Roborock RockNeo Q105 review: the affordable robotic lawn mower tested

Gareth Whitfield • September 28, 2026 06:23

A star of robot vacuum cleaners, Roborock is finally moving into the garden with its first range of robotic lawn mowers. Priced at €799 and designed for areas of up to 500 m², the RockNeo Q105 is the brand’s “affordable” model. We tested it for several months.

Driven by the widespread adoption of models without boundary wires and increasingly sophisticated navigation technologies (RTK GPS, LiDAR and AI vision), France’s robotic lawn mower market is accelerating rapidly.

According to NielsenIQ-GFK, sales in France rose by around 20% in both value and volume in 2024, outpacing the wider market for conventional mowers. Depending on the research firm, revenue is estimated at €170–175 million, while the average basket in the consumer market sits at roughly €500–600.

Husqvarna Group (Husqvarna and Gardena), Mammotion and Ecovacs have established themselves as leaders in the European market. Yet the rise of this technology has also created opportunities for new names: Segway (Navimow) and Dreame, for example, are targeting the highly connected “boundary-wire-free” segment.

This is precisely the area Roborock is entering 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 technology-to-price ratio. Sold for €799, it is intended for lawns of up to 500 m². To earn a place in your garden, Roborock is relying on its brand recognition and technological expertise.

We put the RockNeo Q105 through its paces over several months. So, is it worth buying?

What we liked about the RockNeo Q105

Effective mowing

The RockNeo Q105 first stands out for the quality of its mowing. On a well-maintained lawn, the robot cuts in neat, parallel strips, much like Roborock vacuum cleaners systematically cover rooms inside the home. The visual result is especially tidy, creating a “stadium lawn” effect. Achieving this finish requires regular mowing, however, as this type of robotic mower will steer around grass that has grown too tall.

The RockNeo Q105 also performs well on uneven ground. Its 22 cm cutting width and floating cutting deck allow it to follow the contours of the terrain, reducing scalping on raised areas and dips.

The robot can tackle slopes of up to 45%, climb over obstacles measuring 4 cm and pass through gaps of around 70 cm wide. Its terrain-adaptation system and large rear wheels enable it to travel across mildly bumpy lawns or mixed surfaces made up of grass and gravel.

Take care if, like ours, your garden contains trees. Although it can get over large roots, the robot does not always emerge unscathed. For instance, we had to replace the blades after three mowing sessions, as the pre-fitted blades had struck roots hard.

On the other hand, the optional PreciEdge module lets it mow to within around 3 cm of walls and fences, ensuring a clean result along the edges. Add effective mulching and the package is comprehensive, allowing the mower to handle the entire cutting job, including the more tedious tasks such as edging.

It is also worth highlighting how quiet the RockNeo Q105 is. Its 59 dB noise level places it among the quietest robotic mowers in its category. You can certainly hear it, but not enough to make you raise your voice when having lunch on the patio while it is mowing. What more could you ask for?

Straightforward to use

Like the rest of 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 AI-assisted intelligent mapping, which learns the shape of your plot.

While the initial setup still requires you to guide the robot around the perimeter, the process remains far more approachable for non-DIY users than older wire-based models. Even so, Roborock does not go as far as certain rivals, whose mowers map the garden entirely on their own.

On the safety front, the Sentisphere vision system enables the robot to identify objects, animals and people in real time. Wildlife-protection modes and night-mowing limits built into the app provide further tools for a smoother experience.

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. Identical to the version used for its robot vacuum cleaners, it follows the same familiar approach, displaying a garden map, defined areas, mowing history and the main settings. You can schedule mowing periods, manage up to 15 zones, adjust obstacle and boundary avoidance sensitivity, and enable options such as night-time wildlife protection, particularly for hedgehogs.

Rain and frost management is equally well designed: there is a dedicated sensor, an automatic return to the base, and the option to delay restarting by 3 to 8 hours to prevent mowing a waterlogged lawn. Everything is covered. The interface remains highly legible and ergonomic. It is a benchmark in its class.

What we liked less about the RockNeo Q105

An RTK antenna still required in 2026

The RockNeo Q105 does not need a boundary wire, but it will only operate if you install an RTK antenna, complete with a mast and a cable running to the base station. From a technical perspective, RTK remains a highly accurate solution, functioning much like an aerial. In practice, though, it requires a clear location, suitable mounting and attention to range and signal quality. Frankly, it looks out of place in a garden.

This is all the more disappointing because most competitors combine GPS, vision and AI to eliminate the need for an external antenna altogether. Roborock’s choice is difficult to understand.

Cutting height can only be adjusted manually

The RockNeo Q105 can mow at various heights between 20 and 60 mm. The issue is that the cutting height can only be altered using the physical dial on top of the robot. It is therefore not possible to adjust the height through the app, create mowing profiles with different heights for different zones, or adapt the cut to the season in a single tap.

It is not a deal-breaker, but it feels somewhat out of place on an intelligent €799 robot. Once again, competitors are beginning to offer highly precise settings that make everyday 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 excels through its clean and consistent mowing performance. It handles uneven gardens, offers a clear and complete app, and can even work on sloping terrain of up to 45%.

However, at this price, it is disappointing that it does not benefit from all the technological advances offered by its rivals, as illustrated by the RTK antenna required for operation. It also lacks fully automatic mapping, while its manual-only cutting-height adjustment prevents personalised scenarios from being programmed.

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