Walker S2 vs RAISE A1: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2025)
UBTECH Robotics vs Zhiyuan Robotics — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
Walker S2 leads in more DOF, higher payload, faster speed, while RAISE A1 leads in lower price. Overall, Walker S2 has an edge in 3 out of 4 compared categories.
Walker S2
UBTECH Robotics
RAISE A1
Zhiyuan Robotics
DNA Fingerprint Overlay
Walker S2 RAISE A1
Specifications
$90,000Price$27,500
176 cmHeight175 cm
73 kgWeight55 kg
52DOF49
15 kgPayload5 kg
—Runtime—
2 m/sSpeed1.94 m/s
YesStairsYes
NoLiDARYes
N/ACompute200 TOPS
Pros and cons at a glance
Walker S2
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- 52 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
RAISE A1
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Ships with LiDAR for robust depth sensing in low-light environments
- 49 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Low rated payload (5 kg) — research or light-handling tasks only
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: Walker S2 or RAISE A1?
RAISE A1 is cheaper at $27,500 vs $90,000 for Walker S2. Note that lower price does not imply lower total cost of ownership — see the TCO calculator on the Explore page for utilisation-adjusted figures.
Which has higher payload: Walker S2 or RAISE A1?
Walker S2 rates a higher payload at 15 kg vs 5 kg. Payload ratings are vendor claims and do not always include a duty cycle — peak vs sustained payload can differ significantly.
Are both Walker S2 and RAISE A1 shipping to customers?
Yes. Both are commercially available as of the last review. Delivery timelines and customer geographies vary per vendor — check the manufacturer page for each.
Which is better for ROS-based development: Walker S2 or RAISE A1?
Walker S2 has no ROS support; RAISE A1 has ros2. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Does Walker S2 or RAISE A1 use LiDAR?
RAISE A1 ships with LiDAR for depth sensing; Walker S2 does not. LiDAR adds cost and complexity but improves obstacle detection in low-light or low-contrast environments.
Last updated: 2025