Notes/12 Nov 2026
Six robots on Teardex cost under US$10,000. Not one of their companies names the chip inside.
Walking robots are no longer only for factories and labs. Of the 30 robots on Teardex, six have a version priced under US$10,000: three robot dogs and three humanoids, from US$1,600 to US$4,950.
We read the chip facts for each one at its cheapest price. Not one of the six companies names the chip. Four describe an 8-core processor, two give a speed rating, and that is where the detail stops.
The named chips sit just above the line. The cheapest listed version that can carry an Nvidia computer is the Unitree R1 EDU, at US$10,500.
Unitree Go2
Robot dog
- Price
- From US$1,600 in Unitree's own store. Higher versions are US$2,800 and US$4,500.
- Chip at that price
- An 8-core processor, which Unitree does not name, is the built-in computer on every version above the cheapest.
- Where Nvidia comes in
- A Jetson Orin is an option on the EDU version, which is priced on request.
Faraday Future FF Nova
Small humanoid
- Price
- US$2,490 in the company store. It is open for preorders, and no shipped robots are confirmed yet.
- Chip at that price
- An onboard AI computer rated at 10 TOPS, a measure of AI work per second, with 8 GB of memory. The company does not name the chip or who makes it.
- Where Nvidia comes in
- The company names no Nvidia chip in Nova.
Unitree As2
Robot dog
- Price
- From US$3,100 for the As2 Air in Unitree's store. The As2 Pro is US$4,650.
- Chip at that price
- An 8-core processor in every version. Unitree calls it a high-performance ARM processor and does not name it.
- Where Nvidia comes in
- The EDU version can take an add-on dock with a Jetson Orin NX. The EDU is priced on request.
Booster K1
Small humanoid
- Price
- From about US$4,200 or 29,900 yuan, a launch price in China reported by 36KrLikely. Booster's own website shows no price.
- Chip at that price
- The Geek edition has what Booster calls a high-performance ARM processor, rated at 48 TOPS, not named. Reseller listings call it a Qualcomm QCS8550Rumoured.
- Where Nvidia comes in
- The Education edition runs a Jetson Orin NX. A reseller lists it at US$15,699Likely.
Unitree R1
Humanoid
- Price
- From US$4,900 for the R1 AIR in Unitree's store. The standard R1 is US$5,900.
- Chip at that price
- An 8-core main processor in every version. Unitree does not name the chip or the company behind it.
- Where Nvidia comes in
- The R1 EDU, at US$10,500, takes a Jetson Orin Nano or Orin NX as its add-on computer.
DEEP Robotics Lite3
Robot dog
- Price
- From US$4,950 at a US resellerLikely. The company's own prospectus says the Lite series sold for an average of about US$3,700 a robot in early 2026, by our own sum from 26,100 yuan.
- Chip at that price
- An 8-core processor that runs walking, in every edition. The company does not name it.
- Where Nvidia comes in
- The Pro and LiDAR editions add a Jetson Xavier NX. The same reseller lists them at US$12,000 and US$18,000Likely.
What stands out
Half of the six are Unitree's. The Go2, As2 and R1 follow one pattern: an unnamed 8-core processor in the versions with a listed price, and a Jetson Orin only on the EDU version built for developers.
The step up to Nvidia costs thousands. On the R1 it is US$5,900 to US$10,500. On the Lite3 a reseller lists the basic edition at US$4,950 and the first edition with a Jetson Xavier NX at US$12,000Likely.
A low price does not decide how much is on the record. The Lite3 ranks 5th of 29 on our Openness Index with 74 out of 100, because DEEP Robotics publishes its code and names its AI models. The other five score between 45 and 66.
How we counted
Each price and chip comes from the robot's page on Teardex, where every fact has a public source and a tag for how sure we are. A robot counts when its cheapest version is priced under US$10,000 before tax and shipping, in the company's own store or, marked Likely, in a reseller's listing or a press report. Seven of the 30 robots have no price on the record and are left out. Prices move often; the prices compare page is always up to date.