300,000 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 | 170 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 70 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1.3 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | education, automotive, food and beverage, packaging, healthcare, electronics, aerospace and defense, energy and utilities |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 25 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 40 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | — |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 20 |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | Carbon™ AI control system |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models | false | false |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | pilot-assist or autonomous operation |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | pilot-assist or autonomous operation |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $65,000–$300,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | — |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | — |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | general-purpose, logistics, retail |
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 | Phoenix (7th Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $182,500 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 43.8 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $67,500 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +37% |
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 Phoenix (7th Gen)?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. Phoenix (7th Gen) is made by Sanctuary AI, based in CA.
When were Darwin-OP and Phoenix (7th Gen) launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. Phoenix (7th Gen) launched in 2023.
How do Darwin-OP and Phoenix (7th Gen) compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. Phoenix (7th Gen) 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 Phoenix (7th Gen) 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 Phoenix (7th Gen)?
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 Phoenix (7th Gen) 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.