CES 2023: Roborock S8, S8+ and S8 Pro Ultra unveiled

The S series from Roborock has always been considered one of the industry kings in the field of vacuum robots. The Xiaomi subsidiary has now presented the latest version at the CES in Las Vegas. The Roborock S8 is not only supposed to offer significantly more suction power than its predecessor. On top of that, one would like to have further improved the proven vibration technology as well as main brush.

Roborock S8 comes in three versions

When it comes to vacuum robots, Roborock is right up front. This has already been revealed in several of our practical tests. The company can not only produce really good mid-range models like the Roborock Q7 Max+ (test). With the Roborock S7 (test), the company has also launched a real flagship in the field of vacuum robots with wiping function. Almost two years after the release of the S7, it was now time for a successor. This was presented at the CES in Las Vegas in the form of the Roborock S8. Strictly speaking, however, one has to speak of successors. After all, the Xiaomi subsidiary wants to launch its S8 in three versions.

At the technology fair in the Nevada desert, Roborock S8, S8+ and S8 Pro Ultra were shown accordingly. For purists, the S8 comes along. This is the classic vacuum cleaning robot with a matching charging station. If you don’t want to empty the dust container frequently, you can opt for the S8+. This model comes with a suction station, which frees the smart household helper from the collected debris and charges its battery. Roborock’s new blocking tip should then be the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. This supplies the vacuum mopping robot with fresh water, cleans the mopping surface and even dries it afterwards. As a result, the user hardly has to do anything to the robot himself.

New features include the wiping unit and main brush

In view of the consistently positive opinions about the predecessor, the question naturally arises about the improvements. Probably the most noticeable improvements take place on the underside. Thus, the vacuum robot now gets a double roller. This consists of two main brushes, which fortunately do without classic bristles again. Instead, they are made entirely of rubber, which should once again make them easy to maintain.

In addition to the brushes, Roborock has also improved the wiping unit. Although the manufacturer still relies on the “VibraRise” technology, where the mop plate could pick up stubborn dirt well from the floor by vibrating. However, the S8 models now have two instead of one motor for vibrations. So we can presumably expect even better results here as well. There is also news under the hood.

Thus, the Roborock S8 performs with significantly more power than it did with the S7. Instead of 2,500 Pascal, there is a total of 6,000 Pascal suction power here. Furthermore, Roborock would like to have made improvements in the navigation of its flagships. An infrared camera is now used, which has an integrated illumination. We will see in practice whether the robot vacuum cleaner can also recognize flat objects on the floor. The S7, like pretty much every vacuum robot, still had its problems with this.

Roborock S8 Pro Ultra offers dry function

Another significant innovation concerns the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. More precisely, its station. Thus, we already know from the predecessor S7 Pro Ultra (Amazon) the features around the wipe function. Namely, the station not only supplied the robot with fresh water, but also cleaned the wiping cloth. With the S8 Pro Ultra, Roborock goes a step further and offers a drying function on top of that.

Here, the station uses warm air like a hair dryer to dry the wipe again. This is primarily to prevent unpleasant odors and also ensure more hygiene. So far, we only know this feature from high-end vacuum wipers like the Ecovacs Deebot X1 OMNI (test) or the Dreame L10s Ultra (test), which, however, rely on two rotating wiping pads in each case.

Prices and Availability

Just seen at CES, we probably won’t have to wait long before Roborock S8, S8+ and S8 Pro Ultra are allowed to roam our homes. The new devices should be available in stores from March. The fact that these are flagships in the field of smart household helpers can unfortunately be seen in the price. The Xiaomi subsidiary charges a proud 699 Euros for its entry-level S8 model. The S8+ is supposed to cost 899 Euros. Those who want the top model in the form of the S8 Pro Ultra will have to pay a whopping 1,499 Euros. However, if the improvements keep Roborock’s promises, new reference models are likely to roll in.