Roborock S5 vs. Roomba 960 Comparison

Roborock S5

Rating:
SRR Score: 122

$569.99 ^Amazon

$429.99 ^GearBest

iRobot Roomba 960

Rating:
SRR Score: 79

$580.85 ^Amazon

Main Features	Roborock S5	iRobot Roomba 960
Mapping / Path planning	yes	yes
Mapping Sensor Type	LDS	camera
Recharge & Resume	yes	yes
Automatically Docks and Recharges	yes	yes
Noise Level	60 db	65 db
LCD Display	no	no
Side Brushes (one or two)	1 pcs	1 pcs
Voice Prompts	yes	yes
Cleaning Features
Suction Power	2000 Pa	900 Pa
Сleaning Area	2691 ft² / 250 m²	1615 ft² / 150 m²
Home Size	medium, big	medium, big
Cleaning Modes	quiet, balanced, turbo, max, zoned cleanup, carpet boost	auto, spot cleaning
Dustbin Capacity	500 ml	600 ml
Automatic Dirt Disposal	no	no
Wet Mopping	yes	no
Water Tank Capacity	140 ml	-
Barrier-cross Height	0.79 in / 20 mm	0.79 in / 20 mm
HEPA Filter	yes	yes
Washable Filter	yes	no
Сarpet Floor Types	low-pile, medium-pile	low-pile, medium-pile
Bare Floor Types	hardwood, laminate, vynil, marble tile, ceramic tile linoleum	hardwood, vynil, marble tile, ceramic tile, laminate, linoleum
Battery
Battery Capacity	5200 mAh	2600 mAh
Run time	150 min	75 min
Charging Time	240 min	120 min
Rated Power (Watts)	58 W	30 W
Control
Scheduling	yes	yes
IR Remote Control	no	no
Wi-Fi / Smartphone App	yes	yes
Amazon Alexa Support	yes	yes
Google Assistant Support	yes	yes
Virtual Wall	no	yes
App Features
Digital Blocked Area	yes	no
Zoned cleaning	yes	no
Multi-floor maps	no	no
Manual movement control	yes	no
Selected room cleaning	no	no
Sensors
Carpet Boost	yes	no
Anti-drop / Cliff Sensor	yes	yes
Dirt Detect	no	yes
Full Bin Indicator	no	yes
Other Specifications
Robot Weight	7.72 lbs / 3.5 kg	8.38 lbs / 3.8 kg
Robot Width	13.78 in / 35 cm	13.78 in / 35 cm
Robot Height	3.78 in / 9.6 cm	3.50 in / 8.9 cm
In the box	adapter, charging dock, water tank, mopping pad, English user manual	charging station, line cord, extra filter, cleaning tool, owner’s guide, documentation package, dual-mode virtual wall, extra side brush
Warranty	12 months	12 months

iRobot Roomba 960 vs. Roborock S5: Which one is the best?

Rollers. The Roomba has two silicone brushless rollers that are ideal for pet hair.
Mapping technology. Roomba uses a camera sensor on top that requires a light on the room where the robot is cleaning. The Roborock has the LDS sensor that builds an accurate plan of the layout, can "see" in the dark. Both robots navigate back-and-forth in efficient straight lines.
Runtime. The Roborock lasts 75 minutes longer than Roomba.
Interaction with a map. The Roomba's map disappears once the cleaning is done. You can see the created map in the iRobot Home. With a map created by S5, there is an ability of interaction.
S5 has a smaller dustbin.
Mopping. Roborock S5 can sweep and mop at the same time. The vacuum is able to mop for about 50 minutes until the water container gets dry. Fill it with water again and let the robot run.
Real-time tracking. Thanks to three processors houses inside the Roborock, you can track the vacuum in real time using the Mi Home app.
Virtual walls and zone cleaning. In the Mi Home app, you can set virtual boundaries to keep the robot from crossing some particular areas. Also, you can create zone cleaning by drawing a rectangle on the map. Roomba has 2 dual virtual wall barriers in the box that creates a zone up to 3 meters in diameter that the robot should not cross.
Carpet boost increases air power to max level once the sensors recognize carpet flooring. Roomba 960 lacks this feature.
Suction power. Roborock S5 has twice stronger suction.
In the app, you can control the Roborock S5 like a radio car. The iRobot Home app does not support it.
Roomba has more accessories in the box.
Roomba has dirt detect that automatically provides deeper cleaning on high-traffic spots.
Full bin indicator shows when the container needs to be emptied.

Which one would suit you better?

Why getting the Roomba 960

Silicone rollers. These are the perfect brushless rollers for pet hair since they are tangle-free.
Dirt detect. This system provides deeper cleaning when it recognizes high-traffic spots by boosting app air power and making the robot go over the same spot a few times.
Full bin indicator. The Roomba alerts when the dustbin is full. You can either stop the cleaning cycle to empty the container or pause the machine.
The app is easier to connect to Wi-Fi.
The Roomba 960 has a bigger tank to hold dust and dirt.
The Roomba 960 has a shorter body that fits under most furniture.

The Roomba 960 is one of the best robot vacuums on the market yet we think it is overpriced. If you decided to get the Roomba 960, we would recommend waiting for special deals on Amazon to get it cheaper. The robot is better for smaller homes because of the short runtime. Thanks to the silicone tangle-free rollers, the Roomba 960 is perfect for pet hair. Unfortunately, the vacuum struggles with the smallest particulars on carpet. It does clean thicker carpets though can not provide deeper cleaning. If your home does not have thick carpets and you have a pet, the Roomba 960 is the vacuum you always wished to have.

Why buying the Roborock S5

The Roborock S5 has stronger suction power.
It can recognize carpet flooring automatically boosting suction power to its maximum level.
The S5 can mop and sweep.
It has the longest-lasting battery in the industry.
LIDAR builds an accurate map and allows to work in the dark.
With the S5, you can set restricted areas in the Mi Home app.
The Roborock S5 supports zoned cleaning if you want it to work within a specific zone.
The Roborock can be tracked in real-time. You can watch it creating a map in the app.
The Roborock S5 can be controlled like a radio car.

The Roborock S5 is a two-in-one cleaner that can mop and sweep at the same time. It has one of the strongest suction in the industry and the longest battery life. Thanks to mopping, it is suitable for bare floors. Because of good climbing ability, carpet boost, and strong suction, the Roborock performs great on carpets that are not thicker than 20 mm. The cleaner is perfect for bigger homes. The Mi Home app offers to create virtual block offs, zone cleaning and tracking your robot in real time. Since the Roborock is ideal for both: carpet and bare floor, we would recommend you to have a closer look at the Roborock S5. It might be the best decision you would make.