Over the years, robot vacuums have proven their value in homes.  This is one of the reasons why these appliances or devices have become more widely adopted now.  And when it comes to robot vacuums, iRobot seems to have cornered the market with its long line of Roombas.

Neato Robotics, however, is a serious contender.  Today, Neato Robotics and iRobot are probably the most well-known manufacturers of robot vacuums.  So it is just fitting to compare two of their products: the Roomba 650 and the Neato XV Signature Pro.

Neato XV Signature Pro

• Pricing: The Neato XV Signature Pro was Neato Robotics’ most advanced robot vacuum when it debuted in the market in the latter part of 2013.  However, it had an MSRP of $499.99 (at the time of release – check here for latest prices), which puts it in the same price range as the Roomba 800-series and 700-series.  It means that, compared to all other top-of-the-line signature models from iRobot and even LG, the Neato XV Signature Pro has a pretty attractive price range.
• Design: Neato has a curious design in that it looks like an upright vacuum without the handle.  It is shaped like the letter D.  The decision to use this design not only differentiates it from the circular shape of the Roomba, but also for practical reasons.  Your home’s walls and edges are flat, so having three flat edges allows the Neato XV Signature Pro to get closer to the edges than a circular robot vacuum.
• Construction: Neato XV Signature Pro has a very sturdy build that is designed to withstand the bumps that it would encounter as it does it job.  It stands 4 inches tall, which would allow it to go under most furniture and tables.
• Navigation: To start cleaning, all you have to do is to press the power button.  The machine then wakes up.  Another press and it will start the cleaning process.  It will automatically return to its home base after it cleans or when it runs out of battery.  If battery runs low in the middle of a cleaning session, the XV Signature Pro will charge itself then go back to the last place it was cleaning and resume its job.

• Scheduling: The XV Signature Pro also has great scheduling features.  You can schedule different times and different days for cleaning, and you can even skip some days if you prefer it.  This is a particularly useful feature if you want the Neato to clean while you are out of the house.
• Dust Bin: As part of the design, the dustbin is easily lifted out from the top of the Neato, meaning you do not have to flip the machine over or open a cabinet.
• Performance: The Neato XV Signature Pro can pick up dirt, hair and dust off any surface.  It has a blade brush that picks debris, dust and hair from carpeted floors while the combination of brush and bristle takes care of other floor surfaces.   The Neato XV Signature Pro makes use of lasers to guide itself while it runs across your floor.  The lasers make it behave more like traditional vacuum cleaners, passing over your floors close to the way you would.  The robot vacuum maps out your floor to make sure that it covers everything.  It also uses sensors to help it avoid drop offs and stairs and lessen the chances of it bumping into furniture legs.
• Battery: The battery needs around two to three hours to get charged and a single charge can give you 90 minutes of cleaning.  That should be enough battery juice to clean most rooms without needing to recharge.  The dustbin is a bit small, which would mean that you have to empty it every so often.

What’s in the box: Neato XV Signature Pro

• Robot Vacuum
• Charge Base
• Charge Cord
• Blade Brush
• Combo Brush
• Boundary Markers
• Two High Performance Filter
• Batteries

Roomba 650

• Price Tag: The Roomba 650 is one of the entry level models of iRobot’s Roomba.  It has the most attractive price tag out of all Roombas that are currently available (check here for the latest pricing)

• Navigation: The Roomba 650 features the iAdapt navigation technology that combines sensors and software to clean your room while also avoiding drop-offs and stairs.  It has acoustic sensors that allow it to detect dirtier areas for a more thorough cleaning.
• Dimensions: The 650 is only 3.6 inches tall, allowing it to fit under most kickboards and furniture.
• Technology: All you need to do is to press the CLEAN button on the machine and it will start working.  Like most earlier Roombas, the 650 uses AeroVac vacuuming technology, which allows it to pick up pet hair, dander and dust very efficiently and which pulls off the hairs off the brushes.  This technology optimizes airflow, which in turn helps in filling the dustbin more evenly so that you do not have to empty it frequently.
• Performance: The Roomba 650 cleans using the combination of three methods: agitating, which loosens up hard-to-clean dirt and dust; counter rotating brushes that pick the dirt up from the floor; and suction, which vacuums the dirt and debris from the floor and into the dustbin.  It also makes use of side spinning brushes for cleaner corners and wall edges.
• Spot Cleaning: Further, you can focus on dirtier areas when you choose the spot cleaning mode, wherein the 650 circles around a small area that grows bigger and bigger.  It then goes back to the original area to repeat the process for a more thorough clean.
• Scheduling: You can schedule your cleaning with the 650, too.  The 650 is actually the most inexpensive Roomba which still offers full scheduling capability (the 630 and below do not have it).
• Charging: And like all Roombas, it will automatically find its way back to the home base to recharge when the battery runs low.  You can also choose to manually dock your 650 by pressing on the Home button.

What’s in the box: Roomba 650

• The cleaning robot With AeroVac Bin
• Home base
• Battery charger
• Auto virtual wall
• Extra AeroVac Filter

The Differences: Roomba 650 vs Neato XV Signature Pro

oomba 650 or a Neato XV Signature Pro, you would probably have a hard time choosing because they both do a very good job at cleaning.  So where do they differ?

Looks

The Neato XV Signature Pro might have modern circuitry and smart design, but it looks a little boring and outmoded.  With its black material coupled with that upright vacuum look and the outmoded LCD screen, it looks like something out of the year 2000.  The Roomba 650 takes on the modern looks of other Roombas and it looks a whole lot smarter and more modern than the XV Signature Pro.

The Roomba 650 measures 13.39 inches in diameter, while the Neato measures 12.5 inches wide and 13 inches long.  The Roomba 650 stands 3.62 inches while the Neato XV Signature Pro is 4 inches tall.  That means that the Roomba 650 is able to get under furniture pieces that the taller Neato might not be able to get under.

Auto-restart

While both the Neato XV Signature Pro and the Roomba 650 automatically go back to their home base to recharge, the Neato robot vacuum can remember where it left off and resume cleaning after recharging.  This is not the case with the Roomba 650, as you have to be there to push the clean button after it recharges.

Path of cleaning

Compared to the Roomba 650, the Neato XV Signature Pro’s laser guided navigation can map out your floor and clean it more efficiently and at a faster time.  The Roomba 650, on the other hand, looks like it goes through your floors at random.  Seeing them work side by side, you would notice that the Roomba 650 runs more haphazardly than the XV Signature Pro’s row by row movements.

Other Notable Features Compared

•  Battery. The battery on the Neato robot vacuum runs out quicker than the battery on the Roomba 650.  This might be because of the suction power it produces: the more suction power it displays, the faster it drains the battery.  Meanwhile, the Roomba 650 has a nickel metal hydride battery that iRobot promises will deliver around an hour of cleaning on a single charge.

• Noise level.  The Neato XV Signature Pro is also notoriously loud, much louder than the Roomba 650. Again, this might be due to the superb suction power it gives.

• Corner brush. The Signature Pro does not have corner brushes.  In effect, it does not pick up dirt and dust out of corners as efficiently as the Roomba 650, which does have corner brushes.

• Scheduling. The Neato XV Signature Pro has an advanced scheduling feature that allows you to set your robot vacuum to run at different times on different days.  This is comparable to the scheduling you find on the Roomba 650.

• Pricing. Neato XV Signature Pro is priced a bit higherthan the 650, while you can find the 650 for a good price here.

At a Glance Specs – Signature Pro vs Roomba 650

Before you buy…

Before you make your final choice on whether to buy the Neato XV Signature Pro or the Roomba 650, you might want to look elsewhere if you:

• Suffer from allergies. The Roomba 650 makes use of AeroVac filters while the Neato XV Signature Pro uses high grade quality filters.  However, there are robot vacuums out there that use HEPA filters, which keep out more allergens, particles and pollens.  Some of the options you can check out are the Roomba 761 (pricing here), the Roomba 880, and the Anker Robovac 10 (pricing here).

• Want new technologies. Both the Roomba 650 and the Neato XV Signature Pro were released around three to four years ago.  There are now robot vacuums that are connected to your Wi-Fi network, remote controllers, and may be controlled with your smartphone. Good examples of this are the Roomba 980 (see my full review here) and the Botvac Connected (review here).

The Final Verdict

Both the Roomba 650 and the Neato XV Signature Pro get the job done as far as cleaning any type of floors and even carpeted areas around your home.  If you put a premium on looks or budget, then you should pick the Roomba 650 with its modern and smart design. Check out the lower pricing options here.

However, if you are more focused on performance, then Neato XV Signature Pro is the best one for you as it delivers a more powerful and faster clean with its more systematic movements, and auto-resume after charging.

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