Design & Build Quality
The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra maintains the classic circular design that has become synonymous with premium robot vacuums, measuring 13.9 inches in diameter and standing just 3.8 inches tall. This low-profile height allows it to slip beneath most sofas and bed frames with at least 4 inches of clearance, though very low furniture may still pose challenges.
Build quality is exceptional, with a matte white or black finish that resists fingerprints and scratches. The top-mounted LiDAR turret is the only significant protrusion, housing the PreciSense navigation system beneath a protective dome. Along the front bumper, you'll find the structured light sensors and infrared array that handle close-range obstacle detection.
The DuoRoller brush system sits at the robot's underside, featuring two counter-rotating rubber brushes that work in tandem to lift debris from various floor types. Unlike bristle brushes, these rubber rollers are significantly more resistant to hair tangles and easier to clean. The side brush uses a three-arm design positioned at the right front corner for edge sweeping.
The RockDock Ultra station is substantial, measuring 16.6 × 20.2 × 16.5 inches. It's not the most compact dock on the market, so you'll need to plan your placement carefully. The dock houses a 2.5-liter clean water tank, 2.5-liter dirty water tank, and dust collection bag that holds approximately 7 weeks of debris. The mop washing basin and hot-air drying system are integrated into the base unit.
Both the 350ml dustbin and 200ml water tank are easily accessible through the top-mounted lid. The dustbin features a straightforward release mechanism, while the water tank slides out smoothly for manual refilling if needed between dock visits.
Navigation & Mapping Performance
The S8 Pro Ultra employs Roborock's PreciSense LiDAR technology, which creates highly accurate floor plans within approximately 4 minutes during the initial mapping run. This laser-based navigation system operates in complete darkness and provides millimeter-level positioning accuracy.
Mapping accuracy is exceptional. The robot correctly identifies room boundaries, doorways, and major obstacles, allowing you to name rooms and set specific cleaning parameters for each area. During testing, the created maps closely matched actual floor plans with minimal deviation around corners and irregular spaces.
Room recognition works automatically after the initial mapping phase. The robot can distinguish between your kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms, enabling targeted cleaning schedules. Multi-floor memory supports up to 4 separate floor plans, making it suitable for multi-story homes. The robot automatically recognizes which floor it's on when moved between levels.
No-go zones and virtual walls are easily configured through the app. You can draw rectangular zones the robot will avoid entirely or create invisible barriers it won't cross. This proves useful for protecting pet bowls, delicate furniture, or areas with excessive cables. The robot respects these boundaries consistently during testing.
Edge and corner cleaning performance is good but not perfect. The circular design inherently struggles with 90-degree corners, leaving approximately 1-2cm of uncleaned space in tight corners. Edge following is more effective, with the side brush reaching within a few millimeters of walls and baseboards on most passes.
Unlike the newer S8 MaxV Ultra, this model lacks camera-based AI obstacle avoidance. It relies on structured light and infrared sensors, which detect most objects but may occasionally bump into or struggle with very small items like socks, cables, or pet toys. For homes with significant floor clutter, the S8 MaxV Ultra or a competing model with camera-based detection may be preferable.
Cleaning Performance (Real-World Tests)
Hard Floors
On hard surfaces including hardwood, tile, laminate, and vinyl, the S8 Pro Ultra delivers strong performance. The 6,000 Pa suction, while not the highest available, proves more than adequate for typical household debris. Fine dust, sand, and small crumbs are captured efficiently in a single pass.
The DuoRoller brush system excels at sweeping debris toward the suction channel. In flour tests designed to simulate fine particle pickup, the robot collected the vast majority of material on the first pass, with a second pass achieving near-complete removal. Coffee grounds, cereal, and pet food kibble posed no challenge.
Edge pickup relies heavily on the side brush, which performs well along straight walls but leaves minor residue in corners as noted. For heavily soiled edges, running a targeted edge-cleaning mode from the app improves results noticeably.
Carpets & Rugs
Carpet cleaning is where the S8 Pro Ultra shows some limitations compared to newer, higher-suction models. The 6,000 Pa maximum suction is adequate for low-pile carpets and most medium-pile rugs, extracting surface debris and embedded dust effectively.
On high-pile carpets and shag rugs, performance drops noticeably. Deep-embedded debris requires multiple passes, and some fine particles may remain trapped within dense fibers. If your home features predominantly thick carpets, models with 8,000+ Pa suction will deliver better results.
The automatic carpet boost feature increases suction when carpet is detected, and the VibraRise system automatically lifts the mop module 5mm to prevent wetting carpet fibers. While 5mm is sufficient for most low-pile carpets, plush or shag carpets with fibers exceeding this height may still contact the mop bracket.
Pet Hair
For pet owners, the DuoRoller brush design represents a significant advantage. The dual rubber rollers resist hair tangling far better than traditional bristle brushes. After several weeks of testing in a home with shedding dogs, the brushes remained largely clear of wrapped hair.
Hair still accumulates at the brush ends near the bearings, which is a common issue across robot vacuums. However, Roborock designed the brush end caps for easy removal by hand, making periodic cleaning straightforward. A quick pull removes the caps, allowing you to clear any wrapped hair in seconds.
Pet dander and fine hair are captured effectively by the E11 filter, which traps particles down to 0.3 microns. Allergy sufferers will appreciate this filtration level, though true HEPA certification (H13) would provide marginally better particle capture.
Mopping Performance
The VibraRise 2.0 mopping system is a standout feature that elevates the S8 Pro Ultra above many competitors. The mop module vibrates at 3,000 times per minute with over 6 Newtons of downward pressure, creating a scrubbing action that tackles dried stains effectively.
In testing, the system removed dried coffee stains, muddy footprints, and light kitchen grease without pre-treatment. Extremely stubborn or dried-on stains may require a second pass or pre-moistening, but everyday spills and tracked-in dirt are handled in a single cleaning session.
Water flow is controlled through the app with three intensity settings. The highest setting works well for kitchens and bathrooms, while lower settings prevent over-wetting on sealed hardwood. The app also offers a unique mop grain-direction setting, allowing the robot to follow your floor's wood grain pattern for optimal cleaning.
One limitation is the 5mm mop lift height. When crossing onto carpet, the mop raises to prevent wetting, but this clearance is minimal compared to competitors offering 10-20mm lift. For homes with thick area rugs, the mop bracket may graze the carpet surface even when lifted.
Smart Features & App Experience
The Roborock app is among the most comprehensive in the industry, offering extensive customization without overwhelming new users. Initial setup is straightforward: scan the QR code on the dock, connect to your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network (5GHz is not supported), and follow the guided mapping process.
App stability is excellent across both iOS and Android platforms. During several months of use, crashes were rare and connection to the robot remained consistent. Map loading occasionally takes a few seconds on slower connections but is generally responsive.
Map editing capabilities are extensive. You can merge or divide rooms, rename areas, set room-specific cleaning parameters (suction level, water flow, cleaning passes), and create detailed no-go zones. The 3D map view provides visual feedback on furniture placement and cleaning coverage.
Scheduling options go beyond basic time-based cleaning. You can create different schedules for weekdays and weekends, target specific rooms on different days, and even set conditions based on your location (when you leave home). Recurring schedules can specify vacuum-only, mop-only, or combined cleaning modes.
Room-by-room control allows immediate targeted cleaning without modifying schedules. Select any mapped room from the app and initiate cleaning with one tap. You can also drag to select custom zones for spot cleaning specific areas.
Cleaning history provides detailed reports including area covered, duration, and cleaning mode used. This data helps identify rooms that may need more frequent attention or areas where the robot consistently struggles.
Firmware updates arrive periodically with new features and refinements. Updates download automatically and install when the robot returns to its dock, requiring no user intervention.
Privacy considerations are reasonable. The S8 Pro Ultra does not use camera-based navigation, eliminating concerns about visual data collection. Basic mapping data is stored on Roborock's servers for cloud sync, but the robot functions fully offline once initial setup completes.
Battery Life & Charging Behavior
The 5,200 mAh lithium-ion battery delivers up to 180 minutes of runtime in Quiet mode, translating to approximately 2,000-2,500 square feet of coverage per charge depending on floor type and cleaning intensity.
Real-world runtime varies significantly with settings. Balanced mode typically achieves 100-120 minutes, while Turbo mode drops runtime to approximately 60-80 minutes. A combined vacuum and mop session on Balanced settings covered approximately 1,500 square feet before the robot returned to charge during testing.
Auto-resume functionality works seamlessly. When the battery drops below 20% mid-clean, the robot returns to the dock, recharges to approximately 80%, and resumes cleaning from where it stopped. For very large homes, this may add significant time to complete cleaning sessions.
Charging speed is moderate. From nearly empty, a full recharge takes approximately 4-6 hours. The dock can be set to charge during off-peak electricity hours through the app, potentially reducing energy costs in areas with time-of-use pricing.
Battery degradation follows typical lithium-ion patterns. Expect 80% capacity retention after 2-3 years of regular use. Replacement batteries are available through Roborock, though the process requires partial disassembly.
Maintenance & Consumables
The RockDock Ultra dramatically reduces routine maintenance. The self-emptying function transfers dustbin contents to a 2.5-liter collection bag that typically lasts 6-7 weeks. The mop washing and drying cycle keeps pads fresh between cleanings, and automatic water refilling means you only need to refill the clean water tank every few days to weeks depending on mopping frequency.
Filter replacement is recommended every 6-12 months, though the washable design extends usability. Rinse the filter under running water every 2 weeks and allow it to dry completely before reinstalling. Third-party filter packs cost approximately $15-20 for four filters.
The DuoRoller brushes typically last 6-12 months before requiring replacement. Signs of wear include visible groove degradation or reduced pickup performance. Replacement brush sets cost approximately $25-30 for the pair.
Mop pads should be replaced every 2-3 months for optimal mopping performance. The textured surface wears down with repeated washing, reducing scrubbing effectiveness. Replacement pads are affordable at roughly $10-15 for a pack of two.
Dustbin emptying is automatic, but the collection bag requires periodic replacement. Official Roborock dust bags come in packs of 6 for approximately $20-25. Third-party options are available at lower prices but may vary in fit and filtration quality.
Spare parts availability is excellent through Amazon, the Roborock website, and various third-party sellers. Complete accessory kits containing brushes, filters, mop pads, and dust bags cost $25-40 and provide 6-12 months of supplies.
Noise Levels
At maximum suction, the S8 Pro Ultra produces approximately 67 dB, comparable to normal conversation volume. This level is noticeable but not disruptive for most activities. Working from home during a cleaning cycle is manageable.
Quiet mode reduces noise to approximately 55 dB during mopping-only operation, making it suitable for running while sleeping if the robot is in a distant room. The robot does not support explicit scheduling to avoid running during sleep hours, but scheduling allows you to set preferred cleaning times.
The dock's self-emptying function is the loudest operation, reaching 75-82 dB for approximately 10-20 seconds. This brief burst is similar to a traditional upright vacuum and occurs only when the robot returns to empty its dustbin. You can disable auto-empty or restrict it to specific hours through the app.
Mop drying produces a subtle humming around 35 dB, quiet enough to be unobtrusive even at night. The drying cycle runs for several hours after mopping to prevent mold and odor development.
For nighttime cleaning, Quiet mode with disabled auto-empty provides the most silent operation. The robot can complete vacuum and mop cycles without disturbing light sleepers in adjacent rooms, though very noise-sensitive households may prefer daytime operation.
