Unitree R1 vs Unitree H2: Which Humanoid to Buy?

Choose the R1 if you want a small humanoid for learning, demos and robot software projects, in a body you can carry and store easily. Choose the H2 if you need a human-size robot with seven-joint arms, a three-hour battery and room to grow into research or service work. The R1 came first, in July 2025, and the H2 is the newer and bigger machine, unveiled three months later. Both come from Unitree, so the real choice is size, runtime and ambition.

The R1 is 123 cm tall and about 29 kg, while the H2 is 182 cm tall and about 70 kg. That is a child-sized robot against an adult-sized one. Size decides what each can reach: the H2 can work at a counter, shelf or desk like a person, and the R1 cannot. The R1 is easier to move, store and test in a small room, and a fall is less costly. The H2 needs open space and a sensible safety distance.

The H2 has 31 degrees of freedom against 26 on the standard R1, and its arms have 7 joints each against 5 on the R1. More arm joints let a robot reach around objects the way a human arm does. Unitree rates the H2 arm payload at about 7 kg, with a peak of about 15 kg. The R1 lists arm joint torque of about 2 kg at its maximum, so it suits gestures, waving and light motion. For lifting a bag, moving a tool or holding a box, the H2 is the only one of the two built for it.

The H2 runs about 3 hours per charge, while the R1 runs about 1 hour. The H2 pack is 15 Ah at up to 75.6 V, which is 0.972 kWh, a figure Unitree publishes; the R1 battery capacity is not listed. Both use a quick-release battery, so an owner can keep a spare pack charged and swap it in. For classroom sessions or short demos, one hour is workable. For long tests or a shift of work, the H2 needs far fewer stops.

On both, the base model has no dexterous hand; hands are an upgrade on the EDU versions only. The R1 EDU offers an optional hand, and the H2 EDU offers several dexterous hand models. Sensing differs too: the standard R1 has a binocular camera and four microphones, while the H2 carries a wide-view binocular camera and an array microphone with a high-power speaker. If hands matter to your project, plan on an EDU version of either robot and ask Unitree sales for the exact hand options.

The H2 EDU is the stronger research tool, with an Intel Core i7 computer option, optional high-power modules such as Thor, and a secondary development manual. The R1 EDU also opens secondary development and adds an optional computing module such as Orin at 40 to 100 TOPS. Unitree says R1 control interfaces are open and work with mainstream simulators. The R1 is the lighter, simpler way to test code on a real body; the H2 is where the bigger compute lives.

The R1 starts at $4,900 for the AIR version and $5,900 for the standard R1, while the H2 starts at $29,900. Taxes and shipping are extra, and the EDU versions are quote-only. That makes the H2 about five times the standard R1. You pay that extra for a much taller body, 5 more joints, three times the runtime and arms with a rated payload. If you only need a humanoid body for software work, the R1 gives far more robot per dollar.

Unitree sets warranties by version. The R1 AIR carries 6 months, the standard R1 8 months and the R1 EDU 12 months. The H2 carries 8 months, and the H2 EDU 12 months. Both receive over-the-air software updates, which means new motion skills arrive without a visit. The EDU tier is the longest cover on both robots, so teams that depend on uptime, such as a university lab running daily sessions, get the best protection from the 12-month versions. Check the full terms in the warranty brochure before you buy.

The R1 suits a classroom, a maker space or a desk-sized lab, where a 29 kg robot is easy to handle and a one-hour battery is enough. The H2 suits a research lab or a showroom that needs a human-size figure with a bionic face and strong legs, rated at 360 N·m of joint torque. Neither is a household helper out of the box. For a first humanoid in a small space, start with the R1; for a serious platform, the H2.