Darwin-OP vs SA01
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and SA01 (EngineAI Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, 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
- Darwin-OPSouth Korea
- SA01China
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- SA012023
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- SA010 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- SA01$5,400–$6,087 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- SA012 hrs
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- SA01ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- SA0140 kg
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- SA01170 mm
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- SA01bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- SA01full bipedal
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- SA011 m/s
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- SA01No
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- SA01flat indoor, uneven outdoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- Darwin-OP—
- SA0112.5 kg
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- SA0112
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- SA01—
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- SA01No
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- SA01dual-processor architecture combining NVIDIA GPU and Intel CPU
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- SA01No
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- SA01—
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- SA01No
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- SA01modular SDK for secondary development and customization
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- SA012 hrs
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- SA01No
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- SA01Open Source
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- SA01No
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- SA01No
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- SA01commercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- SA01$5,400–$6,087 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- SA0110-20K
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- SA01purchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- SA01—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- SA01research, education
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2023 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $5,400–$6,087 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 2 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 9.1 kg | 40 kg |
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | 170 mm |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | 1 m/s |
| Stair Climbing | No | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | flat indoor, uneven outdoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | — | 12.5 kg |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 12 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 3 | — |
| Bimanual Coordination | No | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | Intel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core | dual-processor architecture combining NVIDIA GPU and Intel CPU |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Foundation Models (values differ) | false | — |
| Imitation Learning | No | No |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, code_ros | modular SDK for secondary development and customization |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | 2 hrs |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | C++ | Open Source |
| 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 | $5,400–$6,087 USD |
| Price Tier | 10-20K | 10-20K |
| Pricing Model | purchase | purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | research, education |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, 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, 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 | SA01 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $5,744 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 1.4 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $244,257 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +4253% |
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 SA01?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. SA01 is made by EngineAI Robotics, based in CN.
When were Darwin-OP and SA01 launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. SA01 launched in 2023.
How do Darwin-OP and SA01 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. SA01 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 SA01 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 SA01?
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 SA01 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.