Unitree G1 vs 1X NEO: which humanoid is right for a home in 2026?
You can buy a Unitree G1 in the UK today (£17,599.99 at Scan), but it's a hard-bodied research and demo robot, not a home helper. The 1X NEO is designed for homes, with a soft, padded body, but it's a US-only pre-order ($20,000 or $499 a month) with no UK sales until at least 2027. For a family home, neither is a sensible buy yet.
Both are two-legged (bipedal) humanoids. That's the only thing they really have in common.
Spec comparison
| Unitree G1 | 1X NEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Bipedal humanoid, 1.32m, about 35kg | Bipedal humanoid, 5ft 6in (about 1.68m), 66lb (about 30kg) |
| Exterior | Hard shell; no soft covering advertised | Soft body of 3D lattice polymer, machine-washable knit suit and shoes; joints covered, which 1X calls "pinch proof" |
| Price | £17,599.99 inc VAT (Scan, next-day, low stock) | $20,000 to own or $499/month subscription; $200 refundable deposit |
| UK availability | Yes, from UK retailers | No. 1X says US first, other markets from 2027 |
| Battery | About 2 hours (per Modern Robotics' tracker) | 842Wh, about 4 hours (1X) |
| What it does out of the box | Walks, performs, can be teleoperated. The standard G1 does not support secondary development; coding needs a G1 EDU (from £29,999.99, pre-order) | Basic autonomy (opening doors, fetching items) plus scheduled "Expert Mode", where a 1X employee remotely guides it through new chores |
| Noise | Not published | 22dB (1X) |
| Who it's for | Universities, labs, events, showrooms | US early adopters wanting a home robot |
G1 price and specs from Scan's UK humanoid page and 1X specs from its order page, both checked 6 November 2026. US prices exclude tax and shipping; 1X doesn't sell to the UK, so there is no UK price.
Safety in the home
A humanoid in a house shares space with children, pets and furniture it can fall onto. These are the questions to ask, and how the two compare on what the makers publish.
What happens if it touches or falls on someone?
1X designs NEO around this: a padded lattice-polymer body, covered joints, low-inertia tendon drives, and a published head-injury criterion (HIC) figure below 250. Unitree and Scan don't advertise any soft covering or home-safety rating for the G1, which is sold as a research and demonstration platform.
Who can see through its cameras?
NEO's Expert Mode means a remote 1X employee can see and steer the robot during sessions you book. Read 1X's data and privacy terms before ordering. For the G1, security researchers have disclosed a Bluetooth flaw, as reported by Modern Robotics.
Can it actually do chores?
Not reliably yet. In the open RoboColosseum benchmark, no AI policy completed a single task on a Unitree G1 across 625 trials. No paying NEO customer delivery had been independently confirmed as of early November 2026.
A genuine, buyable humanoid with UK stock, a UK retailer to deal with and finance options. Great for learning, research and demos.
It is not a home assistant. The standard model can't run your own code, battery life is short, and there's no soft body or home-safety rating.
The only humanoid designed from the ground up to share a home with people: soft, quiet and pinch-proof on paper.
US pre-order only, no confirmed customer deliveries yet, and its most useful chores lean on a remote human operator. UK buyers can't order one.
More detail on every major humanoid: our flagship humanoid buyer's guide, and the full price tracker on Modern Robotics.
Sources
- Scan UK: humanoid robots (G1, G1 EDU prices)
- Scan UK: Unitree G1 product page
- 1X: NEO order page and specifications
- 1X: NEO launch announcement
- Modern Robotics: humanoid price tracker (G1 battery, Bluetooth flaw, RoboColosseum, NEO delivery status)
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a 1X NEO in the UK?
No. 1X takes US pre-orders only ($20,000 or $499 a month, $200 deposit) and says other markets follow from 2027.
How much is a Unitree G1 in the UK?
Scan lists the standard Unitree G1 at £17,599.99 including VAT, with next-day delivery and low stock (checked 6 November 2026). Developer EDU versions start at £29,999.99.
Is the 1X NEO wheeled?
No. NEO is a two-legged humanoid with six degrees of freedom in each leg, wrapped in a soft padded body and knit suit.
Which is safer around children?
On published specs, NEO: it has a padded body, covered joints and a published head-injury figure. The G1 is a hard-bodied research robot with no home-safety rating. Neither is proven in ordinary family homes yet.