G1 vs Walker S2: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2025)
Unitree Robotics vs UBTECH Robotics — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
G1 leads in lower price, while Walker S2 leads in more DOF, higher payload. Overall, Walker S2 has an edge in 2 out of 3 compared categories.
G1
Unitree Robotics
Walker S2
UBTECH Robotics
DNA Fingerprint Overlay
G1 Walker S2
Specifications
$13,500Price$90,000
127 cmHeight176 cm
35 kgWeight73 kg
23DOF52
2 kgPayload15 kg
2hRuntime—
2 m/sSpeed2 m/s
YesStairsYes
YesLiDARNo
NVIDIA Jetson Orin (EDU)ComputeN/A
Task Capabilities
◔Pick up a box from shelf?
✕Open a door handle?
✕Pour liquid into cup?
✕Use a power tool?
✕Type on keyboard?
✓Climb stairs with load?
✓Walk on uneven terrain?
✕Run (>3 m/s)?
✓Crouch under obstacle?
◔Navigate in crowd?
✓Recognize & locate objects?
✕Respond to voice commands?
✓Detect humans nearby?
✕Work 8-hour shift?
✓Hot-swap battery?
◔Operate 24/7 (with charging)?
✕Work in rain (IP65+)?
✕Work below 0°C?
✕Work in dusty environment?
◔Work safely alongside humans?
Ecosystem Openness
82
G1
/100
—
Walker S2
Full ROS2 + SDK2 (C++/Python). Active GitHub. Large research community.
Pros and cons at a glance
G1
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Affordable at $13,500 — accessible to research labs and SMEs
- Ships with LiDAR for robust depth sensing in low-light environments
Cons
- Low rated payload (2 kg) — research or light-handling tasks only
- Short runtime (120 min) — frequent recharging or battery swaps
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
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: G1 or Walker S2?
G1 is cheaper at $13,500 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: G1 or Walker S2?
Walker S2 rates a higher payload at 15 kg vs 2 kg. Payload ratings are vendor claims and do not always include a duty cycle — peak vs sustained payload can differ significantly.
Are both G1 and Walker S2 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: G1 or Walker S2?
G1 has ros2; Walker S2 has no ROS support. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Does G1 or Walker S2 use LiDAR?
G1 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