Neato Botvac Connected Vs Roomba 980: Which One To Choose?

In a world of smart devices, we also have plenty of hands-free cleaning options, like robot vacuums. The Neato Botvac Connected and the Roomba 980 are one of the best in the market. Roomba is one of the first brands to come out with a robot vacuum, and since 2002 it has many products on its way. But Neato offers more features but at a cheaper price, one of them being the Neato Botvac Connected. Both have almost the same features, with few differences. To know more about Neato Botvac Connected vs Roomba 980, read below.

Our Verdict

It is a bit difficult to make a final decision. Comparing the two, most of the features are almost similar. But if we had to give a choice, then it would be the Neato Botvac Connected. The reason is because of its affordable cost and better smart control. If you are still confused about what to buy, we will give you a better comparison. Let’s review both of them and see which is superior.

Neato Botvac Connected Vs Roomba 980: Comparison

Differences

1. Brush

Other major differences between the two devices are the brush mechanisms for cleaning. The Neato uses a spiral blade brush and a combo brush, which works together to give your floor a cleaner and shinier look. Combo brush in the Neato is used for cleaning up pet hair that might have fallen off from your pets. Thus, it gives you a safer area for your babies.

Neato makes less noise compared to the other Robo Vacuums in the market. On the other hand, Roomba 980 uses a narrower and a multi-surface brush.

At first, we do feel that the narrower design of the brush might be a bad idea, but it is useful in grabbing dirt. The brushes are also easy to maintain due to lack of bristles. But the Neato Botvac does cover a lot of areas but does not give a deeper clean for the floors. The brushes used in the Neato can get clogged with hairs, and require more maintenance compared to the Roomba 980.

2. Design

The design is a notable difference between the Neato Botvac Connected and the Roomba 980. Neato Botvac Connected has a D shape design that makes it fit into a small corner, and along the edges of the walls. It has a height of 3.9 inches and weighs about 9 pounds. But the Roomba 980, uses the most common round design that is used by other vacuums as well. It weighs about 8.7 pounds and has a height of 3.6 inches.

3. Control Panel Display

The LCD control panel display present in the Neato Botvac Connected gives easier access. It lets you adjust the vacuum’s settings and also makes the control easier. With the touch of a button, you can access different modes like ECO and TURBO. You can even start, pause your cleaning using these buttons. But, the iRobot Roomba 690 has no such buttons, which makes it a bit difficult to use.

4. Navigation Technology

The initial Roomba models depended more on the sensors for movement. But in Roomba 980, it uses an iAdapt tracking technology that consists of a group of sensors, and a camera to move around the room. The camera behaves like a GPS to control it correctly. However, in low light or dark conditions, it fails to do so. But the Neato Botvac Connected, it has a perk in navigation.

It uses LaserSmart technology and scans your entire house. Thus, this allows the robot to move in a straight line instead of crashing with obstacles. So, in this case, Neato is better than the Roomba because it does not depend on the camera or a visual image.

5. Camera

When we compare the two Robo vacuums, the first difference is the presence of a camera. In the Roomba 980, you will notice a tiny camera place in the center. This is helpful for the Robo Vacuum to move around the room and clean.

But there is a demerit as well. The Roomba 980 cannot function in dark rooms or pitch-black conditions. So, if you are a person who wants to clean your home overnight, this is not the right choice.

But, The Botvac Connected depends on lasers and sensors for moving around. They do not rely on any sort of camera or lighting conditions to move around.

6. Dirt Sensors

To find out which area needs more cleaning, the Roomba 980 has dirt detect sensors that use the camera with it. When spoken about it, it might sound useful, but it fails during working. The reason is that the vacuum takes the most random path to reach the dirtiest locations. But Neato Botvac Connected does its job better by moving and cleaning in a straight line, unlike the Roomba 980.

7. Filter

Most of the vacuums have a filter used to keep the dust collected within the bin. The Neato Botvac Connected uses an Ultra-Performance filter. This filter is one of the most useful in the market right now. The filter is capable of taking in particles as small as 0.3 microns. Filter used in Roomba 980 is not that bad, but it is capable of collecting particles as tiny as 10 microns.

This factor is vital for homeowners who are sensitive to dust and other tiny particles. So, if you are sensitive to dust, the Neato’s filtration will take care of your floors, leaving no dirt behind.

8. Manual Cleaning

The feature of manual cleaning is unique and different from the other vacuums in the market. Using the app, you can access your Robo vacuum easily. When you open the app, the screen will fill with arrows that let you control the vacuum and move it around the room. The feature is helpful that allows you to control the vacuum and still be lazy at the same time. But remember, your rear sensors are turned off during cleaning, so don’t the vacuum to slide down the stairs.

9. Room Barriers

Roomba has an advantage over Neato is due to the room barriers. We all want every corner of our house to be neat and clean. But for some reason, there are specific areas or rooms in our home that we do not want the vacuum to enter. Both the Robo Vacuums have this feature, but they work differently. The movement of the Neato Botvac depends on the use of the Boundary marker.

These are strips that are placed on the ground to prevent the vacuum from entering. Also, you do not need to buy a unique black strip for this; a black tape will work. The idea works well, but you will end up seeing a lot of black tapes on the floor of your house. But, the Roomba 980 uses a virtual wall barrier.

This is a small node, that shows an infrared line across a room or around a part of the room you want the vacuum not to enter. Although it is a bit expensive, it makes the job easy. The setup, as well, is pretty simple. The other products in Neato Botvac have the feature of blocking a room with the use of your finger within the app. This feature is not present in the Neato Botvac Connected.

10. Apple Watch

Both devices offer voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Home. But, in Neato Botvac Connected, it also supports the Apple Watch, which is a unique feature. Using the watch, with just a couple of taps, you can start your Robo vacuum to start moving around your house. You do not even need to take out your phone. Neato Botvac Connected also has other features like the IFFTTT. It is one of the best smart control vacuums in the market.

Similarities

1. Mode

The Neato Botvac and the Roomba 980 offer two modes that can be used to remove dark stains. Although the modes are similar, the names are different in them. In the Roomba 980, it has a standard mode and Carpet Boost mode. Whereas, in the Neato, they are called Eco or Turbo. The Carpet Boost or the turbo mode is used for thick carpets that need extra power to clean.

2. Run Time

The run time for Neato Botvac Connected and Roomba 980 is the same and runs up to 120 min for a single charge. This time is enough to clean your entire house. If ever the charge runs out, the vacuum will move towards the base and charge itself.

3. Spot Cleaning

The spot cleaning mode is common in both devices. It pays a little extra attention to that part of your room and gives a deeper clean. Using this mode, you can clean your carpets. When the mode turned on, the vacuum will provide a thorough cleaning.

4. Voice Control

The Neato Botvac and Roomba 980 have the feature of Voice Control. Through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, using can just give voice commands and control your vacuum without moving an inch. The voice control feature is great when you don’t have your phone handy.

5. Side Brushes

The Botvac Connected, as well as the Roomba 980, have a side brush. This is helpful as it does not leave a trail of dirt during cleaning. In these new devices, it has a side brush that sweeps the dirt to the path of suction. The brushes are helpful along straight edges and corners. It lets the robot pick up dirt in areas that it cannot reach.

6. App Control

In both of these devices, you can control them using a Wi-Fi application. This application lets you manage all the functions for better cleaning. It also gives you schedule cleaning, spot cleaning.

You will also receive notifications about your cleaning process. The application uses a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection and lets you control both the devices when you are online. You can schedule or control your vacuum to clean your house when you are away from home.

7. Charge And Resume

The devices are offered with two-hour battery life. But there is always a chance that the battery might run out and won’t be able to finish the task. Hence they have introduced the feature of charge and Resume. When the battery runs out, the robot moves by itself to the base and recharges. After completing, they continue vacuuming automatically.

Specification Of Neato Botvac Connected

• Mapping
• LDS Mapping Sensor
• High-Precision Map
• Recharge & Resume feature
• Automatically Docks and Recharges
• 64 dB noise
• LCD Display
• Side Brushes
• eco, turbo, virtual walls mode
• 700ml Dustbin Capacity
• HEPA Filter
• 4200 mAh Battery Capacity
• 120 min Run Time
• 120 min Charging Time
• 43 W Power
• Smartphone App
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi Frequency Band
• Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa Support
• Optical Virtual Walls
• Real-time tracking
• Anti-drop / Cliff Sensor

Specification Of The Roomba 980

• Mapping
• Camera Mapping Sensor
• High-Precision Map
• Recharge & Resume
• Automatically Docks and Recharges
• 70 Db Noise Level
• Side Brushes
• Voice Prompts
• 1700 Pa Suction Power
• Auto, Spot, carpet boost mode
• 600 ml dustbin capacity
• HEPA Filter
• 3300 mAh battery capacity
• 120 min run time
• 120 min charging time
• 43 W Power
• Smartphone App
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi Frequency Band
• Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa Support
• Optical Virtual Walls
• Carpet Boost
• Anti-drop / Cliff Sensor
• Dirt Detect Sensor

What You Get In The Box?

The Roomba 980 box contains

• Charging station
• Line cord
• Extra side brush
• Two dual mode virtual wall barriers with batteries
• Extra filter

The Neato Botvac Connected box contains

• Charging base
• Power cord
• Cleaning tool
• Boundary markers
• Extra filter
• User manual

Overview Of Roomba 980

The Roomba 980 is a unique smart vacuum in the market as of now. It comes along with a new dirt sensor that cleans the dirtiest area and provides deep cleaning. It also comes with a carpet boost option that increases the suction power up to 10 times. The iAdapt technology helps the robot create a map, and builds the best cleaning path. It has rollers that work better on a bare floor and is suitable for pet hair. A unique feature is that it has virtual walls that prevent the robot from entering specific areas. The iRobot Home App lets you control and schedule the cleaning program. The integration with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant makes your work even easier. It also has a dustbin indicator that alerts you when the bin is full.

Overview Of Neato Botvac Connected

The Neato Botvac Connected is Neato’s first Wi-Fi connected robot. This offers a deep and effective cleaning with the D-shape design. The design also helps to clean corners easily. It uses new LIDAR technology to move around the house rather than depending on the camera or any other features. It also has a larger dustbin so that you do not have to keep replacing it again and again. The Neato Botvac uses an infrared sensor that prevents it from entering certain rooms. All you have to do is place the magnetic tape on the ground near the rooms where you do want it to come. Easier access and control are given through the LCD that is present near the control panel. You can also control the vacuum through voice commands. The recharge and Resume help you to cover a larger area at once.

FAQ’s

Final Thoughts

As we said earlier, it is difficult to make a clear decision. Both devices are unique in different ways. The choice of which one to buy depends on your needs. The Neato has an easier way to prevent it from entering certain rooms.

It also gives a thorough clean using the full brush. You always have the option of controlling the vacuum through the manual mode as well. Finally, the device is cheaper. If you like this comparison you should do check, The comparison between Neato Botvac D7 and Roomba 980.

So, considering all these, we would recommend the Neato Botvac Connected.