Updated August 2026
Both are highly-rated robot vacuums, but they're built for different budgets. We ran them side by side in the same rooms to see where the extra $230 for the R5 Max actually goes.
| Spec | AuraX R5 Max | TidyHome T3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $479 | $249 |
| Self-emptying base | Yes | No |
| Suction power | 4,000 Pa | 3,200 Pa |
| Battery life | 180 min | 210 min |
| Mapping | LiDAR | Camera-based |
| Our rating | 4.8/5 | 4.6/5 |
[Write your genuine take: for most buyers, which one, and why. Be specific about the trade-off — e.g. "if you have pets and hate emptying bins weekly, the R5 Max's self-empty base pays for itself in convenience. If you're on a tighter budget, the T3 does 90% of the job for half the price."]
If a self-emptying base matters to you, yes — it's the main functional difference and saves weekly maintenance. If you don't mind emptying the bin by hand, the T3 cleans nearly as well for about $230 less.