Darwin-OP vs ROBOTERA L7
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and ROBOTERA L7 (Robotera) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- ROBOTERA L7China
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- ROBOTERA L72024
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- ROBOTERA L70 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- ROBOTERA L7$116,999–$120,000 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- ROBOTERA L76 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- ROBOTERA L7ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- ROBOTERA L7171 mm
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- ROBOTERA L763 kg
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- ROBOTERA L7bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- ROBOTERA L7full bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- ROBOTERA L74 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- ROBOTERA L7—
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- ROBOTERA L7flat indoor, uneven outdoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- ROBOTERA L720 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- ROBOTERA L755
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- ROBOTERA L77
Hand DOF
- Darwin-OP—
- ROBOTERA L712
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- ROBOTERA L7—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- ROBOTERA L7Dual processor architecture with 80 TOPS for AI inference.
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- ROBOTERA L7—
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- ROBOTERA L7—
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- ROBOTERA L7—
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- ROBOTERA L7code_ros, proprietary_app
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- ROBOTERA L76 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- ROBOTERA L7—
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- ROBOTERA L7Python
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- ROBOTERA L7Yes
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- ROBOTERA L7Yes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- ROBOTERA L7commercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- ROBOTERA L7$116,999–$120,000 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- ROBOTERA L7150K+
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- ROBOTERA L7purchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- ROBOTERA L7—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- ROBOTERA L7industrial_automation, research, entertainment
| | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | $116,999–$120,000 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 171 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 63 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 4 m/s |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | — |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor, uneven outdoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 20 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 55 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | 7 |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | — | 12 |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | No | — |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | Dual processor architecture with 80 TOPS for AI inference. |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | No | — |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | No | — |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | code_ros, proprietary_app |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | No | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Python |
| ROS Support | Yes | Yes |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity | commercial | commercial |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $116,999–$120,000 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | 150K+ |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | industrial_automation, research, entertainment |
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 | ROBOTERA L7 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $118,500 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 28.4 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $131,501 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +111% |
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 ROBOTERA L7?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. ROBOTERA L7 is made by Robotera, based in CN.
When were Darwin-OP and ROBOTERA L7 launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. ROBOTERA L7 launched in 2024.
How do Darwin-OP and ROBOTERA L7 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. ROBOTERA L7 grades AA. 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 ROBOTERA L7 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 ROBOTERA L7?
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 ROBOTERA L7 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.