Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra: 10,000 Pa, new cleaning module, artificial intelligence

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is Roborock's best robot vacuum cleaner, available globally as of June 2024. It features a number of new design features and capabilities, including a retractable side brush for sweeping out corners, an additional edge cloth for cleaning floors right up to baseboards, a detergent dispenser at the cleaning station, control via the company's "Hello, Rocky" voice assistant, and even increased suction power to 10,000 Pa. At first glance, it all seems very interesting. So, below, I'll thoroughly test the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, highlight its pros and cons based on my test results, and then express my opinion on whether this robot vacuum is worth buying. Prices start at $1,400. So, let's get started!

Equipment

The delivery package is standard. In addition to the robot and station, it includes:

1. Power adapter.
2. Spare bag for the station.
3. And documentation for the robot.

Appearance

Now let's take a look at the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra's design. Let's start with the robot vacuum itself. It's round and comes in white and black.

A wall sensor is installed on the right. A system of sensors and cameras is located in the center to detect and accurately avoid obstacles on the floor, as well as to remotely monitor the home.

The technology was named Reactive AI Obstacle Recognition, like the previously released Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra3D sensors are located on the sides of the cameras, and an LED is located underneath to illuminate the cleaning area in the dark.

You can remotely monitor your home using the camera using your smartphone:

A lidar system is responsible for navigation and is equipped with a spring-loaded cover to prevent the robot from getting stuck under furniture. The control panel has three mechanical buttons.

The dust container is located under the magnetically secured top cover. It's compact, holding up to 270 ml of dry waste. The manufacturer allows the container and filter to be washed with water. The filtration system uses a HEPA filter only. The water tank is not removable on this robot. It's hidden inside the body and holds up to 100 ml of water. Water is pumped in automatically through the station.

The robot's underside is equipped with six fall protection sensors. Next to the swivel roller, there's a carpet detection sensor. There's a single side brush: a three-beam brush secured with a screw.

This brush automatically extends to sweep debris out of corners, solving the problem faced by virtually all round robot vacuum cleaners. The technology is called FlexiArm Design.

The central brush unit is floating, which is a plus. Dirt collection is accomplished by two silicone turbo brushes that rotate toward each other. This technology is called DuoRoller Riser, as the two turbo brushes automatically rise when the robot returns to its station and when mopping. Both brushes can be removed from both sides to remove tangled hair and pet hair. Very convenient.

As for wet cleaning, the main cloth is held in place with Velcro and a groove. The cloth holder is non-removable, which is inconvenient. The platform has two movable modules. The cloth also has two separate sections. The cloth oscillates at up to 4,000 strokes per minute.

In addition to the main cloth, we see an additional round one, positioned behind the wheel at the edge. It's used for wiping away dirt right up to baseboards and furniture.

An alternative to the pull-out napkin holder like Roborock Qrevo MaxV and flagship models from direct competitors Dreame, Ecovacs, and even Xiaomi. The round cloth rotates at up to 185 rpm.

Both the main and additional cleaning pads automatically lift a record 20 mm when entering carpets, in dry cleaning mode, when returning to the station after cleaning, and when the robot exits the station to clean a selected area. The updated cleaning module design is called VibraRise 3.0.

The station has received an updated design and features. At this station, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra self-cleans, refills the robot's tank with clean water, automatically mixes detergent during washing, washes the cleaning cloth with hot water, and dries it with warm air, increasing the robot's overall cleaning life. Furthermore, the station automatically detects the degree of soiling of the cleaning cloths, allowing for re-washing or cleaning particularly dirty areas.

The main cleaning pad at the station is cleaned with a special roller with elastic bristles. The base itself is self-cleaning with scrapers, which is very convenient. An additional round cleaning pad is cleaned in a separate area.

The robot's entry ramp is removable. The coarse filter for the additional cleaning cloth is also removable. A coarse filter for cleaning the water after washing the cleaning cloths is also included. The roller is removable and should be periodically cleaned of hair, fur, and other debris.

Above the napkin washing area there is an easily removable cover, behind which there is a waste bag and a 580 ml detergent reservoir.

At the top there are tanks for clean and dirty water, with a capacity of 4 and 3.5 liters, respectively.

Apparently, a disinfection module is installed in the clean water tank.

Regarding connection to the sewer and water supply, it appears that this station cannot be connected to utilities. However, the official website states that the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra will also be sold with a separate, more compact station for connecting to water and drainage. Whether this version will be commercially available remains to be seen.

Overall, we see that a number of improvements have been made that have increased the robot's efficiency and autonomy. We'll test how everything works in real life.

Technical specifications

The main characteristics of the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, as stated by the manufacturer:

Robot vacuum cleaner:

• Li-Ion battery 5200 mAh.
• Suction power up to 10,000 Pa.
• Operating time up to 180 min.
• Cleaning area up to 300 sq.m.
• Dust collector 270 ml.
• Water tank 100 ml.
• Obstacle clearance up to 20 mm.
• Robot dimensions: 353*103 mm.

Station:

• Clean water tank: 4 l.
• Dirty water tank: 3.5 l.
• Bag in the station: 2.7 l.
• Detergent tank: 580 ml.
• Station dimensions (L*W*H): 419*409*470 mm.

It is important to note that the suction power has been increased, which will definitely be verified in tests.

Functional capabilities

Let's move on to an overview of the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra's features. The robot vacuum is controlled via the proprietary Roborock mobile app. Connecting to the network is straightforward; follow the manufacturer's instructions. In my case, the global version is available, so the app interface is in Russian, but there are no voice prompts. English and other languages ​​are available. To ensure the robot vacuum speaks Russian, you need to order the localized version. This is important to keep in mind.

The main functions of the robot vacuum cleaner. I've highlighted the new features in color:

• Side brush extension in corners.
• Wash napkins with hot water (60 °C).
• Drying napkins with warm air (60 °C).
• Automatic mixing of detergent.
• Support for the "Hello, Rocky" voice assistant.
• Self-cleaning of the dust collector at the station.
• Refilling the tank in the robot through the station.
• Recognizing objects on the floor.
• Remote monitoring via camera.
• Saving multiple cleaning maps in memory.
• 3D map of the room.
• Automatic zoning of premises into rooms.
• Selecting areas and rooms for cleaning.
• Virtual walls and no-go zones (and for wet cleaning mode).
• Suction power adjustment.
• Adjusting the degree of wetting of the napkin.
• Intensive wet cleaning mode.
• User mode.
• Setting the frequency of washing napkins.
• SmartPlan smart cleaning planning.
• Cleaning log.
• Setting up cleaning according to a schedule.
• Automatic power increase on carpet.
• Carpet cleaning in wet cleaning mode.
• Lifting napkins when driving onto carpets.
• Raising the central brushes in floor washing mode and when returning to the station.
• Yandex.Alice support.

As you can see, there are many features, allowing you to flexibly customize cleaning parameters to your individual needs. That's a plus! We've also implemented an intelligent cleaning parameter detection mode, called SmartPlan. The company's proprietary voice assistant, "Hello, Rocky!", is also supported. Again, in the global version, it understands English phrases. In the localized version, it understands Russian.

Testing

A detailed video review of the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, including all tests, has already been prepared and published on the channel:

Navigation

And finally, let's move on to the tests! First, we'll test the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra's navigation in a room with obstacles. When entering a room, the robot vacuum first navigates the perimeter, then cleans the entire accessible area in a serpentine pattern. It recognized the legs of a clothes dryer and carefully navigated around this trap. The robot was also able to navigate around all four chair legs and a box, before returning to its base.

Speaking of navigation within the home, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra cleans room by room, first along the perimeter, then in a serpentine pattern. Every 15 minutes, as specified in the settings, the robot vacuum returns to the station and washes the cleaning cloths, then returns to clean where it left off. When returning to the station and back to the cleaning point, the robot picks up not only the cleaning cloth but also the central brushes. This is a plus. There are no uncleaned areas, the cleaning speed is high, and this model's navigation is excellent!

Obstacle recognition and avoidance

We'll also test the floor object recognition system separately. For this purpose, we placed various household items around the room that could interfere with the cleaning process and even block the robot's brushes, causing it to malfunction.

So, in good lighting, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra was able to recognize and accurately navigate around 6 out of 6 objects.

Even in complete darkness, he was able to recognize five of the six objects and carefully navigate around them. This time, he drove over a pet's surprise.

We see that the artificial intelligence implemented in the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra quite accurately recognizes what's on the floor. So, the obstacle recognition system is well implemented in this model, but there's still room for improvement. Since this is artificial intelligence and neural networks, it's possible that the robot becomes smarter with each new cleaning through self-learning.

Suction power

The suction power wasn't a miracle. Despite the increased figures, the robot actually managed to suck up debris from crevices 2 and 4 mm deep. It's worth noting that in reality, it's slightly more powerful. Roborock S8, S8 Plus and the S8 Pro Ultra, which were previously reviewed. They, in turn, were only able to suck out debris from a 2 mm gap.

As I mentioned in my S8 series reviews, it's likely due to the brushes and aerodynamics. Somewhere in the design, something was overlooked, and as a result, suction power is lost.

Dry cleaning

The collection quality of various types of debris on laminate floors is good, but there's a caveat. Some debris still remains in the corners, even after two sweeps. This is clearly a problem with the algorithm of the side brush's retractable mechanism. The robot needs to linger longer in the corner, and the brush itself needs to extend into the corner just as the robot stops. As it is, it flies out at the entrance, leaving a small amount of debris near the corner, and the robot quickly leaves the area before it can effectively sweep everything. Overall, the idea is good, but the implementation is still rough. But I'm sure this issue will be fixed soon.

It's important to note that the silicone central brushes didn't get tangled with hair. That's a plus! All debris is collected in the dust container.

Carpet cleaning

But silicone turbo brushes have their drawbacks. For example, they don't clean carpets as well, even with high suction power. While the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra can thoroughly clean low-pile carpets in one or two passes, it requires more passes to thoroughly clean medium-pile carpets. Regardless, the carpet cleaning performance is excellent.

Self-cleaning

Immediately after the "dirty tests," I'll check how well the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra self-cleans. We see that the dust bin is completely full. We return the robot to the station and start self-cleaning. The result is excellent. The dust bin is completely empty, the test is a success!

Wet cleaning and carpets

When it comes to wet cleaning on carpeted floors, the robot offers several different modes of interaction. It can carefully navigate around the carpet during wet cleaning, or it can enter and touch the carpet with its cleaning pad if you want to clean it with the robot. It can also clean carpets during wet cleaning, automatically lifting the cleaning pads when entering the carpet.

Wet cleaning

The cleaning performance is also excellent. The cloth adheres well to the floor and absorbs dirt. Moreover, thanks to the station, the robot vacuum cleaner first wiped away the dirt, then rinsed the cloth, and then wiped the floor again, removing all streaks and leaving the floor clean—the main advantage of such stations.

Removing difficult stains

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra manages to remove tough stains like dried-on coffee and sauce stains from the floor, albeit with difficulty. It manages to remove tough stains with just a few trips to the cleaning station. To be precise, it took the robot 11 passes to completely remove the stains. Consequently, the vibration module does improve the cleaning performance, albeit slightly.

Blind spot

As for the blind zone between the edge of the case and the baseboard or furniture, it is absent thanks to an additional round cloth that washes right up to the edge.

Washing quality of napkins

I'd like to immediately talk about the efficiency of the station itself. Let's start with the cleaning quality of the wipes. Even after extensive testing, the wipes look significantly better after washing with the station. The water heating function and automatic detergent mixing undoubtedly improve the cleaning efficiency.

In a domestic setting, after washing the floor, the wipes are thoroughly rinsed at the station. We see that the water pressure doesn't wash anything out of the wipes. The water is clean.

A few words about the wipe's drying process—it's really effective. After 4 hours, the wipe is completely dry. That's a plus!

Station maintenance

Maintaining the station is also easy. The drain is easily removed for cleaning in the sink, the coarse filter for the main and additional cloths is rinsed with water, and the tray underneath is also wiped with a cloth if needed. The tray under the roller itself is wiped clean of accumulated dirt. Ideally, the inner tray would be completely removable, but maintenance is not too difficult as is.

Obstacle clearance

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra has good maneuverability. It can climb over 2 cm thresholds. That's a plus!

Driving on black surfaces

Driving over black carpets is no problem. The robot glides over the black carpet as if nothing had happened.

Noise level

As for the noise level, it ranges from 56 to 71.5 dB, depending on the selected operating mode. This is an average figure.

Personal opinion

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra robot vacuum cleaner has been thoroughly reviewed and tested. our evaluation system he managed to gain 212 points and take fourth place in oOverall ranking of tested robotic vacuum cleaners at the time of writing this review. It currently contains over 160 robots. If not for the issues discovered, this device could even compete for the title best robot vacuum cleaner in 2024I'll highlight the pros and cons of the robot vacuum cleaner in question, and then share my opinion.

I liked the following:

1. A state-of-the-art station for 2024 self-cleaning of the dust bin, washing and drying of wipes, and automatic detergent mixing. It effectively accomplishes all its tasks.
2. An accurate object recognition system that does not go blind in the dark.
3. Remote home monitoring function via robot camera.
4. Support for the proprietary voice assistant "Hello, Rocky".
5. Two silicone turbo brushes for collecting debris, which are very easy to clean from hair and fur.
6. Improved lifting of wipers when driving onto carpets.
7. Raising the central brushes in floor washing mode.
8. Wash the floor right up to the baseboard thanks to an additional cloth at the edge.
9. A retractable side brush, which, with a refined algorithm, completely eliminates the problem of sweeping debris out of corners. Moreover, unlike D-shaped robots, the round Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra maintains its maneuverability. It navigates corners quickly and neatly, without unnecessary touching or movement.
10. High-quality dry and wet cleaning on various surfaces.
11. Although it takes a lot of effort, it is capable of removing even the most difficult stains.
12. A large number of functions in the application.
13. The robot vacuum cleaner is not afraid of black surfaces.
14. Good cross-country ability.
15. High-quality assembly and high brand authority.
16. Availability of a full warranty and service support.

As for the shortcomings, I would like to highlight the following comments:

1. The algorithm for sweeping out trash in corners needs some improvement.
2. The claimed suction power was not confirmed in real-world tests.
3. The version of the station that was received for review cannot be connected to the sewer and water supply.
4. The item identification system still requires minimal refinement.
5. The robot's dust collector has a small capacity.

And another nuance, rather than a drawback, is that the global version does not have Russian voice notifications and does not support Russian voice commands for control via the "Hello, Rocky" assistant.

The main ones are the first three, and the most significant, in my opinion, is the crude implementation of the side brush extension function. It's one of the key features of the new product. I really hope this situation will be rectified soon.

In any case, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra has become even more efficient, even more autonomous and even a little more powerful, compared to the previously released one. Roborock S8 Pro UltraSo it can definitely be considered one of the best robot vacuums of 2024. For some, it may actually be the best robot vacuum, given the full warranty, service, and the established opinion among some users that Roborock robot vacuums are better built and more reliable than Dreame's direct competitors.

On that note, I'd like to end this review. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments. Happy shopping, everyone. Bye!