NEO
Limited evidenceRead the findings →1X's walking home humanoid, open for preorder with the US first in line. It's aimed at keen early adopters happy to have a remote operator helping out. For anything beyond simple jobs, a 1X operator drives it remotely through its cameras.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in 1X’s range
- NEO Gamma2025 home prototype shown before orders opened
- NEO BetaFirst NEO prototype, shown in 2024
- NEOThis model
- 1X EVEWheeled humanoid for commercial work such as security
Feedback
What we know
What's known about NEO comes from 1X and early press coverage. Daring Fireball summarises a Wall Street Journal visit to a prototype, where remote operators helped the robot and chores proved difficult. Engadget and The Robot Report cover launch plans, and 1X describes how the company plans to build it. 1X says NEO will do simple jobs on its own and bring in a remote 1X expert for the rest.
A human helps it learn
1X says NEO works on its own by default, but for chores it doesn't know you can schedule a 1X expert to guide it remotely 1X. Engadget reported the chief executive saying much of the work will be done by these remote operators at first, and that owners must accept a person seeing inside their home through its cameras. Expect to book help for anything beyond simple jobs in the first months.
Early demo was rough
Before orders opened, a Wall Street Journal reporter spent a day with NEO. As quoted by Daring Fireball, it nearly toppled over closing a dishwasher, took two minutes to fold a shirt, and was being controlled by a human in a VR headset. That was a prototype in a staged visit, not a finished robot in a home, but it shows how far the autonomy had to go.
Privacy controls you'll rely on
Engadget reported that 1X can blur people so the remote operator doesn't see them, that owners can mark no-go zones the operator can't enter, and that operators need your approval before taking control. The Robot Report describes the same blurring and no-go zones. Make sure you're comfortable with all this before paying a deposit.
Soft body, quiet running
1X lists a soft body with a lattice polymer structure, joints designed with no pinch points and a noise level of 22dB 1X. It weighs about 30kg yet, according to 1X, can lift about 70kg the specifications. Those are the maker's figures. NEO is about the height of an adult, so the soft body and pinch-free joints matter in a home.
Deliveries haven't started
1X said in April 2026 that its California factory was building NEOs for its own labs and home testing, with customer shipments planned for 2026 and more than 10,000 orders taken in five days 1X. The Robot Report reported US deliveries first and other markets from 2027. We couldn't find a report of a customer receiving one. Until that happens, nobody outside 1X has checked how reliably it does chores without help, how safely it moves around children, pets and clutter, or how well the privacy controls hold up.
The Wall Street Journal visit is reported through Daring Fireball's summary, because the original is behind a paywall.
Our take
Should you buy the NEO?
Best for: US early adopters willing to try a home robot with remote human help. Skip it if: You are not comfortable with a remote operator seeing inside your home.
for keen early adopters in the US who can accept a remote operator in the house and a robot that is still learning. Everyone else should wait for tests in real homes. If you are only watching this space, Sunday's Memo trains without remote control, though it isn't on sale either.
NEO is a walking humanoid about the height of an adult, with a soft body and joints designed not to pinch. 1X opened orders in October 2025 and says US homes get it first, with other countries later. You can buy it outright on early access or pay for it monthly.
1X says it will handle simple jobs such as fetching things, opening doors and switching lights. For anything else you book a session in which a 1X operator drives it remotely through its cameras, so someone outside your household sees inside your home, though you can blur faces and put rooms off limits. A reporter who tried it before orders opened found it under remote control and struggling with easy tasks. No customer delivery has been reported.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Can I actually buy one?
You can order one with a refundable deposit, either to own on early access with priority delivery or as a monthly subscription 1X. 1X says US deliveries start in 2026 1X, and The Robot Report reported other markets from 2027. No customer delivery had been reported when we checked.
What can it do on its own today?
Only basic tasks at first. Engadget lists opening doors, fetching items and switching lights on or off. 1X says NEO arrives with basic autonomy and improves over time, with a remote expert available at scheduled times for complex jobs 1X. None of the sources here saw it working unaided in a home.
Who sees inside my home?
A 1X operator, when you book remote help. Engadget reported that buyers must accept an operator seeing through its cameras to teach it, though you can blur people, set no-go zones and must approve each session. Daring Fireball quotes a reporter who found it remote-controlled during her visit.
Is it safe to have around people?
1X says it has a soft body, no pinch points in its joints and runs at 22dB 1X. It weighs about 30kg and can lift far more than that the specifications. We couldn't find any published independent safety testing, so treat these as the maker's claims.
Is there a subscription?
1X offers an outright purchase and a monthly subscription. The page doesn't clearly spell out every ongoing charge if you buy outright. Before ordering, ask 1X to confirm in writing what remote help costs, what's included and how cancelling works.
Alternatives
Other humanoid robots to compare.
Memo
Why consider it: A wheeled home-robot project whose maker describes training from recordings made with a wearable glove.
The compromise: It isn't on sale, and everything known comes from the company's own demos.
Figure 03
Why consider it: Another humanoid pitched at household jobs done with its hands.
The compromise: You can't order one for home use.
R1
Why consider it: A compact humanoid you can buy now as a movement and development platform.
The compromise: It isn't a ready-made household helper and doesn't do chores out of the box.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the NEO?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Sources
- Engadget: 1X Neo is a $20,000 home robot that will learn chores via teleoperation ↗News
- The Robot Report: NEO humanoid designed for household use, available for preorder ↗News
- Daring Fireball: Joanna Stern on the 1X Neo, a humanoid 'robot' housekeeper that is actually remote-controlled by humans ↗News
- 1X: 1X opens NEO factory in Hayward, CA, with consumer shipments planned for 2026 ↗Manufacturer
- 1X: NEO home robot ↗Manufacturer
- 1X: Order NEO ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- The Innovation Race: I Tested The 1X Neo: Here’s The Truth of $20000 Butler ↗
- Ai Boffins: 1X NEO Explained: The First Humanoid Robot Being Delivered to Real Homes ↗
- Search YouTube for 1X NEO ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.