MagicBot Gen1 vs RoboThespian 3
Side-by-side comparison of MagicBot Gen1 (Magiclab Robotics Technology (Wuxi) Co., Ltd.) and RoboThespian 3 (Engineered Arts) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Cleaning & Facilities buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- MagicBot Gen1China
- RoboThespian 3United Kingdom
Year First Available
- MagicBot Gen12025
- RoboThespian 32016
Verified Deployments
- MagicBot Gen10 Deployments
- RoboThespian 30 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- MagicBot Gen1$35,600 USD
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
Battery / Shift Runtime
- MagicBot Gen13 hrs
- RoboThespian 3—
Availability Status
- MagicBot Gen1ACTIVE
- RoboThespian 3ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Weight
- MagicBot Gen170 kg
- RoboThespian 333 kg
Height
- MagicBot Gen1174 mm
- RoboThespian 3175 mm
Mobility Type
- MagicBot Gen1bipedal
- RoboThespian 3bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- MagicBot Gen1full bipedal
- RoboThespian 3full bipedal
Walking Speed
- MagicBot Gen11.1 m/s
- RoboThespian 3—
Running Capable
- MagicBot Gen1dynamic walk
- RoboThespian 3—
Stair Climbing
- MagicBot Gen1production ready
- RoboThespian 3No
Terrain
- MagicBot Gen1flat_indoor, mild_incline, rough_indoor
- RoboThespian 3flat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- MagicBot Gen17.5 kg
- RoboThespian 3—
Payload (Peak)
- MagicBot Gen140 kg
- RoboThespian 3—
Total DOF
- MagicBot Gen142
- RoboThespian 326
Arm DOF
- MagicBot Gen17
- RoboThespian 3—
Hand DOF
- MagicBot Gen16
- RoboThespian 3—
Arm Reach
- MagicBot Gen180 cm
- RoboThespian 3—
Manipulation Repeatability
- MagicBot Gen1±1 mm
- RoboThespian 3—
Bimanual Coordination
- MagicBot Gen1coordinated planning
- RoboThespian 3No
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- MagicBot Gen1100 TOPS
- RoboThespian 3Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit
VLM Capable
- MagicBot Gen1No
- RoboThespian 3No
Imitation Learning
- MagicBot Gen1multi task
- RoboThespian 3No
Teleoperation
- MagicBot Gen1joystick
- RoboThespian 3—
Programming
- MagicBot Gen1teleoperation, code_python, proprietary_app
- RoboThespian 3Python scripting and API support
Battery & Power
Runtime
- MagicBot Gen13 hrs
- RoboThespian 3—
Battery Capacity
- MagicBot Gen11.4 kWh
- RoboThespian 3—
Charging Time
- MagicBot Gen13 hrs
- RoboThespian 3—
Charging Method
- MagicBot Gen1tethered
- RoboThespian 3—
Battery Swap
- MagicBot Gen1No
- RoboThespian 3No
Safety
Force-Limited Arms
- MagicBot Gen1Yes
- RoboThespian 3—
Fall Recovery
- MagicBot Gen1Yes
- RoboThespian 3—
Human Detection Method
- MagicBot Gen1multi modal
- RoboThespian 3—
Software
SDK Languages
- MagicBot Gen1Python, C++
- RoboThespian 3Python
ROS Support
- MagicBot Gen1No
- RoboThespian 3No
Open API
- MagicBot Gen1Yes
- RoboThespian 3Yes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- MagicBot Gen1production pilot
- RoboThespian 3commercial
IP Rating
- MagicBot Gen1IP66
- RoboThespian 3—
Commercial
Price (USD)
- MagicBot Gen1$35,600 USD
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
Price Tier
- MagicBot Gen140-80K
- RoboThespian 3—
Pricing Model
- MagicBot Gen1capex
- RoboThespian 3—
Developer Unit Price
- MagicBot Gen1$35,600
- RoboThespian 3—
Delivery Lead Time
- MagicBot Gen16 mo
- RoboThespian 3—
Warranty
- MagicBot Gen11 yrs
- RoboThespian 31 yrs
Applications
- MagicBot Gen1warehouse_transport, assembly, inspection
- RoboThespian 3entertainment, education
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | China | United Kingdom |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2025 | 2016 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $35,600 USD | Contact for quote |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 3 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Weight (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 70 kg | 33 kg |
| Height (values differ) | 174 mm | 175 mm |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Walking Speed (values differ) | 1.1 m/s | — |
| Running Capable (values differ) | dynamic walk | — |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | production ready | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat_indoor, mild_incline, rough_indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 7.5 kg | — |
| Payload (Peak) (values differ) | 40 kg | — |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 42 | 26 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 7 | — |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | 6 | — |
| Arm Reach (values differ) | 80 cm | — |
| Manipulation Repeatability (values differ) | ±1 mm | — |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | coordinated planning | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | 100 TOPS | Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit |
| VLM Capable | No | No |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | multi task | No |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | joystick | — |
| Programming (values differ) | teleoperation, code_python, proprietary_app | Python scripting and API support |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 3 hrs | — |
| Battery Capacity (values differ) | 1.4 kWh | — |
| Charging Time (values differ) | 3 hrs | — |
| Charging Method (values differ) | tethered | — |
| Battery Swap | No | No |
| Safety | ||
| Force-Limited Arms (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | multi modal | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python, C++ | Python |
| ROS Support | No | No |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | production pilot | commercial |
| IP Rating (values differ) | IP66 | — |
| Commercial | ||
| Price (USD) (values differ) | $35,600 USD | Contact for quote |
| Price Tier (values differ) | 40-80K | — |
| Pricing Model (values differ) | capex | — |
| Developer Unit Price (values differ) | $35,600 | — |
| Delivery Lead Time (values differ) | 6 mo | — |
| Warranty | 1 yrs | 1 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | warehouse_transport, assembly, inspection | entertainment, education |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Grip Strength, Tool Use, Compute Platform, Foundation Models, Avg Power Consumption, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, 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 | MagicBot Gen1 | RoboThespian 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $35,600 | No price |
| Payback period | 8.5 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $214,400 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +602% | — |
RoboThespian 3 has no listed price, so payback can't be computed. Contact the manufacturer for a quote.
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 MagicBot Gen1 and RoboThespian 3?
MagicBot Gen1 is made by Magiclab Robotics Technology (Wuxi) Co., Ltd., based in CN. RoboThespian 3 is made by Engineered Arts, based in GB.
When were MagicBot Gen1 and RoboThespian 3 launched?
MagicBot Gen1 launched in 2025. RoboThespian 3 launched in 2016.
How do MagicBot Gen1 and RoboThespian 3 compare on the Robo Score?
MagicBot Gen1 scores 60.6 on the Robo Score. RoboThespian 3 scores 68.4. The Robo Score is a 0–100 credibility figure blending commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are MagicBot Gen1 and RoboThespian 3 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 MagicBot Gen1 and RoboThespian 3?
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
MagicBot Gen1 vs RoboThespian 3 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 Score is calculated.