Roborock RockNeo Q105 review: our verdict after several months

Harriet M. Ashford • September 29, 2026 17:19

A leading name in robot vacuum cleaners, Roborock is finally entering the garden with its first range of robotic lawn mowers. Priced at €799 and designed for lawns of up to 500 m², the RockNeo Q105 is the brand’s “affordable” model. We put it through its paces for several months.

Driven by the wider adoption of wire-free models and increasingly sophisticated navigation technologies, including RTK GPS, LiDAR and AI vision, the robotic lawn mower market in France is expanding rapidly.

According to NielsenIQ-GfK, sales in France rose by around 20% in both value and volume in 2024, outpacing the overall market for conventional lawn mowers. Industry analysts put revenue at roughly €170–175 million, while average spend in the consumer market is around €500–600.

Husqvarna Group, through Husqvarna and Gardena, along with Mammotion and Ecovacs, are among the established leaders in the European market. Yet the rise of this technology has also created opportunities for newcomers: Segway, with Navimow, and Dreame are positioning themselves in the highly connected “wire-free” segment.

This is precisely the market segment targeted by Roborock with its very first robotic lawn mower range. It is a bold move in a market that is already well established and growing quickly.

The RockNeo Q105 sits in the entry-to-mid-range category, offering an appealing balance between technology and price. Retailing at €799, it is designed for areas of up to 500 m². To earn a place in your garden, Roborock is relying on its brand reputation and technical expertise.

We tested the RockNeo Q105 over several months. So, is it worth buying?

What we liked about the RockNeo Q105

Effective mowing

The RockNeo Q105’s mowing performance is its first major strength. On a well-maintained lawn, the robot cuts in neat, parallel strips, much like Roborock robot vacuum cleaners methodically cover the rooms of a home. The result looks particularly tidy, delivering a “stadium lawn” effect. To maintain this finish, however, it needs to run regularly: like every robotic lawn mower in this category, it will steer around grass that has grown too long.

The RockNeo Q105 also copes very well with uneven ground. Its 22 cm cutting width and floating cutting deck allow it to follow changes in terrain, reducing scalping on humps and in dips.

The robot can also tackle slopes of up to 45%, climb obstacles measuring 4 cm and make its way through passages around 70 cm wide. Its terrain-adaptation system and large rear wheels help it move across gently bumpy lawns or mixed surfaces made up of grass and gravel.

Take care if, like ours, your garden has plenty of trees. Although the robot can get over large roots, it does not always come through unscathed. For instance, we had to replace the blades after three mowing sessions because the pre-fitted ones had struck roots hard.

The optional PreciEdge module, meanwhile, lets it cut to within roughly 3 cm of walls and fences, ensuring a good finish along edges. Add effective mulching and you get a comprehensive package that enables the robot to handle the entire mowing job, including the less enjoyable tasks such as lawn edges.

The RockNeo Q105 is also remarkably quiet. At 59 dB, it ranks among the most discreet robots in its category. You can certainly hear it, but not enough to make you raise your voice when chatting over lunch on the patio while it is mowing. What more could you want?

Straightforward to use

Like every model in the RockNeo family, the Q105 operates without a boundary wire, avoiding the installation work and the need to repair a cable if it is cut. Garden boundaries are set using RTK+Vision navigation and intelligent AI-assisted mapping, which learns the shape of your grounds.

Although initial set-up still requires you to guide the robot around the perimeter, the process is far more approachable for non-DIY users than older wired machines. That said, Roborock does not match certain rivals whose robots map the entire area independently.

In terms of safety, the Sentisphere vision system enables the robot to identify objects, animals and people in real time. Wildlife-protection modes and night-time mowing restrictions available in the app provide further tools to make everyday use smoother.

Lastly, its IPX6 certification means it can be cleaned with a garden hose, making maintenance easier after several weeks of mowing.

A simple, comprehensive app

Roborock draws on its software expertise by pairing the RockNeo Q105 with its flagship app. It is identical to the one used for its robot vacuum cleaners, following the same principle with a garden map, defined zones, mowing history and key settings. You can schedule mowing periods, manage up to 15 zones, alter the sensitivity of obstacle and boundary avoidance, and enable options such as wildlife protection, particularly for hedgehogs, at night.

Rain and frost management is equally well handled: there is a dedicated sensor, automatic return to the dock, and the option to delay restarting by 3 to 8 hours to avoid mowing a waterlogged lawn. Nothing is missing. The interface remains clear and easy to use. It sets the standard.

What we liked less about the RockNeo Q105

An RTK antenna is still compulsory in 2026

The RockNeo Q105 does not need a boundary wire, but it will only work if you install an RTK antenna, complete with a mast and a cable running to the base station. Technically, RTK remains a highly accurate solution, working rather like an antenna, but in practical terms it means finding an unobstructed location, securing the unit and paying attention to range and signal strength. Frankly, it looks out of place in a garden.

This is even more disappointing given that most competitors combine GPS, vision and AI to eliminate the need for an external antenna altogether. Roborock’s decision is difficult to understand.

Cutting height can only be adjusted manually

The RockNeo Q105 offers several cutting heights, ranging from 20 to 60 mm. The problem is that cutting height can only be changed using the physical dial on top of the robot. It is therefore impossible to adjust it in the app, create mowing profiles with different heights for individual zones, or adapt the cut to the season with a single tap.

It is not a deal-breaker, but it feels somewhat out of place on an intelligent robot sold for €799. Once again, rival products are beginning to offer highly precise adjustments that make day-to-day use even easier. A shame.

Our verdict on the Roborock RockNeo Q105

The RockNeo Q105 is an appealing robotic lawn mower in several respects. Easy to install, it stands out for its neat, consistent cutting results. It adapts to uneven gardens, has a clear and feature-rich app, and can even handle sloping ground of up to 45%.

However, at this price, it is disappointing that it does not benefit from all the technical advances offered by competitors, as demonstrated by the RTK antenna required for operation. It also lacks fully automatic mapping, while its manual-only cutting-height adjustment prevents users from setting up personalised scenarios.

For Roborock’s first step into the robotic lawn mower market, these shortcomings are forgivable, but the brand will need to adopt its rivals’ standards quickly if it wants to establish itself here as it has in the robot vacuum cleaner market.