NEO vs Sophia: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2024)
1X Technologies vs Hanson Robotics — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
NEO leads in higher payload, while Sophia leads in more DOF. The two robots are evenly matched, each excelling in different areas.
NEO
1X Technologies
Sophia
Hanson Robotics
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NEO Sophia
Specifications
$20,000PriceContact (R&D version available)
168 cmHeight167 cm
30 kgWeight20 kg
75DOF83
25 kgPayload1.2 kg
4hRuntime—
1.4 m/sSpeed—
YesStairsNo
NoLiDARNo
Proprietary (World Model AI onboard)ComputeIntel Core i7, 32 GB RAM
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
10
NEO
/100
40
Sophia
Proprietary World Model AI. No public SDK.
Hanson AI SDK + OpenCog. Ubuntu. Partial ROS. Niche community.
Pros and cons at a glance
NEO
Pros
- Open for preorders
- High rated payload (25 kg) for industrial pick-and-place
- 75 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
Sophia
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- 83 degrees of freedom — full-body articulation
Cons
- Unit price not publicly disclosed (quote-on-request or enterprise-only)
- Low rated payload (1.2 kg) — research or light-handling tasks only
- Cannot navigate stairs — restricts deployment environments
Frequently asked questions
How do NEO and Sophia compare on price?
NEO: $20,000. Sophia: Contact (R&D version available). Only one of the two has a public unit price; the other publishes a range or enterprise-only terms.
Which has higher payload: NEO or Sophia?
NEO rates a higher payload at 25 kg vs 1.2 kg. Payload ratings are vendor claims and do not always include a duty cycle — peak vs sustained payload can differ significantly.
Is NEO or Sophia actually available to buy?
NEO is open for preorders. Sophia is shipping to customers. 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: NEO or Sophia?
NEO has no ROS support; Sophia has ROS 1 only. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Last updated: 2024