R1 vs CL-1: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2025)
Unitree Robotics vs LimX Dynamics — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
R1 leads in more DOF, faster speed. Overall, R1 has an edge in 2 out of 2 compared categories.
R1
Unitree Robotics
CL-1
LimX Dynamics
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R1 CL-1
Specifications
$5,900PricePrototype (2023), never sold; superseded by CL-3 / Oli (full-size humanoid now sold on limxdynamics.com)
123 cmHeight157 cm
29 kgWeight—
26DOF20
—Payload—
1hRuntime—
2.5 m/sSpeed1.11 m/s
YesStairsYes
NoLiDARYes
8-core CPU; NVIDIA Jetson Orin (EDU)ComputeN/A
Ecosystem Openness
72
R1
/100
—
CL-1
ROS2 support, newer platform — ecosystem growing.
Pros and cons at a glance
R1
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Affordable at $5,900 — accessible to research labs and SMEs
Cons
- Short runtime (60 min) — frequent recharging or battery swaps
CL-1
Pros
- Ships with LiDAR for robust depth sensing in low-light environments
Cons
- Discontinued by the manufacturer
- Unit price not publicly disclosed (quote-on-request or enterprise-only)
Frequently asked questions
How do R1 and CL-1 compare on price?
R1: $5,900. CL-1: Prototype (2023), never sold; superseded by CL-3 / Oli (full-size humanoid now sold on limxdynamics.com). Only one of the two has a public unit price; the other publishes a range or enterprise-only terms.
Is R1 or CL-1 actually available to buy?
R1 is shipping to customers. CL-1 has been discontinued. Status reflects the vendor's published commercial position as of the last review and can change between announcement and actual delivery.
Which is better for ROS-based development: R1 or CL-1?
R1 has ros2; CL-1 has ROS 1 only. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Does R1 or CL-1 use LiDAR?
CL-1 ships with LiDAR for depth sensing; R1 does not. LiDAR adds cost and complexity but improves obstacle detection in low-light or low-contrast environments.
Last updated: 2025