A humanoid robot that sits on your desk, looks right at you, and chats with you now has a price tag: $11,950. There's just one tiny catch: it doesn't have arms.
Las Vegas-based Realbotix just opened pre-orders for four different models: Aria, Mila, Dave, and Amar.
The Series 1 intro video from the company (source: Realbotix).
What you actually get
Just the upper body—head and torso. The company did this on purpose because making robots walk and move their fingers is still super expensive and clunky. The tabletop version stands about 80 cm (31 in) tall with 17 degrees of freedom. Its head and face move, covered in silicone skin. Each model comes with its own vibe: Aria is upbeat and curious, Mila is empathetic, Dave is sharp and witty, and Amar is confident and protective. Under the hood, their conversations are powered by a mix of ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
The real cost kicks in after you buy
If you actually want to talk to it, you'll need a monthly subscription. The basic plan runs $19.99 a month for about 10 hours of chat—which comes out to roughly 20 minutes a day. The Plus plan is $39.99 for 40 hours and unlocks multiple languages and accents, while the Enterprise tier costs $199 for 100 hours.
The pre-order fine print
It costs $199 to reserve one. The company says that goes toward the final price, though you won't get it back if you change your mind—only if the company fails to actually deliver the robot.
They're only building 225 tabletop units and 25 full-body ones in 2027, and shipping is limited to the US.
Want the full-body version with 39 degrees of freedom and articulated fingers? That'll set you back $59,950.
There's also an optional Vinci vision system ($24,950) that recognizes who's in the room and tries to read your mood. The company claims it never records conversations and keeps all visual data strictly on the robot and your phone—though we only have their word for it.
The Vinci vision system demo at CES 2026 (source: Realbotix). Note that the robot in this clip looks different from the Series 1 lineup above.
Before you get too excited
None of these have shipped yet, so you're basically taking the company at its word. There's also a pretty big caveat here: the personalities feel very much like they were designed by men, for men. Plus, just like any other AI companion, they're built to keep you hooked on talking. The company insists its goal is to tackle loneliness, not replace real human connection.
My take
This isn't a one-and-done purchase; you're signing up for an ongoing bill—$11,950 upfront, plus at least $240 a year just to keep it talking. The real question is what this robot gives you during those 20 minutes a day that your phone, running the exact same AI, doesn't. The answer is physical presence and a face. Whether that's actually worth twelve grand is anyone's guess until people try it for themselves.
