Which DOBOT Robot Should You Choose? MG400 vs M1 Pro vs Nova vs CRA vs Magician E6

DOBOT's robot catalog spans education, desktop automation, SCARA, commercial cobots and industrial variants. That breadth is useful, but it makes a single payload-and-reach table a poor buying tool. The right order is to define the motion, environment and complete load, choose a family, and then lock the exact system configuration.

If you are deciding between a desktop arm and an industrial cobot, first learn the practical differences between articulated and SCARA robots. The kinematic structure often eliminates more candidates than payload does.

MG400 vs M1 Pro vs Magician E6 vs Nova vs CRA

DOBOT robot selection in 30 seconds

This table narrows the family. It does not define the final system: grippers, vision, safety devices, controllers, software versions and integration work can change the project even when the arm model stays the same.

Ask these five questions before comparing model numbers

1. Do you need four axes, SCARA motion or six axes?

A four-axis desktop arm is efficient when the tool can remain vertical and the task is mostly pick, place, dispense or inspect from above. A SCARA uses a different four-axis structure optimized for fast planar work and vertical insertion. A six-axis arm earns its extra complexity when the tool must tilt, rotate or approach from several directions.

Six axes are not automatically better. If every target is presented in the same orientation on a flat fixture, a four-axis robot can be smaller and easier to integrate. If the part sits inside a machine, behind an obstacle or at changing angles, six-axis articulation may be essential.

2. Is the deployment a classroom, commercial space or production cell?

Education robots prioritize accessible programming, curriculum and low-risk desktop experiments. Nova is positioned for commercial and service environments. CRA and its specialized branches are the industrial path for continuous production, factory networking and larger mechanical loads.

Do not promote an education arm into production because one bench test succeeded. Likewise, do not buy an industrial arm for a classroom when the course only needs basic coordinate systems and Blockly. The correct deployment class determines the support, safety assessment and lifecycle expectations around the hardware. If people will share the workspace, review the difference between a robot and a cobot before deciding that “collaborative” means the cell needs no safeguarding.

3. What is the complete moving load?

Rated payload is not the same as workpiece mass. The robot carries the workpiece plus the gripper, fingers, adapter, sensors and moving cables. Center-of-gravity offset, reach, speed, acceleration and mounting orientation also affect the allowable operating envelope.

For example, a 5 kg-rated arm does not automatically accept a 5 kg part. If the tool weighs 1.2 kg, the nominal mass remaining is already lower before moments and dynamic limits are considered. Use the model's load diagram and the actual tool center of gravity for final sizing.

4. Does the tool need multiple approach angles?

MG400 and M1 Pro are strong candidates when the task is organized around a horizontal work surface. Nova, Magician E6 and CRA become more useful when the tool must reach around fixtures, enter an angled opening, follow a curved path or change orientation between stations.

Reach alone does not answer this question. Model the fixture, obstacles, singularities, cable routing and maintenance access. A robot can reach a point mathematically and still be unsuitable if the tool collides or the required wrist posture is unstable.

5. Do force, environment or safety requirements create a separate branch?

Force-controlled polishing or insertion points toward CRAF. Direct exposure to dust, coolant, oil or washdown points toward CRA-IP68. A requirement for SafeSkin pre-collision sensing points toward CRS. Heavy palletizing may justify CR20A or CR 30H.

These are not cosmetic upgrades. They change the engineering problem, so they should be selected before comparing two models only by payload and reach.

Education: Magician Lite, Magician or Magician E6?

Magician Lite is the simplest entry point for K-12 robotics and AI lessons. Its official specifications list four degrees of freedom, a 250 g payload, 340 mm reach and ±0.2 mm repeatability, with Blockly and MicroPython support. Choose it when the learning objective is accessible programming and basic robot motion rather than industrial integration.

Magician is the more flexible four-axis desktop education platform. It can support writing, drawing, 3D printing and laser-engraving lessons, but those activities depend on the corresponding tool or kit. A lesson plan that assumes the laser or printer is included without checking the exact package is not procurement-ready.

Magician E6 is the step up for six-axis kinematics, integrated control and industrial-style Ethernet/I/O exercises. It provides a 750 g payload, 450 mm reach and ±0.1 mm repeatability. Choose it for robot programming and automation education; do not treat it as a substitute for a higher-payload production cobot.

Desktop automation: MG400 or M1 Pro?

MG400 is the compact desktop automation choice. The four-axis arm has a 500 g rated payload, 750 g maximum payload, 440 mm reach and ±0.05 mm repeatability. It fits small loading, inspection, dispensing and transfer tasks when the tool can remain in a mostly fixed orientation.

M1 Pro is the SCARA choice for planar throughput. It lists a 1.5 kg maximum payload, 400 mm working radius and ±0.02 mm repeatability. Its encoder interface supports conveyor-tracking integrations, making it the stronger starting point when parts move through a repeatable horizontal process.

The decision is not “750 g versus 1.5 kg.” Choose MG400 for compact four-axis automation and M1 Pro for SCARA-style speed and planar rigidity. Reject both if the wrist must tilt freely or approach from several sides.

Commercial six-axis automation: Nova 2 or Nova 5

The Nova Series is designed around commercial and service applications rather than heavy industrial production. Nova 2 and Nova 5 provide 2 kg and 5 kg payloads, 625 mm and 850 mm reach, ±0.05 mm repeatability and IP54 protection.

Nova is the natural six-axis branch for beverage, retail, hospitality and similar spaces where footprint, appearance and flexible approach angles matter. It is not the automatic answer for a factory cell: welding, heavy machine tending, harsh coolant exposure or higher loads move the shortlist toward CRA or one of its specialized variants.

Industrial production: start with the CRA Series

The CRA Series is DOBOT's general industrial six-axis family. The current model table spans 3–30 kg payload and 620–1800 mm reach across multiple models, allowing the selection to follow the tool, part, fixture and working envelope instead of forcing every cell into one arm size.

Start here for machine tending, welding, assembly, material handling and other industrial tasks that do not first require a specialized force, ingress-protection or pre-collision branch. SafeSkin and the VX500 vision system are options; they should not be shown as standard contents of a base CRA quotation.

Within CRA, the smallest model that passes the complete load and reach study is usually the better engineering starting point. Oversizing can increase footprint, floor and mounting requirements, swept volume and integration cost without improving the task. For a wider taxonomy, see the six main types of industrial robots.

When CRAF, CRA-IP68 or CRS is the real starting point

Choose the CRAF Series when force feedback is part of the process itself. DOBOT positions it as the force/torque-sensing CRA branch, with catalog options from 5–20 kg and 900–1700 mm. Typical candidates include controlled insertion, surface finishing and other work where contact force must be measured rather than inferred from position alone.

Choose the CRA-IP68 Series when the robot body faces dust, high humidity, oil contamination or washdown. The body is IP68, but the control cabinet is IP54, and the system is not intended for prolonged underwater use. The cell design must protect every component, not only the arm.

Choose the CRS Series when SafeSkin pre-collision sensing is a key safety-layer requirement. CRS should not be treated as a generic payload upgrade. SafeSkin also does not replace the application risk assessment, safeguarding design or validation of the complete end effector.

Heavy payload: CR20A or CR 30H

DOBOT's catalog lists the CR20A at 20 kg payload, 1700 mm reach and ±0.01 mm repeatability. It is a logical industrial candidate when a standard CRA branch reaches the heavy-payload class but the application does not require the CR 30H platform.

The CR 30H lists a 30 kg payload, 1800 mm working radius, IP67 arm protection and joint speeds up to 300°/s on J4–J6. DOBOT also describes standard, torque-sensing Touch and food-oriented variants.

Do not select it from the 30 kg number alone. Heavy palletizing and handling require a study of the tool center of gravity, worst-case reach, acceleration, mounting surface, floor load, swept volume, electrical supply and safety system. The exact variant matters because standard, Touch and food configurations solve different requirements.

Software, programming and integration

Software fit can eliminate a robot even when the mechanical specifications look right. Check the exact controller and package before you standardize a classroom, production line or software stack around a family name.

Do not assume a program created for Magician, MG400 or M1 Pro can be transferred directly to Nova or CRA. Different kinematics, controllers, coordinate frames, I/O maps and software environments can require the application to be rebuilt even when the task description sounds similar.

Robot price vs total system cost

The arm price is only one line in a deployable system. A realistic budget includes end-of-arm tooling, adapters, cameras and lighting, guarding or safety scanners, bases, cabling, PLC or computer hardware, software licenses, integration, training, spare parts and shipping.

A cheaper arm can become the more expensive choice if it needs custom fixtures to compensate for missing reach or orientation. A larger arm can also raise costs through a bigger base, larger safety envelope and more difficult access. Compare complete bills of materials for the same acceptance test, not bare robot prices from different package levels.

Turn the shortlist into an exact quotation

Before approving a purchase, make the quotation identify:

1. Exact robot model and variant: not only “CRA” or “CR 30H.”
2. Controller and power configuration: controller model, input voltage, cabinet rating and cables.
3. End-of-arm tooling: gripper or vacuum model, fingers, adapter, tool mass, payload center of gravity and utilities.
4. Vision and sensing: camera or sensor model, mounting, calibration target, lighting and software license.
5. Safety hardware: emergency stops, guarding, scanners, light curtains, SafeSkin if selected, and responsibility for the risk assessment.
6. Mechanical installation: base, pedestal or table, mounting orientation, stiffness and cable routing.
7. Software access: DobotStudio version, SDK/API, supported languages, fieldbus and any required ROS package or integration layer.
8. Integration services: fixture design, programming, commissioning, operator training and documentation.
9. Acceptance test: representative part, tool, path, cycle target, repeatability criterion, recovery behavior and safety checks.

The acceptance test is the completion signal. A robot that powers on is not necessarily ready for the application; the configured system must execute the target task with the agreed tool, payload, speed and safety behavior.

Use this task-first decision path

After the family is clear, calculate the complete moving load, model the fixture and obstacles, define the software and I/O stack, and lock the exact bill of materials. The final gate is a task-based acceptance test with the actual tool, part, path and safety behavior.

Frequently asked questions

Is MG400 or M1 Pro better for desktop automation?

MG400 is the better starting point for compact four-axis desktop tasks with a fixed tool orientation and a maximum payload up to 750 g. M1 Pro is the better starting point for SCARA-style planar throughput, conveyor tracking and loads up to 1.5 kg. Choose neither when the tool needs six-axis orientation.

Should an education lab choose Magician or Magician E6?

Choose Magician for accessible four-axis education and tool-based exercises such as writing or 3D-printing when the matching kit is included. Choose Magician E6 when the curriculum requires six-axis kinematics, integrated control and industrial-style I/O.

What is the difference between CRA and CRAF?

CRA is the general industrial six-axis family. CRAF is the force/torque-sensing branch for tasks in which contact force is a controlled process variable. If the application does not use force feedback, a standard CRA model may be the simpler fit.

Is CRA-IP68 suitable for underwater work?

No. The robot body is IP68, but the control cabinet is IP54, and DOBOT does not position the system for prolonged underwater use. Design the entire cell for the actual dust, liquid and cleaning exposure.

What is the difference between Magician E6 and MG400?

Magician E6 is a six-axis education robot for teaching articulated motion, programming and industrial-style interfaces. MG400 is a four-axis desktop automation arm for compact pick-and-place, inspection and dispensing with a mostly vertical tool. They share a 750 g maximum payload figure, but their motion, intended deployment and software workflow are different.

Should you choose Nova 5 or CR5A?

Start with Nova 5 for light six-axis automation in commercial or service environments where its 5 kg payload and 850 mm reach fit the task. Start with CR5A when the cell is an industrial production application that needs the CRA platform, industrial integration path or related CRA options. Compare the complete environment, duty cycle, controller, interfaces and safety design rather than the payload label alone.

Which software is used to program DOBOT robots?

It depends on the family and package. Education products may use Blockly or MicroPython workflows, while automation families use DOBOT's industrial programming environment and controller APIs. Ask for the exact software name, version, SDK, supported operating systems and controller firmware on the quotation.

Can a Magician program run on MG400 or M1 Pro?

Do not plan on direct program portability. The robot structure, coordinate system, controller, I/O map and supported commands can differ. Reuse the process logic where practical, but rebuild and validate motion, frames, tool data, limits and I/O for the target robot.

How much does a complete DOBOT robot cell cost?

A complete-cell price depends on the exact arm, controller, gripper, vision, safety hardware, base, software, integration and acceptance test. Request comparable quotations against the same task and bill-of-material scope; a bare-arm price is not a reliable total-cost comparison.