Six humanoid spec sheets, six ways to state payload
Per arm, one arm, continuous versus peak, lifting versus one hand, full workspace versus best pose, or not published at all. None of these numbers can be ranked against each other.
Payload is the first number buyers ask about, and the one spec sheets agree on least. We collected the rated payload for the six humanoids in our first test batch. No two state it the same way.
| Robot | Rated payload | What the number means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unitree G1 | ~2 kg | Per arm | Maker page |
| Fourier GR-2 | ~3 kg | One arm | Maker datasheet |
| Unitree H2 | 7 kg / 21 kg | Continuous / peak | Reseller datasheet |
| UBTech Walker S2 | 15 kg / 7.5 kg | Two-arm lift / one hand | Maker brochure |
| AgiBot X2 Ultra | ≤1 kg / 3 kg | Anywhere in the workspace / best arm pose | Maker documentation |
| Booster T1 | Not published | — | Reseller datasheet |
Why the definitions matter
- Pose changes the answer by 3x. AgiBot states both ends: at most 1 kg anywhere the arm can reach, 3 kg in the best pose. A maker that publishes only the best-pose figure looks three times stronger.
- Continuous and peak are different tests. Unitree's H2 sheet gives 7 kg continuous and 21 kg peak. A peak figure says what a joint survives briefly, not what a robot can carry through a shift.
- One arm and two arms are not interchangeable. Walker S2's 15 kg is a two-arm lift; its one-hand figure is 7.5 kg.
The same problem appears in other specs. Peak joint torque is stated for the knee on some sheets and unqualified on others. Runtime is given for walking, standing, or replaced by battery swapping.
How we handle it
Our Hardware Index measures payload one way for every robot: the mass held for 30 minutes in fixed poses, under the published test protocol. Until those results exist, our power and payload ranking uses illustrative scores and shows each maker's rated figure underneath, with its definition.
If you are comparing robots from spec sheets today, ask each maker for the payload at a named pose and duration. Without both, the numbers are not comparable.