Sunseeker Elite X7 Gen 2 Robot Lawn Mower Review

About the Sunseeker Elite X7 Gen 2 robot lawn mower

• Dimensions: 29.2 x 20.2 x 10.5 inches
• Weight: 32 pounds
• Cutting width: 14 inches
• Cutting height: 0.8 to 4 inches
• Cutting area: Up to 1.5 acres
• Battery: 18V, 10Ah
• Charge time: 1.4 hours
• Cutting time: 2 hours per charge

The latest version of Sunseeker's 2024 Orion/X7 model, the Elite X7 Gen 2, has the RTK satellite navigation and VSLAM tracking technology, which means your mower can map the boundaries of your yard—as well as any no-go zones or obstacles—without physical fences or wiring.

The machine also has the beefy wheels, all-wheel drive, and rear-wheel steering of its predecessor, giving it the oomph to tackle gradients as steep as 35 degrees, or an impressive 70-degree slope.

The floating cutting disc and dual-blade configuration give Elite X7 Gen 2 users flexibility in how they prefer their grass cropped, with consistent height across dips and undulations in the ground.

How we tested

To test the Elite X7 Gen 2's capabilities, we mapped, then mowed, both the back and front lawns of a suburban home with 1,500 square feet of mowable area, including moderate slopes in the backyard and 500 mostly flat square feet in the front.

The front and backyard both have edged and unedged garden beds we needed to avoid, and the backyard has two sizable maple trees to mow around. To test the machine's ability to navigate non-fixed obstacles, we positioned a wheelbarrow at different locations across different mowing cycles.

During testing, we used the manual and automatic mapping functions and mowing options, including overnight mowing, designated work zones, and patterned mowing. Several days of rain and storms during testing let us see how the machine handles wind and water.

What we like

You get a solid mow

The Sunseeker Elite X7 handled the slope, the curving edges, and the dips in terrain with ease. The result was an even, cut-to-spec lawn with minimal missed spots, just as if we'd mowed it ourselves, done while we ate, or worked, or even slept.

If you have baseball-field aspirations, the Sunseeker can even mow in classic stripes or checkerboard patterns, which are pleasing to the eye and promote healthier grass with fewer compacted spots. While not as dramatic as the crisp patterns you see on TV, we found them legible, which is good for the soil over the long haul.

Night mode

Many robot mowers limit their ability to mow after dark, but not the X7. The X7 Gen 2 encourages you to let it run while you're sleeping so you wake up to a freshly mowed lawn. Upgraded from the original X7 with an iToF (Indirect Time of Flight, a 3D depth-measuring technology) camera, the X7 can avoid obstacles like trampolines, swings, and even creatures roaming your yard at night.

During our testing, overnight results were nearly indistinguishable from daytime mows: The X7 Gen 2 didn't miss any spots or get stuck, and the ultra-quiet motor meant we (and our neighbors) could sleep in peace.

The machine did have slightly more trouble docking overnight, sending us an error message we received in the morning—something it never missed during the day.

Obstacles are no obstacle

Whether it was avoiding a mid-lawn tree, steering around a newly moved wheelbarrow, or staying away from the family dog (who followed it, barking), the Sunseeker Elite X7 was nimble and accurate, keeping its blades clear of obstacles, both mapped and unmapped.

It also avoided veering too close to the edges where lawn meets the garden bed, even when it was automapping, keeping the mulch undisturbed and the border plants intact. (This held even on beds with diffuse, fluid edges, not just spade-edged or stone-edged ones where the line is obvious.)

What we don't like

It's not made for the shade

Not to put too fine a point on it, finding a spot in our testing zone that offered sufficient clear sky (no tree cover, no buildings) to get a solid reading from the RTK positioning antenna was the single most difficult part of using the mower.

Since the RTK antenna connects to satellites, enabling the mower to map and navigate, finding the right spot is essential yet challenging. The antenna needs to be within range of your household's Wi-Fi, close to a power source, on flat ground, more than 60 inches away from walls or trees, and, most challenging of all, with 100 degrees of unobstructed sky. (Mounting the antenna on the roof is possible, but requires driving nails into your roof.) For a house like ours with close neighbors and mature shade trees, this proved difficult. (To be fair, many robot lawn mowers from a variety of brands use RTK antennas to map.)

After finding what seemed to be a workable spot that met all the requirements and kept the antenna's presence relatively unobtrusive, we successfully mapped the yard and were ready to mow—or so we thought. But no matter how we scheduled or ran the mower for the next few weeks, we hit issue after issue: the mower would run over the entire lawn without cutting a single blade of grass; we'd have to restart the machine, erasing all previous settings; or the mower would give up halfway through and return to the base.

As a last-ditch effort, we moved the antenna to an entirely new location directly in front of the house and remapped the entire yard. With the antenna in the new spot, the Elite X7 was an entirely different machine, seamlessly completing all mowing tasks as scheduled, with almost no interruptions, even on cloudy days.

The performance improved dramatically, but came with a tradeoff: The 54-inch-tall antenna now stood directly in front of the house. It's noticeable and unwelcome during the day, and downright eerie at night, when you're greeted by glowing green lights just below your eye level.

Suppose your mowing space is open and sunny, great. But if you'll be mowing in an area with shaded skies or nearby tall buildings, this model may present challenges.

Error messages aren't clear

All smart devices need some babysitting during setup, but the app's communication was too vague to help—after getting alerts that mowing had stopped, the app said only that there had been an error, leaving us to guess what went wrong.

In one instance, we tried everything we could think of—including resetting it—to get it moving again. We eventually turned it over to find a sizable wood chip stuck in the blades, a fix that would have taken 30 seconds if the error message had just read, "clear blades."

Warranty

The X7 Gen 2 is covered by a 24-month limited warranty in the U.S., which covers defects in materials or artistry when used under "normal, ordinary" conditions and does not cover damage from accidents or foreign objects. If covered, Sunseeker will repair or replace the product or components. The X7 Gen 2's battery pack is covered for 12 months.

The warranty isn't valid if the product has been misused, modified, or serviced by a non-authorized service center. If you live somewhere with cold winters, take note: The product must be stored indoors if temperatures drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit to remain in warranty.

Should you buy the Sunseeker Elite X7 Gen 2?

Yes, if you have clear skies and don't mind making an investment

The Sunseeker Elite X7 Gen 2 (available at Amazon for $2,179.30) is a smart, capable mower that impressed us with its mowing ability and quiet, efficient performance—once the antenna was repositioned. If you'll be mowing somewhere with open skies and have the money to spend, we think the cumbersome initial setup is worth it for reliable, hands-off mowing that keeps your grass exactly the height you want.

For shady yards or owners seeking different capabilities, other robot lawn mowers may be a better fit. For more options, check out our list of the best robot lawn mowers on the market.