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The Context: I’ve owned the P10 Pro Ultra Gen 1 for over a year now. It was easily my favorite robot of 2025. I’ve recommended it countless times because it’s the perfect intersection of high-end features and actual affordability. Honestly, I still recommend it over vacuums that cost double the price based on how it handles the real world.
Because I’ve been such a vocal fan, I knew I had to test out the Gen 2. This is just my "initial thoughts" review after the first few days, but I’ll be putting it through its paces for a full month before I post a long-term follow-up.
1. Unboxing: What’s Changed?
The unboxing experience is pretty standard, but there are a few notable physical changes:
The Box: The Gen 1 had a vertical box where the dock sat right-side up. The Gen 2 box is horizontal/laying down.
The Goods: MOVA actually removed the cleaning brush tool (the one with the hair-removal hook) that came with the Gen 1. However, they added an extra dustbox filter, which the Gen 1 didn't include.
The Dock: This is a big one for longevity. The Gen 1 used a removable tray with "wiper-style" mop cleaners. Some people found those wipers a bit fragile. The Gen 2 dock has fixed studs instead. It feels like there are fewer moving parts to break, which I appreciate.
2. Setup and "Cyberpunk" App Vibes
Once you get the Gen 2 out of the box and plugged in, the setup is a pretty seamless experience. You’ll scan the QR code to link your phone, and the first thing that hits you is the visual overhaul. Even though it's the same MOVA app, the Gen 2 has its own dedicated "vibe"—a dark mode "cyberpunk" theme with a moving grid background. It’s a small aesthetic touch, but it feels way more premium than the standard white UI on the Gen 1.
From there, you’ll fire off a quick mapping run. Once that map is generated, the app is basically going to prompt you to do a full house deep clean anyway. I highly recommend just leaning into it. This is where the robot really "dials in" the map and starts learning the specific layout of your home.
While the robot was out on that first run, I spent some time digging through the settings and noticed some significant shifts in the features between the two generations:
Intelligent Bin Emptying: This is the new heavy hitter. In the auto-empty settings, you’ll find a new option called "Intelligence." It claims the robot will actually detect how full the internal dustbin is and trigger an empty only when necessary. I’m not 100% sure if it’s using a physical sensor or a motor-strain algorithm, but if it works well, it’s a huge feature for truly hands-off maintenance. I’ll be monitoring this closely over the next month.
Stain Recognition (Removed): On the Gen 1, this was a "Laboratory Function" where the camera could "see" things like soy sauce or coffee stains and trigger intensive mopping. This is gone on the Gen 2.
Large Particle Boost (Removed): Another "Laboratory Function" from the Gen 1. This was the setting where the bot would visually recognize spilled pet kibble and crank up the suction automatically.
Live Camera & Pet Detection (Removed): Since there is no camera on the Gen 2, you lose the Live Camera Feed and the Pet Detection/Pet Finder functions.
Obstacle Map Marking (Removed): Unlike the Gen 1, the Gen 2 won't mark specific icons (like a shoe, power strip, or poop emoji) on the map because it isn't using an RGB "eye" to identify the specific object.
None of these are deal breakers for me, it's unclear but it is worth noting them.
3. Cleaning Performance: The "Quiet" Powerhouse
On paper, the Pascal suction has doubled on the Gen 2 (26,000 Pa). I know people say Pa doesn't always matter because it doesn't always translate to real world cleaning performance, but here, it makes a meaningful difference.
Dust Pickup: I can already tell it's pulling significantly more fine dust out of my carpets than the Gen 1 did.
Noise Level: Despite the power, it is much quieter than the Gen 1. My girlfriend really appreciates this—it can run while we’re on work calls without being a massive distraction.
The Brush: When the Gen 2 was first announced, I fully expected to see the Duo Anti-Tangle brush included. We started seeing those on MOVA’s lower-tier bots (like the $299 E30 Pro) in late 2025, so I was genuinely surprised to see the standard roller here.
However, after using it, I’m not actually disappointed. While it’s not technically "anti-tangle" by name, the design is clever—it’s shaped to push hair out to the sides where the axles pop off, making hair removal a five-second job. More importantly, this specific brush design on the Gen 1 was a beast in suction and airflow testing because it creates a fantastic seal with the floor (an area where the duo-tangle brush struggles)
A note on the Tricut Brush: The P10 Pro Ultra Gen 2 is compatible with the Tricut brush if you want a true "set it and forget it" anti-tangle experience. I actually own the Tricut, but I choose not to use it. I’ve found that the Tricut is noticeably louder and, because it doesn’t seal quite as tightly against the floor as the standard roller, it seems to slightly reduce the actual vacuuming power on carpets. For my house, the standard brush is the winner.
4. Mopping & The "Missing" Sensor
The mopping on the Gen 2 has been significantly leveled up, and it really comes down to the physics of the "sweet spot" in cleaning.
The Specs: We’re looking at 12 Newtons of downward pressure combined with mops that spin at a blistering 260 RPM.
Why it Matters: In the robot vacuum world, people often overemphasize downward pressure but ignore RPMs. The Gen 2 proves why that’s a mistake. You can visually see how much faster these pads are spinning compared to the Gen 1, and that speed is the secret sauce. This high-RPM approach is exactly why we still see spinning mops consistently outperform rolling mops in dried-on stain testing—the "scrubbing" frequency is just on another level.
Real-World Efficiency: It is noticeably more efficient at tackling tough, dried-on messes. One thing I did notice is that the Gen 2 seems to have moved away from the waste-water "dirt detection sensor" found on the Gen 1 (which would trigger a second re-mop if the water was murky). There is no setting for "Auto-Recleaning" like on the gen one. At first, I thought this might be a downgrade, but in practice, it feels like an intentional design shift. Because the initial cleaning pass is so much more powerful and efficient, the one-time completion rate is way higher. It simply gets the job done right the first time, reducing the need for the robot to head back out for a second pass. Still though, would still love to see auto re-mopping for particuarly tough messes.
5. Navigation: The Elephant in the Room (No Camera)
The big elephant in the room with the Gen 2 is the obstacle avoidance sensor array. The Gen 1 featured an RGB camera with an LED light, while the Gen 2 has moved to a laser-based system for obstacle avoidance. Initially, I’ll admit I thought this was a cost-cutting downgrade. I was wrong.
In my actual living environment, the Gen 2 is outperforming the Gen 1 in the areas where it matters most. I have two major "trouble spots" in my 2,000 sq. ft. house that help illustrate this:
Floor-Length Curtains: The Gen 1 would consistently get tangled in my long curtains. I actually had to set no-go zones in the app just to keep it from getting stuck, which meant those sections of the floor just stayed dirty.
Sled-Leg Dining Chairs: I have a 6-seat table with those long, horizontal base legs. The Gen 1 would constantly try to "climb" over these legs instead of navigating them and regular get stuck or have the mops get pulled off.
The Gen 2 has handled both of these areas significantly better. It navigates the curtains flawlessly, and while it does try and climb the legs at times, it seems to always figure that area out and move through the legs in straight lines instead of trying to climb.
My theory is that RGB cameras are prone to fluctuating performance based on complex lighting conditions. Backlighting, deep shadows, or cleaning at night can trip up an AI camera. It's performance is pretty dependent on how well the camera can expose itself to these complex and ever changing lighting conditions. This new laser sensor is incredibly consistent because it doesn't consider lighting at all—it works exactly the same in pitch black as it does at high noon. By leaning into this tech, MOVA has prioritized long-term stability.
Now, to be fair, the Gen 2 still isn't going to handle thin cables well—but neither did the Gen 1. Aside from a few very specific outliers, most robots on the market are still eating up phone cords. However, because the Gen 2 handles my "permanent" obstacles (curtains and chairs) so much better than the Gen 1 ever did, it’s an instant upgrade in my book. It’s a much more "hands-off" experience. Plus, for the privacy-conscious, the lack of an RGB camera is a massive win—you get more reliable performance without a camera lens roaming your home.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth the Upgrade?
After living with both generations, I can confidently say that if you’re deciding between the Gen 1 and the Gen 2, it is absolutely worth spending the extra money for the Gen 2. Even if you already own the Gen 1, this feels like a meaningful upgrade rather than just a minor spec bump.
If you’ve dealt with any of the common Gen 1 headaches—like the robot getting stuck in "weird" areas, struggling with stubborn, dried-on stains, or needing more "oomph" on your carpets—the Gen 2 addresses all of those directly. My house is a gauntlet with one long-haired human, a cat, and a dog, and the Gen 2 is handling the pet hair and self-emptying perfectly.
I’ll admit I was skeptical at first; I truly thought they were cutting corners by removing the camera. But in reality, the Gen 2 is proving to be a much more "hands-off" robot. I’m intervening way less than I did with the original. If you keep a relatively tidy house, this thing is a dream, and even with my "high-intensity" obstacles, it’s outperforming the Gen 1.
I’m going to keep putting this through its paces to see how that "Intelligent" auto-empty and the new dock hold up. I’ll be back in about 30 days with a full, in-depth long-term review! TranslateView Original Text
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