• 2 min read
Roborock’s $3,200 mower skips satellites
Roborock’s new RockMow X120H uses LiDAR instead of satellite RTK, promises half-acre mowing in a day, and is on Amazon at an introductory $2,500.
Image: Gizmodo
Roborock has launched the RockMow X120H, a new robotic lawnmower that the company says can cover half an acre in a day without guide wires or a satellite connection. The pitch is straightforward: autonomous mapping, 360-degree LiDAR navigation, and obstacle avoidance, but at a premium price. Roborock lists it at $3,200, though it is currently available on Amazon at an introductory $2,500.
The mower closely resembles the Segway Navimow X430, a rival model Gizmodo reviewed earlier this summer. Roborock says the X120H has four-wheel drive—its Amazon listing also calls it all-wheel drive—plus a vision camera for obstacle avoidance. According to the company, it can handle slopes up to 38.7 degrees, trim to within 3 centimeters of a wall, and climb obstacles up to 3.1 inches high.
Unlike the X430, which relies on satellite-based RTK and a vision camera, the X120H is built around LiDAR for navigation. That could help in more complex yards, where satellite-assisted auto-mapping can struggle. Roborock still includes three years of free 4G connectivity for remote tracking.
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Other hardware details include knobby wheels, a Dynamic Suspension System with a terrain-adaptive chassis and dual independent springs, and a floating cutting deck designed to maintain a consistent cut on uneven ground. The cutting height adjusts from 1.6 inches to 3.5 inches, a narrower range than the X430's 0.75 to 4 inches. The X120H also carries an IPX6 waterproof rating, so it can be rinsed off with a hose.
Gizmodo notes the real test will be whether LiDAR makes the X120H more reliable than the cheaper $2,500 X430 in complicated lawns. On paper, Roborock’s mower covers less area than Segway’s full-acre claim, but better navigation could be the feature that matters more.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via Gizmodo
