Darwin-OP vs UBTECH UWORLD U1
Side-by-side comparison of Darwin-OP (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) and UBTECH UWORLD U1 (UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd.) — 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
- UBTECH UWORLD U1China
Year First Available
- Darwin-OP2010
- UBTECH UWORLD U12026
Verified Deployments
- Darwin-OP0 Deployments
- UBTECH UWORLD U10 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- UBTECH UWORLD U1$17,600 USD
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Availability Status
- Darwin-OPACTIVE
- UBTECH UWORLD U1ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- Darwin-OP9.1 kg
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Height
- Darwin-OP45.72 cm
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Mobility Type
- Darwin-OPbipedal
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Humanoid Subtype
- Darwin-OPfull bipedal
- UBTECH UWORLD U1companion humanoid
Walking Speed
- Darwin-OP0.2 m/s
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Stair Climbing
- Darwin-OPNo
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Terrain
- Darwin-OPflat indoor
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Payload & Dexterity
Total DOF
- Darwin-OP20
- UBTECH UWORLD U188
Arm DOF
- Darwin-OP3
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Bimanual Coordination
- Darwin-OPNo
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- Darwin-OPIntel Atom N2600 @1.6 GHz dual core
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
VLM Capable
- Darwin-OPNo
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Foundation Models
- Darwin-OPfalse
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Imitation Learning
- Darwin-OPNo
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Programming
- Darwin-OPcode_python, code_ros
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Battery & Power
Runtime
- Darwin-OP0.5 hrs
- UBTECH UWORLD U12-4
Battery Swap
- Darwin-OPNo
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Software
SDK Languages
- Darwin-OPC++
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
ROS Support
- Darwin-OPYes
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Open API
- Darwin-OPYes
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- Darwin-OPcommercial
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- Darwin-OP$12,000 USD
- UBTECH UWORLD U1$17,600 USD
Price Tier
- Darwin-OP10-20K
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Pricing Model
- Darwin-OPpurchase
- UBTECH UWORLD U1one-time purchase
Warranty
- Darwin-OP1 yrs
- UBTECH UWORLD U1—
Applications
- Darwin-OPeducation, research
- UBTECH UWORLD U1companionship, elder care, reception, hospitality
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | South Korea | China |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2026 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $17,600 USD |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 0.5 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 9.1 kg | — |
| Height (values differ) | 45.72 cm | — |
| Mobility Type (values differ) | bipedal | — |
| Humanoid Subtype (values differ) | full bipedal | companion humanoid |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 0.2 m/s | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | No | — |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat indoor | — |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Total DOF (values differ) | 20 | 88 |
| 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 | 2-4 |
| 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 | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $12,000 USD | $17,600 USD |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 10-20K | — |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | purchase | one-time purchase |
| Warranty (values differ) | 1 yrs | — |
| Applications (values differ) | education, research | companionship, elder care, reception, hospitality |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Running Capable, Payload, 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 | UBTECH UWORLD U1 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $12,000 | $17,600 |
| Payback period | 2.9 mo | 4.2 mo |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $238,000 | $232,400 |
| ROI (5 yr) | +1983% | +1320% |
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 UBTECH UWORLD U1?
Darwin-OP is made by ROBOTIS Co., Ltd., based in KR. UBTECH UWORLD U1 is made by UBTECH Robotics Corp Ltd., based in CN.
When were Darwin-OP and UBTECH UWORLD U1 launched?
Darwin-OP launched in 2010. UBTECH UWORLD U1 launched in 2026.
How much does Darwin-OP cost compared to UBTECH UWORLD U1?
Darwin-OP is listed at $12,000. UBTECH UWORLD U1 is listed at $17,600.
How do Darwin-OP and UBTECH UWORLD U1 compare on the Robo Index?
Darwin-OP grades AA on the Robo Index. UBTECH UWORLD U1 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 UBTECH UWORLD U1 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 UBTECH UWORLD U1?
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 UBTECH UWORLD U1 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.