Meet NEO — The $20,000 Humanoid Robot Built to Help at Home
A new era of home robotics has just arrived, and it’s not from Tesla this time. California-based robotics company 1X has unveiled NEO , a humanoid household robot that’s being hailed as the world’s first consumer-ready humanoid robot . The company officially opened preorders this week, making it the first real step toward bringing lifelike robotic assistants into everyday homes.
Standing about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing roughly 30 kilograms , NEO looks like something pulled right out of a sci-fi movie. It’s wrapped in a soft 3D lattice polymer shell that comes in sleek Tan, Gray, or Dark Brown finishes—so yes, it looks more like a futuristic helper than a cold metal machine. It’s packed with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and even 5G connectivity, and has built-in speakers, meaning it can technically double as a very strange home sound system.
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But what really makes NEO stand out is its purpose. It’s designed to assist with household chores —from folding laundry and opening doors to fetching items and switching lights on or off. However, it’s not entirely independent yet. While it can handle some basic actions on its own, many of its complex tasks will still require human teleoperation . That means, in some cases, a real person from 1X will control your robot remotely through a VR headset, guiding it to complete tasks inside your home.
This setup, while innovative, naturally raises privacy concerns. After all, it means someone could be “seeing” into your space through NEO’s cameras. To ease those worries, 1X says owners will have full control over when and how teleoperators access their robot. They can blur their own images, restrict certain areas as “no-go zones,” and require explicit permission before an operator takes control. As CEO Bernt Børnich explained, the system is designed so that owners always stay in charge — and yes, multiple layers of security have been built in to keep both people and property safe.
At launch, NEO will come with four hours of battery life and the strength to lift over 150 pounds. It’s not waterproof, though, so the company jokes that if NEO ever gets wet, they’ll automatically send a bag of rice. Despite its playful branding, the company admits that much of the robot’s learning will depend on these early users, as every real-world experience helps its AI evolve.
If you want one, you’ll need deep pockets. The price tag is $20,000 , with a $200 preorder deposit. For those who’d rather not buy it outright, there’s a $499-per-month lease option for a minimum of six months. Early deliveries will begin in the U.S. next year , while international customers can expect theirs in 2027.
So, while NEO might not be making dinner just yet, it does mark a huge leap forward — a moment when humanoid robots finally move from science fiction into real, functioning products. And with 1X now officially ahead of competitors like Tesla’s Optimus and XPENG’s Iron, it seems the race to make robots part of our daily lives has truly begun.
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