Roborock S4 MaxIIIConditionalCompare

Released 2020.10Reassessed 2026.08.28Compare

Roborock S4 Max

Name: Roborock S4 Max
Brand: Roborock

LiDAR navigation at a budget price point. The trade-off is dust disposal and dock automation, both handled manually. No ambition, no failures: exactly what the category needed in 2020.

List price

$429

Released 2020.10Reassessed 2026.08.28

Autonomy Ladder

Why Level III.

One five-rung scale, every category, from acting only on command to working unsupervised anywhere.

VGeneralized AutonomyAny task, any setting. No consumer robot has reached it.
IVEnvironmental AutonomyCopes with everyday clutter and frees itself, shown by independent testing.
To reach Level IVIndependent testing shows it avoids ordinary obstacles before contact, copes without the space being cleared, and frees itself when stuck.
IIIConditional AutonomyThis robot

Roborock S4 Max finishes whole jobs in a space it already knows, and still needs a person at the edges.

Navigation and control

PreciSense LiDAR mapping; cliff sensors and bumper. No camera, no visual obstacle avoidance.
Why this level
- PreciSense LiDAR mapping lets the robot build persistent floor plans and navigate multi-room layouts independently.
- There is no camera and no object recognition: obstacles are handled by cliff sensors and a physical bumper, so cords, socks and pet messes are struck rather than identified and routed around.
- No teleop fallback; full-session completion without human intervention is the norm, which is the definition of Conditional Autonomy.
- No novel cross-environment generalization documented.
Autonomy dimension 68 / 100 · 1 independent source reviewed, 4 from the maker
IIAssisted AutonomyRuns preset routines; stalls at anything new.
IManual AutomationOne action on command; no independent operation.

How we assign a level →

Behind the classification

Sources on file.

Pending1 independent source reviewed, 4 from the maker

Fewer than two independent sources reviewed. Evidence is still being collected. The word says how much we read. It is not a grade.

Independent sources reviewed1

Press & video reviews1 source

RTINGS multi-year testing of S4 Max, TechRadar comparison reviews, budget vacuum roundups documenting performance against competitors.

RTINGS ReviewRTINGS

From the maker, reviewed4

Specification sources2 sources

Pages the published specifications were read from.

Monitoring record2 sources

Sources behind the tracker entries following this robot.

Our own recordNot counted

Longitudinal signal1 source

Multi-year S4-series firmware and owner-report tracking (2020–2026) covering reliability, feature stability, and component wear patterns.

Robovations Evidence StandardsRobovations

Also monitored, nothing listed yet

Manufacturer documentation

Roborock product specification page, LiDAR sensor technical details, multi-floor mapping documentation.

Owner reports

Amazon customer reviews (2020–2026), Reddit threads on r/robotics and r/Roborock tracking reliability, maintenance patterns, and firmware feedback.

Firmware release notes

Roborock firmware changelog for S4-series (2020–2026), documenting LiDAR algorithm refinements and obstacle-detection updates.

How we evaluate evidence →

Human Readiness

Discontinued.

One question: what does buying this robot today walk you into? The state is computed from the record, and recomputed daily.

DiscontinuedThis robot

Roborock S4 Max is discontinued. Remaining listings are old stock at uncertain prices, which no buying-today tier describes.

Listings under Availability are shown for reference, not as a purchase path.

On the record

Released October 2020; since discontinued
No current new-stock listing confirmed
1 independent source reviewed, 4 from the maker

The scale, for reference

Ready NowAssessed, with a clean record on file. A successor may be shipping; the page says so when it is.
New to MarketOn sale under 90 days; the ownership record is still forming.
WaitA successor is announced and has not shipped; re-read the decision when it arrives.
Known IssuesDocumented problems stand on the record; read the case before buying.

How we assess readiness →

Robovations Score

How this number was reached

72of 100

StrongAt or above 77% of the 456 robots we scoreand 69% of the 228 scored robot vacuums

DeficientLimitedCapableStrongExemplary

What moved itpoints gained or lost against a typical robot

Carried by

Field failure rate94+3.8
Software stability86+2.9
Coverage and navigation88+1.6

Held back by

Routine maintenance43−3.0
Edge-case recovery43−1.0

Capability40% of the score68What it does without you.

Task completion16% of the score70

Evidence

The Ambient's review states the S4 Max "will not top-up its charge to complete a job" the way the S5 Max and S6 Max do, so a run that outlasts the 5200 mAh battery is not finished, and the 460 ml bin is emptied by hand since there is no dock. TechGearLab found it "worked through our obstacle course efficiently and quickly, posting one of the fastest times without missing or intentionally avoiding areas" and "does not miss any part of the test room," but it "was unable to avoid our simulated pet feces," smashing it and "making a bigger mess."

Coverage and navigation10% of the score88

Evidence

PreciSense LiDAR builds persistent floor plans, stores a map per floor, and supports room-level zones and per-room scheduling, which is systematic coverage retained between runs and corroborated by RTINGS multi-year testing rather than by the spec sheet. Held off the top of the scale because the robot does not detect which floor it has been placed on, so a multi-level home needs a manual map switch, and 110 to 130 minutes caps a single session at roughly 1,500 sqft.

Edge-case recovery10% of the score43

Evidence

The record states the failure directly: with LiDAR, cliff sensors and a bumper but no camera, it maps a room accurately and still drives into the cords, socks and pet messes that camera-equipped models route around. The category trap closes the upper anchors to it on that basis alone. It does relocalize in the stored map and report faults through the app, and six years of owner reporting surfaces no pattern of damage to the machine or the room, which is what holds it at the detect-and-report level rather than below.

Operating envelope4% of the score76

Evidence

Tom's Guide measured 100 on cereal, 95 on kitty litter and 88 on dog hair on carpet for a 96.25 overall, with one documented degradation on hard floors: "only 8.5% of hair made it into the dustbin; the rest was clumped around the brush roll and suction inlet." Digital Trends, running it across multiple floors with four stored maps, wrote that "of all the robot vacuums I've ever tested, this one got stuck the least."

Dependability40% of the score83Whether it keeps doing it.

Field failure rate16% of the score94

Evidence

Nearly six years on sale with an unusually broad evidence base for a budget machine: RTINGS multi-year testing marked complete, 300-plus owner reports across Amazon and Reddit from 2020 to 2026, and no recall or systemic defect on the line. Held below the S5 Max because the owner channel here is ongoing rather than complete with documented service lives, and because one recurring mode is named in the record: brush clogging is common in pet homes. That is recurring but neither universal nor job-stopping, which is the 50 anchor lifted by the length and independence of the record.

Software stability14% of the score86

Evidence

Roborock maintains an S4-series firmware changelog covering 2020 to 2026 and documenting LiDAR algorithm refinements and obstacle-detection updates, and owner reporting across that period tracks firmware feedback without surfacing a regression pattern. Held below the S5 Max for one specific reason: the record marks this changelog channel pending at eighteen entries rather than complete, so the update history is published but not verified in hand, and no independent analysis of update outcomes exists.

Support longevity10% of the score63

Evidence

Scored as commitments. The line is discontinued, so there is no active warranty and no first-party repair channel. The parts channel is nonetheless alive and cheap: main brush at $14 to $18, filter at $8 to $14 and side brush at $8 to $12 are stocked commodity items with published intervals, and the robot runs on the current Roborock app rather than a stranded legacy one, with firmware arriving as recently as 2026.

Ownership burden20% of the score55What it asks of you.

Routine maintenance12% of the score43

Evidence

The charge-only base sets the number. A 0.46 L bagless bin tipped into the trash every one to two runs is the most frequent hands-on step on this record, and no auto-empty retrofit is offered. Around it: monthly main-brush inspection for bristle loss and embedded hair, wheel and side-brush cleaning, a bin rinse and a seal check. No credit is taken for the absence of pad rinsing or station tanks, because the mopping hardware that would create that work is hardware this machine does not have.

Consumables8% of the score74

Evidence

(priced by the consumables engine): main brush at $14 to $18 every six to eight months, filter at (priced by the consumables engine), side brush at $8 to $12 every twelve to eighteen months. Against a $429 machine that is 7 to 10 percent annually, among the lowest ratios in the category. No credit is taken for the bagless design, since the absent bag is the consequence of an absent auto-empty dock rather than an engineered saving.

middle half of the databaseits medianthis robot

Reported, not scoredneither measures how well the robot works

Five-year cost$620

Lower third for robot vacuums. $429 at list, and less on the clearance pricing a discontinued 2020 model now carries, plus roughly $38 a year in main brushes, filters and side brushes. No subscription, no dust bags and no dock consumables, because the base charges and does nothing else.

Data postureCloud-linked

Account required. Maps and telemetry leave the home; core function survives an outage.

What leaves the homeNot documented

Read the full methodology →

FIT CHECK

Will the Roborock S4 Max work in your home?

Describe your home using the controls. Each choice reads the spec sheet for you, flagging where the Roborock S4 Max is built for your space and where it isn’t.

Home size

Primary floors

Mopping needs

Upkeep you accept

See every robot vacuum suited to these conditions

A classification of fit for the conditions you set, not a recommendation. Verdicts describe engineering design intent, not test results.

OWNERSHIP

Living with it.

Six years of firmware updates maintained navigation stability; brush clogging and dust-bag seal leaks are the main reported issues.

Stableowner-reported arc

The record so far

S4-series launched in 2020 and has received steady firmware navigation refinements through 2026. Owner reports document consistent suction performance; brush wear is the dominant maintenance driver for pet-heavy homes.

What goes wrongnot yet documented independently

The independent record is still forming. Failure modes are listed once an outside source reports them.

Upkeep routine

Monthly12×/yr

Inspect main for bristle loss and embedded hair; clean wheel and ; rinse the bin and check its seal.

Yearly1×/yr

Replace main (~$14–18) if bristles show notching or loss.

Replace (~$8–14).

Replace (~$8–12) depending on pet presence and usage.

As neededno fixed schedule

Empty the 0.46 L onboard dustbin into the trash. The S4 Max is bagless and has no auto-empty dock, so there is no bag consumable to buy.

Cost over timeabout $72 past the sticker over three years

PurchaseRunning cost

Year 1

$453

Year 3

$501

Year 5

$549

$429 to buy, then about $24 a year for the replaceable parts below. Over three years that is roughly $72 past the sticker price. Excludes electricity and any repairs.

What you replace

Typical for robot vacuums: annually
Typical for robot vacuums: every 3-6 monthsWhere to buy Filter
Typical for robot vacuums: every 3-6 monthsWhere to buy Side brush

Replacement cadence from the maintenance schedule; prices shown where the source documents them. Some links earn Robovations a commission. It does not change any classification. All parts at Roborock

Safety notes2 notes

Climbing hazard on very thin edge framesLiDAR occasionally over-estimates ceiling height on thick baseboards; robot may attempt to climb thin transitions.
Dust bag capacity has no sensor alertNo full-bag alert; monitor bag visually. Overfilled bag can leak dust and reduce suction mid-run.

SPECIFICATION

The full spec sheet.

Priced below the category median, with every figure charted against the category below.

Dimensional drawing

Key specificationsManufacturer-publishedSources: Product page

FootprintThe width, depth and height of the robot itself, without its dock.: 13.6 in dia, 3.7 in tall
WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.: 7.8 lbs
BatteryStored energy in watt-hours; a larger pack runs longer, not harder.: 72 Wh · Li-ion
Wi-FiThe bands the robot can join; many models need a 2.4 GHz network to set up.: Supported
VoiceThe assistants the maker's app links to; the robot itself does not listen.: Alexa, Google Home
Onboard dustbinThe bin inside the robot; an auto-empty dock moves its contents into a bag.: 470 mL✓
DockWhat the base does besides charging: empty the bin, wash and dry pads, refill water.: Charge-only dock, no self-emptying

Where it lands · position among 261 robot vacuumsThis robotMedianTypical range

SuctionAir pressure the fan produces at the intake, in pascals, measured the maker's own way.2,000Pamax mode

1,000 Pa42,000 Pa

Bottom of range

RuntimeThe maker's stated running time on one charge, at a standard setting.110min

60 min360 min

Below median

PriceThe maker's list price, not a price found in a shop.$429

$160$2,600

Below median

NoiseLoudness at the maker's stated distance, in decibels; ten more decibels reads as about twice as loud.68dB

43 dB80 dB

Near median

Charge timeTime from empty to full on the dock, as the maker states it.240min

90 min420 min

Near median

WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.7.8lbs

3.6 lbs25 lbs

Near median

Position shows where the figure sits across the tracked category, not a quality judgment. Suction in Pascals has no standard test method, and the published figure is a peak-mode claim, so it is comparable only within a brand and generation.

Official referencesProduct page

RECORD

How the assessment has moved.

Every announcement, release and reassessment behind the current classification.

Coming soon

Just launched

Active updates

Settled

Discontinued

Aug 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score rescored under v4.2: 71 → 72
Jul 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score recorded at 71 of 100
Mar 2024 · NewsRemoved from active lineup as S4-series discontinued
Jul 2023 · UpdateRoborock ends Mi Home app support requiring S4 Max migration to Roborock app

Questions

What people actually ask.

6 answered

OperationCan I use the S4 Max on two different floors of my home?

Yes. You can create separate maps for each floor in the app and manually switch between them before cleaning. Floor switching is manual; the robot does not auto-detect which floor you’ve placed it on.

OperationHow often does the dust bag need emptying?

The S4 Max is bagless, so nothing needs replacing. Its 0.46 L onboard bin tips straight into the trash, typically every one to two runs in a carpeted or pet home. There is no bag to buy and no auto-empty dock to fill one.

OperationDoes the S4 Max include a dock or do I need to buy one separately?

A charging dock is included. It is a small floor-standing base, low enough to sit under most furniture, and it charges only. What the S4 Max does not have is an auto-empty dock, and no auto-empty retrofit is offered for this model, so bin emptying stays manual.

OperationHow does the S4 Max handle pet hair on carpet compared to the S6?

Both are rated at 2000 Pa and share the same brush design and LiDAR navigation, so there is no suction gap between them. Pet-hair results come down to brush cleaning and bin capacity rather than any difference in rated power.

OperationCan I schedule the S4 Max to clean one room daily and another room weekly?

The app supports room-level scheduling. You define zones once, then assign cleaning frequency per room. Schedules run only when the robot detects it is on that floor’s known charging dock.

CompatibilityIs the S4 Max Wi-Fi stable on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks?

2.4 GHz only. Roborock’s support documentation states that its robots do not support 5 GHz on any model, and that band support may be considered in future. If your router broadcasts both bands under a single network name, the robot may fail to join until the 2.4 GHz band is separated or the phone is put on 2.4 GHz for the duration of setup.

Availability

Where it's sold

Some links earn Robovations a commission. It does not change any classification. Affiliate disclosure.

We are no longer finding a current new-stock listing for this robot. Remaining offers may be used, refurbished, or third-party — confirm the condition and price on the retailer’s page before buying.

Manufacturer site Verified Aug 28, 2026 Check price & availability

Cite & Embed

Reference the Roborock S4 Max classification.

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Clear space 3222 on all sides

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Citation

Robovations. "Roborock S4 Max: Autonomy Level III (Conditional Autonomy)." Autonomy Ladder™, assessed August 2026. https://robovations.com/robots/roborock-s4-max/

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Where to next

Three ways to keep going.

For evaluators

Compare with a peer.

See the Roborock S4 Max and Roborock Q7 M5+ side by side: autonomy level, Robovations Score, readiness, and price. Classification, not a verdict.

See the full comparison

Or compare with iRobot Roomba 105 Vac, Eureka E20 Plus, Dreame D10 Plus.

For browsers

See every Level III.

Every robot we’ve classified at conditional autonomy. Sorted by readiness, score, and price. Filter by category, manufacturer, or release date.

Browse every Level III robot

Updated weekly with new entries and reclassifications.

Roborock S4 Max

Will the Roborock S4 Max work in your home?

Living with it.

The full spec sheet.

How the assessment has moved.

What people actually ask.

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Where it's sold

Reference the Roborock S4 Max classification.

Three ways to keep going.

Get the next reassessment.

Compare with a peer.

See every Level III.