# Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra vs Roborock Saros 20

As of Nov 4, 2026, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra costs $800 and the Roborock Saros 20 costs $1,600, so the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is $800 cheaper. The Roborock Saros 20 has a published review score and ranks #44 in our robot vacuums ranking; the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is not scored yet. Pick the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra for buyers who want a full featured dock at a discount. Pick the Roborock Saros 20 for low furniture and tall thresholds.

Prices checked Nov 4, 2026. HTML version: https://robotsforthat.com/vs/roborock-s8-maxv-ultra-vs-roborock-saros-20/

## Side by side

| | Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra | Roborock Saros 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $800 | $1,600 |
| 3 year cost | $902 | $1,600 |
| Our score | Not scored yet | 5.8/10 |
| Rank in Floors | #75 | #44 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 1 year limited (Roborock US store) | 1 year limited (Roborock US store) |
| Suction | 10,000 Pa claimed (Roborock); Vacuum Wars measured 0.18 kPa max on its bench test | 36,000 Pa (brand claim); Vacuum Wars measured 15 CFM airflow |
| Navigation | PreciSense LiDAR (Roborock); TechRadar found mapping fast and accurate; Vacuum Wars measured 0.62 m² per min | StarSight Autonomous System 2.0 with 3D ToF sensors and an RGB camera, no LiDAR turret |
| Obstacle avoidance | Reactive AI 2.0 with 3D structured light and RGB camera, 73 object types (Roborock); TechRadar saw it get stuck on cables and try to eat a sock | Recognizes over 300 obstacle types (brand claim); Vacuum Wars scored 17 of 24 objects avoided |
| Mopping | VibraRise 3.0 vibrating pad at 4,000 scrubs per min, lifts 20 mm, plus FlexiArm edge mop at 185 rpm (Roborock); Vacuum Wars and TechRadar found it handled dried coffee and juice or honey well | Yes, dual spinning pads with up to 13 N pressure, FlexiArm extending pad, 20 mm lift on carpet |
| Self empty | Yes, about 7 weeks per bag (Roborock) | Yes, auto empties into a disposable bag; Roborock says a bag lasts up to 65 days |
| Dock features | Hot water mop washing up to 140°F, heated drying, auto detergent dispenser with 580 ml tank, water refill, dock self cleaning (Roborock) | RockDock washes pads with water up to 212°F, dries at 131°F, auto refills water, doses detergent and dries the dust bag |
| Runtime | Up to 180 min low power (Vacuum Wars, TechRadar spec table); 5,200 mAh battery (Roborock) | 6,400 mAh battery; BGR cites about 200 min per charge and about 150 min to recharge |
| Dustbin | 270 ml robot bin (TechRadar spec table) | 260 mL onboard bin (Vacuum Wars) |
| Height | 4.06 in (Roborock); TechRadar lists 10.3 cm | 3.14 in (79.8 mm) robot height per Roborock |
| Pet hair | TechRadar found the rollers handled long hair but some hair wrapped the roller axles and side brush | Vacuum Wars measured 88% flattened pet hair pickup and 0% hair wrap |
| App | Roborock app with camera, two way mic and voice assistant; 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only (Roborock); TechRadar found the voice assistant unreliable | Roborock app with Matter, Alexa and Google Home support plus built in voice control |
| Noise | 67 dB per the spec table in TechRadar's review | n/a |
| Threshold | n/a | Up to 3.46 in double layer thresholds with AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0 (brand claim); Vacuum Wars cleared a 57 mm single step |
| Best for | buyers who want a full featured dock at a discount | low furniture and tall thresholds |
| Skip if | you need to clean under low furniture | mopping is your top priority |

## What reviewers found

### Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra

- TechRadar: Strong vacuuming and effective mopping on coffee and dried honey, fast accurate mapping. It got stuck on cables repeatedly, tried to vacuum a sock, and the extending side brush and voice assistant were unreliable. Subscores: Value 3.5/5, Design 4.5/5, Performance 4/5. [Source](https://www.techradar.com/home/robot-vacuums/roborock-s8-maxv-ultra-robot-vacuum-review)
- Vacuum Wars: Measured 0.18 kPa max suction and 13 CFM airflow, 1.41 min per 1% battery and 0.62 m² per min navigation. Handled dried coffee and grape juice stains with minimal streaks, and its feature score was the highest Vacuum Wars had recorded at the time. [Source](https://vacuumwars.com/new-s8-maxv-ultra-vs-s8-max-ultra-which-is-the-best-choice/)

### Roborock Saros 20

- Vacuum Wars (3.81/5): Lab tests found 89% sand removal from carpet, 88% flattened pet hair pickup, 0% hair wrap, 17 of 24 obstacles avoided, a record 57 mm threshold climb and an above average combined mopping score; battery coverage was slightly below average at about 1,038 sq ft per charge. [Source](https://vacuumwars.com/roborock-saros-20-review/)
- CGMagazine (8.5/10): Performed strongly on pet hair, sand and fine dust on carpet and hard floors and fit under low furniture; reviewer flagged middling battery life, a small bin and trouble with loose cables. [Source](https://www.cgmagonline.com/review/hardware/roborock-saros-20-robot-vacuum/)
- Tom's Guide: Picked up 100% of cereal and kitty litter on carpet and 70% of pet hair on carpet, but mopping left floors streaky and patchy and the pads fell off once crossing a cable. [Source](https://www.tomsguide.com/home/home-appliances/roborock-saros-20-review)

## Questions buyers ask

### Which is better, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra or the Roborock Saros 20?

The Roborock Saros 20 has a published review score and ranks #44 in our robot vacuums ranking; the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is not scored yet. Pick the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra for buyers who want a full featured dock at a discount. Pick the Roborock Saros 20 for low furniture and tall thresholds.

### Which is cheaper?

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra at $800, versus $1,600 for the Roborock Saros 20, checked Nov 4, 2026. Over 3 years with running costs: $902 vs $1,600.

### What is the difference between the S8 MaxV Ultra and the Saros 20?

Suction: 10,000 Pa claimed (Roborock); Vacuum Wars measured 0.18 kPa max on its bench test on the S8 MaxV Ultra, 36,000 Pa (brand claim); Vacuum Wars measured 15 CFM airflow on the Saros 20. Navigation: PreciSense LiDAR (Roborock); TechRadar found mapping fast and accurate; Vacuum Wars… on the S8 MaxV Ultra, StarSight Autonomous System 2.0 with 3D ToF sensors and an RGB camera, no LiDAR turret on the Saros 20. Obstacle avoidance: Reactive AI 2.0 with 3D structured light and RGB camera, 73 object types (Roborock)… on the S8 MaxV Ultra, Recognizes over 300 obstacle types (brand claim); Vacuum Wars scored 17 of 24 objects… on the Saros 20.

Full reviews: [Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/roborock-s8-maxv-ultra/index.md), [Roborock Saros 20](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/roborock-saros-20/index.md)