MagicBot Z1 vs RoboThespian 3
Side-by-side comparison of MagicBot Z1 (Magiclab Robotics Technology (Wuxi) Co., Ltd.) and RoboThespian 3 (Engineered Arts) — specs, pricing, Robo Score, 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
- MagicBot Z1China
- RoboThespian 3United Kingdom
Year First Available
- MagicBot Z12025
- RoboThespian 32016
Verified Deployments
- MagicBot Z10 Deployments
- RoboThespian 30 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- MagicBot Z1$35,600 USD
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
Battery / Shift Runtime
- MagicBot Z12 hrs
- RoboThespian 3—
Availability Status
- MagicBot Z1ACTIVE
- RoboThespian 3ACTIVE
Physical Form Factor
Height
- MagicBot Z1136.9 mm
- RoboThespian 3175 mm
Weight
- MagicBot Z140 kg
- RoboThespian 333 kg
Mobility Type
- MagicBot Z1bipedal
- RoboThespian 3bipedal
Humanoid Subtype
- MagicBot Z1full bipedal
- RoboThespian 3full bipedal
Stair Climbing
- MagicBot Z1production ready
- RoboThespian 3No
Terrain
- MagicBot Z1flat_indoor
- RoboThespian 3flat indoor
Payload & Dexterity
Payload
- MagicBot Z12 kg
- RoboThespian 3—
Payload (Peak)
- MagicBot Z13 kg
- RoboThespian 3—
Total DOF
- MagicBot Z124
- RoboThespian 326
Arm DOF
- MagicBot Z15
- RoboThespian 3—
Hand DOF
- MagicBot Z111
- RoboThespian 3—
Arm Reach
- MagicBot Z150 cm
- RoboThespian 3—
Bimanual Coordination
- MagicBot Z1independent
- RoboThespian 3No
Compute & AI
Onboard Compute
- MagicBot Z18-core high-performance CPU
- RoboThespian 3Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit
Compute Platform
- MagicBot Z18-core high-performance CPU
- RoboThespian 3—
VLM Capable
- MagicBot Z1onboard small
- RoboThespian 3No
Imitation Learning
- MagicBot Z1multi task
- RoboThespian 3No
Teleoperation
- MagicBot Z1joystick
- RoboThespian 3—
Programming
- MagicBot Z1code_python, teleoperation
- RoboThespian 3Python scripting and API support
Battery & Power
Runtime
- MagicBot Z12 hrs
- RoboThespian 3—
Charging Method
- MagicBot Z1manual swap
- RoboThespian 3—
Battery Swap
- MagicBot Z1Yes
- RoboThespian 3No
Safety
Fall Recovery
- MagicBot Z1Yes
- RoboThespian 3—
Human Detection Method
- MagicBot Z1multi modal
- RoboThespian 3—
Software
SDK Languages
- MagicBot Z1Python
- RoboThespian 3Python
ROS Support
- MagicBot Z1Yes
- RoboThespian 3No
Open API
- MagicBot Z1limited rest
- RoboThespian 3Yes
Reliability
Deployment Maturity
- MagicBot Z1beta pilot
- RoboThespian 3commercial
Commercial
Price (USD)
- MagicBot Z1$35,600 USD
- RoboThespian 3Contact for quote
Price Tier
- MagicBot Z140-80K
- RoboThespian 3—
Pricing Model
- MagicBot Z1capex
- RoboThespian 3—
Developer Unit Price
- MagicBot Z1$35,600
- RoboThespian 3—
Warranty
- MagicBot Z11 yrs
- RoboThespian 31 yrs
Applications
- MagicBot Z1research
- 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 (values differ) | 2 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Physical Form Factor | ||
| Height (values differ) | 136.9 mm | 175 mm |
| Weight (values differ) | 40 kg | 33 kg |
| Mobility Type | bipedal | bipedal |
| Humanoid Subtype | full bipedal | full bipedal |
| Stair Climbing (values differ) | production ready | No |
| Terrain (values differ) | flat_indoor | flat indoor |
| Payload & Dexterity | ||
| Payload (values differ) | 2 kg | — |
| Payload (Peak) (values differ) | 3 kg | — |
| Total DOF (values differ) | 24 | 26 |
| Arm DOF (values differ) | 5 | — |
| Hand DOF (values differ) | 11 | — |
| Arm Reach (values differ) | 50 cm | — |
| Bimanual Coordination (values differ) | independent | No |
| Compute & AI | ||
| Onboard Compute (values differ) | 8-core high-performance CPU | Intel dual-core CPU, multiple Marvell and Parallax microcontrollers, external Intel Core i7 control unit |
| Compute Platform (values differ) | 8-core high-performance CPU | — |
| VLM Capable (values differ) | onboard small | No |
| Imitation Learning (values differ) | multi task | No |
| Teleoperation (values differ) | joystick | — |
| Programming (values differ) | code_python, teleoperation | Python scripting and API support |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Runtime (values differ) | 2 hrs | — |
| Charging Method (values differ) | manual swap | — |
| Battery Swap (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Safety | ||
| Fall Recovery (values differ) | Yes | — |
| Human Detection Method (values differ) | multi modal | — |
| Software | ||
| SDK Languages (values differ) | Python | Python |
| ROS Support (values differ) | Yes | No |
| Open API (values differ) | limited rest | Yes |
| Reliability | ||
| Deployment Maturity (values differ) | beta pilot | commercial |
| 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 | — |
| Warranty | 1 yrs | 1 yrs |
| Applications (values differ) | research | entertainment, education |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Walking Speed, Running Capable, Grip Strength, Manipulation Repeatability, Tool Use, Foundation Models, Battery Capacity, Charging Time, Avg Power Consumption, Force-Limited Arms, Fall Detection Response, Emergency Stops, Safe Speed Near Humans, Simulation Platforms, Air-Gap Capable, MTBF, Task Success Rate, IP Rating, Noise Level, RaaS / Month, 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 | MagicBot Z1 | 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 Z1 and RoboThespian 3?
MagicBot Z1 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 Z1 and RoboThespian 3 launched?
MagicBot Z1 launched in 2025. RoboThespian 3 launched in 2016.
How do MagicBot Z1 and RoboThespian 3 compare on the Robo Score?
MagicBot Z1 scores 56.3 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 Z1 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 Z1 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 Z1 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.