Robot dog buying guide: how to choose your first quadruped
Updated 2026-10 · RobotMarket editorial
Most robot-dog buyers over-index on the wrong spec. Here is the order that actually matters.
1. What is it for?
Companionship and demonstrations need almost nothing. Development needs an SDK and spare parts. Inspection needs an IP rating and runtime. Carry this question to the top — it eliminates most of the catalogue immediately.
2. Payload and runtime
A consumer quadruped carries a camera; an industrial one carries 40 kg. Runtime is the spec people ignore and regret: the Unitree B2 runs about six hours, a Go2 roughly two to four. If your use case cannot tolerate a mid-shift recharge, pay for runtime.
3. Sensors and autonomy
LiDAR (Unitree uses "4D" ultra-wide LiDAR) is what lets a robot dog plan a path and avoid obstacles without a human on the sticks. If you want to run it in an office or a substation unattended, LiDAR and a mature autonomy stack matter more than raw speed.
4. The ecosystem
A robot with an active SDK and community is worth more than a faster robot nobody can program. Unitree and Xiaomi lean open; research platforms ship more tooling but cost orders of magnitude more.
5. Total cost, not sticker price
Batteries, spares, docking and software. For consumer robots, budget roughly the purchase price again over three years. For industrial, ask for a service contract before you sign.
