The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and Roborock S8 Pro Ultra share a lot of similarities — the least of which is their brand name. Along with the capacity to vacuum and mop in a single cleaning cycle, the two robots can automatically empty their dustbins and clean their dirty mops once the cycle is complete. That alone makes them two of the best robot vacuums on the market.
But while there are plenty of similarities between the S8 MaxV Ultra and S8 Pro Ultra, there are a few key differences that could make one better for your home than the other. From pricing and vacuuming power to navigational skills and more, here’s a comprehensive look at the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and Roborock S8 Pro Ultra.
Pricing and availability
The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra doesn’t go on sale until April 20, and it’ll cost a staggering $1,800. You might get lucky with a preorder discount or other launch day price cut, but expect to be emptying your wallet if you want the latest and greatest from Roborock.
The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is readily available for $1,600, though it’s been discounted to just $1,000 ahead of the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra’s launch. So if you need a robot vacuum today, the S8 Pro Ultra is the obvious choice. It’s also much cheaper, clocking in at $800 less than the upcoming S8 MaxV Ultra.
Winner: Roborock S8 Pro Ultra
Vacuuming
Roborock made serious upgrades to the S8 MaxV Ultra, making it one of the most powerful robot vacuums available in 2024. Part of this is due to its 10,000 Pa of suction, which helps it pull dirt and debris out of even the thickest carpets. It also picked up a swinging side arm that can move its side brush into corners and crevices, resulting in a better clean.
The S8 Pro Ultra, meanwhile, maxes out at 6,000 Pa — which is still powerful, but falls well below the limits of the MaxV Ultra. It also doesn’t have a swinging side arm to tackle small spaces. It does, however, use a similar duo roller system to the S8 MaxV Ultra to prevent its brushes from getting tangled.
Winner: Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra
Mopping
The S8 MaxV Ultra takes everything great about the S8 Pro Ultra’s mopping performance and makes it better. This includes a mopping plate that retracts 20mm (instead of just 5mm on the S8 Pro Ultra), up to 4,000 vibrations per minute (up from 3,000 on the S8 Pro Ultra), and an additional side mop to better clean edges (which isn’t available on the S8 Pro Ultra).
Another cool feature of the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is that you can purchase a model that connects to your home’s water system to automatically handle water replacement and dirty water draining. But if you’re not interested in doing any plumbing, you’ll still benefit from a standard dock that washes its mops with hot water before drying them with hot air.
The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra can also wash and dry its mop, though it lacks the hot water and hot air functionality of the S8 MaxV Ultra. There’s also no option to connect it to drain lines, which is a big appeal of the new robot vacuum and mop, as it essentially automates the entire cleaning process.
Winner: Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra
Additional features
The improvements on the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra don’t end with superior suction and better mopping chops. It also benefits from a redesigned dock that looks much sleeker than the S8 Pro Ultra’s, along with enhanced obstacle avoidance and an upgraded array of sensors. If you’re a fan of voice assistants, you’ll be glad to know Roborock added one to the S8 MaxV Ultra. Known as Rocky, the onboard assistant lets you start tasks with your voice, without the need to dive into apps or work through a secondary smart home platform.
A less useful, but still cool feature is support for video calls. While you won’t use it for much more than checking in on your home or pets (its viewing angle is much too low to have a real conversation with people), it’s a nice touch on the $1,800 vacuum. It can even search for your pet and take snapshots while it’s cleaning — capturing either a dog that’s terrified of vacuums or one that thinks it’s a new toy.
Both devices support the Roborock mobile app to create restricted zones, schedule custom cleanings, and modify your map. We found the app to be one of the best available, thanks to its intuitive design and robust control options. When a cleaning cycle is in progress, you’ll get a live map of your home that shows you where the robot has traveled, where it’s yet to clean, and its current location. That makes it easy to keep tabs on your cleaning, whether you’re at home or away at work.
Winner: Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra
Which is the best robot vacuum and mop combo?
It should come as no surprise, but the newer, more expensive Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is a better robot vacuum than the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. The robot makes big leaps over the S8 Pro Ultra, with huge improvements to suction power and mopping skills, and has an improved dock and navigational skills that make it an all-around better assistant.
Toss in secondary features like Rocky and its video call capability, and it’s easy to see that Roborock clearly went out of its way to make the S8 MaxV Ultra stand out from the crowd.
But just because it’s a better robot vacuum doesn’t mean it’s the right one for your home. The $1,800 price tag alone will be enough to dissuade all but the most invested robot vacuum enthusiasts — though it’s worth noting it will get you a superior clean and remove most of the pinch points of robot vacuum ownership (especially if you connect it to your plumbing).
For shoppers looking to save hundreds of dollars, the older Roborock S8 Pro Ultra remains a great option. It has only grown more enticing with its new price cut, allowing you to pick up one of the best robot vacuums at a shockingly low price. So if you don’t mind missing out on a few extras and can deal with a less-than-perfect cleaning experience, there’s nothing wrong with adding the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra to your home.
