# Roborock Saros 20 vs Roborock Saros 20 Sonic

As of Nov 4, 2026, the Roborock Saros 20 costs $1,600 and the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic costs $1,700, so the Roborock Saros 20 is $100 cheaper. The Roborock Saros 20 has a published review score and ranks #44 in our robot vacuums ranking; the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic is not scored yet. Pick the Roborock Saros 20 for low furniture and tall thresholds. Pick the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic for homes with tall thresholds and lots of carpet.

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

## Side by side

| | Roborock Saros 20 | Roborock Saros 20 Sonic |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,600 | $1,700 |
| 3 year cost | $1,600 | $1,777 |
| Our score | 5.8/10 | Not scored yet |
| Rank in Floors | #44 | #105 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 1 year limited (Roborock US store) | 1 year limited (Roborock US store) |
| Suction | 36,000 Pa (brand claim); Vacuum Wars measured 15 CFM airflow | 36,000 Pa claimed (Roborock); PC-WELT said it could not verify the figure in home testing |
| Navigation | StarSight Autonomous System 2.0 with 3D ToF sensors and an RGB camera, no LiDAR turret | RetractSense retractable LiDAR (Roborock); PC-WELT mapped about 103 m² in about 12 min |
| Obstacle avoidance | Recognizes over 300 obstacle types (brand claim); Vacuum Wars scored 17 of 24 objects avoided | Reactive AI 3.0 with tri laser structured light, RGB camera and VertiBeam side laser (Roborock); Vacuum Wars scored 19 of 24 against a 16 average |
| Mopping | Yes, dual spinning pads with up to 13 N pressure, FlexiArm extending pad, 20 mm lift on carpet | Extendable VibraRise 5.0 flat vibrating pad, about 4,000 vibrations per min and 14 N pressure, lifts over carpet (Roborock); Vacuum Wars combined mopping score 15.8 against a 20.3 average |
| Self empty | Yes, auto empties into a disposable bag; Roborock says a bag lasts up to 65 days | Yes, disposable bag in the dock (Roborock); PC-WELT cites a maker claim of up to 65 days per bag |
| Dock features | RockDock washes pads with water up to 212°F, dries at 131°F, auto refills water, doses detergent and dries the dust bag | Mop washing with water up to 212°F, warm air drying at about 131°F, auto detergent dosing (Roborock, PC-WELT) |
| Runtime | 6,400 mAh battery; BGR cites about 200 min per charge and about 150 min to recharge | Up to 180 min vac and mop at Balanced (Roborock); Vacuum Wars estimated about 1,225 sq ft per charge; PC-WELT used 103 min for 70 m² on turbo settings |
| Dustbin | 260 mL onboard bin (Vacuum Wars) | 228 ml robot bin (Vacuum Wars), against a 377 ml average |
| Height | 3.14 in (79.8 mm) robot height per Roborock | 79.8 mm, about 3.1 in, with the LiDAR retracted (Roborock) |
| Pet hair | Vacuum Wars measured 88% flattened pet hair pickup and 0% hair wrap | Vacuum Wars measured 78% pet hair pickup against an 82% average, with 0% wrap on 7 in hair |
| App | Roborock app with Matter, Alexa and Google Home support plus built in voice control | Roborock app; Matter enabled and works with Alexa, Siri and Google Home (Roborock) |
| Threshold | Up to 3.46 in double layer thresholds with AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0 (brand claim); Vacuum Wars cleared a 57 mm single step | Roborock claims 8.8 cm on stepped double thresholds and 4.5 cm single sills; Vacuum Wars measured 57 mm; PC-WELT saw about 5 cm single thresholds in practice |
| Noise | n/a | PC-WELT measured about 55 to 58 dB(A) standard, 68 dB(A) max suction and 70 dB(A) while emptying (phone app at 1 m) |
| Best for | low furniture and tall thresholds | homes with tall thresholds and lots of carpet |
| Skip if | mopping is your top priority | mopping sticky stains is your main job |

## What reviewers found

### 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)

### Roborock Saros 20 Sonic

- Vacuum Wars (3.81 Vacuum Wars stars): 92% carpet deep clean (78% average), 0% hair wrap, 78% pet hair pickup (82% average), 19 of 24 obstacles avoided, 57 mm threshold climb, about 1,225 sq ft per charge. Dried stain score 62 against a 108 average, the main weakness. [Source](https://vacuumwars.com/roborock-saros-20-sonic-review/)
- PC-WELT: Editors' Choice and named its new number one in the premium segment. Measured about 55 to 58 dB(A) in standard mode, cleaned 70 m² in 103 min on turbo settings, and handled single thresholds of about 5 cm in practice. Less effective than roller mops on dried dirt. [Source](https://www.pcwelt.de/article/3156821/wischroboter-roborock-saros-20-sonic-test.html)

## Questions buyers ask

### Which is better, the Roborock Saros 20 or the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic?

The Roborock Saros 20 has a published review score and ranks #44 in our robot vacuums ranking; the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic is not scored yet. Pick the Roborock Saros 20 for low furniture and tall thresholds. Pick the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic for homes with tall thresholds and lots of carpet.

### Which is cheaper?

The Roborock Saros 20 at $1,600, versus $1,700 for the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic, checked Nov 4, 2026. Over 3 years with running costs: $1,600 vs $1,777.

### What is the difference between the Saros 20 and the Saros 20 Sonic?

Suction: 36,000 Pa (brand claim); Vacuum Wars measured 15 CFM airflow on the Saros 20, 36,000 Pa claimed (Roborock); PC-WELT said it could not verify the figure in home testing on the Saros 20 Sonic. Navigation: StarSight Autonomous System 2.0 with 3D ToF sensors and an RGB camera, no LiDAR turret on the Saros 20, RetractSense retractable LiDAR (Roborock); PC-WELT mapped about 103 m² in about 12 min on the Saros 20 Sonic. Obstacle avoidance: Recognizes over 300 obstacle types (brand claim); Vacuum Wars scored 17 of 24 objects… on the Saros 20, Reactive AI 3.0 with tri laser structured light, RGB camera and VertiBeam side laser… on the Saros 20 Sonic.

Full reviews: [Roborock Saros 20](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/roborock-saros-20/index.md), [Roborock Saros 20 Sonic](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/roborock-saros-20-sonic/index.md)