Hangzhou, China – Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese robotics company, unveiled its new R1 humanoid robot on July 25, 2025, with a groundbreaking starting price of $5,900 (39,900 yuan). This aggressive pricing strategy is poised to significantly disrupt the burgeoning humanoid robot market, making advanced robotics more accessible to a wider audience. The announcement has garnered considerable attention, with social media users like Min Choi remarking, "Well that's scary... China's Unitree has a new robot, R1," highlighting the rapid advancements in the field.
The R1 stands approximately 4 feet (121 cm) tall and weighs 55 pounds (25 kg), featuring 26 movable joints that enable a wide range of dexterous movements. Marketed as "born for sport," the robot has been showcased performing impressive acrobatics, including cartwheels, handstands, and running, demonstrating a level of agility previously seen only in far more expensive models. It integrates an 8-core processor with a GPU, a 4-microphone array, stereo speakers, and multimodal AI capabilities for speech and image recognition.
This sub-$6,000 price point dramatically undercuts competitors, with some high-end humanoid robots costing upwards of $200,000 and even other consumer-oriented models projected at $20,000. While designed for consumers, the R1 is primarily aimed at individual developers, tech enthusiasts, and early-stage research teams, serving as an accessible platform for innovation in robotics. Its open SDK supports programming in Python and C++, allowing for flexible development and experimentation.
Unitree Robotics, already known for its industrial robots like the H1 and G1 used in electric vehicle manufacturing, positions the R1 as a lower-cost entry point into its advanced control stack. The company’s move intensifies pressure on American and European rivals to reduce costs and accelerate their own development. This launch comes as Unitree reportedly prepares for an initial public offering (IPO) later this year, potentially becoming the first pure-play humanoid robot maker to list on a mainland Chinese exchange.
Despite its impressive capabilities and affordability, the R1 is currently more of a high-tech gadget and development tool rather than a fully autonomous household assistant capable of complex tasks like laundry or cooking. However, its release signifies a pivotal moment in the democratization of robotics, setting a new benchmark for accessibility and performance. The R1 represents a significant step towards a future where humanoid robots could become a more common sight in research labs, educational settings, and eventually, everyday environments.