I've been reviewing a GPS robot mower for a month – now I'll never mow my lawn manually again
After four weeks, I'm convinced. I'm never going back to pushing a mower again.
Setup was surprisingly simple
I assumed it would be a bit of a faff (I've reviewed some of the best robot lawnmowers in the past, and it's not been simple), some sort of elaborate weekend project involving buried wires and a confusing app. But it turned out to be refreshingly straightforward. I had it up and running in just a couple of hours. The charging dock went into the corner of my garden, plugged into one outdoor socket, while a separate plug powered the Wi-Fi antenna.
To map the lawn, I just used my phone like a remote control, guiding the mower around the boundaries with two virtual joysticks. No perimeter wires, no digging, and no drama. Once the layout was saved, the mower was ready to go.
It cuts in perfectly straight lines
Perhaps the best thing about the X5 is that it doesn't just drift aimlessly across the lawn. It cuts with purpose. Thanks to the AONavi positioning system, which combines satellite-level GPS (RTK-GNSS) and visual mapping (VSLAM), mowing in clean, ruler-straight lines every time. It doesn't leave lines in your lawn, because it doesn't have a roller, but it does leave the lawn looking very neat.
I set the schedule in the app to start cutting at 10AM every morning. That's it. I haven't really touched it since. It's also impressively quiet – you could easily have a conversation nearby while it's working, and it won't annoy your neighbours. It gets the job done very efficiently.
The result is a lawn that looks like it's been professionally groomed. Visitors have noticed, too – I've been getting plenty of praise for my golf course-like lawn.
Obstacle avoidance is a game-changer
One of the features I didn't think I'd need, but now wouldn't want to be without, is the onboard camera system. The X5 uses binocular cameras and Vision AI to scan the lawn in real time, detecting and dodging obstacles as it goes.
That includes the small, surprise items my son likes to leave lying around – footballs, books, cars, toy dinosaurs. The X5 spots them and calmly steers around. It means I don't need to worry about tidying the garden before it sets off. It can apparently identify over 150 types of common objects, and so far, I've yet to see it get stumped.
My lawn looks better – and we're using it more
Before the robot, I'd mow maybe once a fortnight. By then, the grass would be scruffy, the weeds creeping back, and it always felt like a bit of a slog. Now, the X5 trims the grass daily, taking off just a tiny bit each time. That constant attention means there's no need to collect clippings – the bits are so small they settle invisibly and actually help feed the soil.
The lawn looks healthier and is totally free from those scruffy patches and tufts I used to get. We've been out there more often too – kicking a ball about, having dinner in the garden, actually enjoying the space instead of spending time managing it.
Sleek, quiet and understated
I've tested robot mowers before, including a Flymo that looked like a giant plastic pumpkin. The Sunseeker X5 is the opposite. It's all clean lines, low profile, finished in black and grey – smart without being shouty.
It's compact enough to tuck out of sight when it's not working, and its all-wheel drive makes a real difference if your lawn isn't completely flat. It's rated for up to 60-percent gradients.
A couple of things to keep in mind
Of course, it's not perfect. The biggest thing is that it doesn't quite get to the very edges of the lawn, so you'll still need a quick once-over with a strimmer every week or so.
One morning, I got a notification saying the mower was stuck – it had dipped a wheel into a flowerbed and couldn't find its way out. The issue wasn't so much that it got stuck (we all have off days), but that it kept trying to free itself, spinning its wheels and gouging out a decent chunk of lawn in the process. It would've been far less destructive if it had just shut down when it realised it was trapped. I ended up remapping the boundary to give it a bit more space around the edges, and to be fair, it hasn't repeated the mistake since. Still, a smarter fail-safe wouldn't go amiss.
It also doesn't come with built-in anti-theft protection – you'll need to pay extra for the optional 4G module if you want alarms or remote tracking.
But considering the features it does pack in – GPS navigation, AI-powered obstacle avoidance, multi-zone control, and genuinely excellent cutting – it still feels like solid value at £1,699 (around $2,100 in the US).
One month on: the verdict
After a month with the Sunseeker Elite X5, my weekends are quieter, my lawn looks better, and I'm spending more time enjoying the garden than working in it. It's hard to overstate the luxury of glancing out the window each day and seeing a fresh, tidy lawn without having lifted a finger.
It won't trim the very edges or stop someone walking off with it (unless you spring for the extras), but those are minor niggles in an otherwise hugely satisfying bit of kit. If you've got a medium-sized garden (up to 2,000m²) and hate mowing as much as I do, this might just be your new favourite appliance.
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Pros Cheaper than an Insta360 X5 Slick and easy to use Good all-round image quality Cons Not suitable for underwater use Non-replaceable lenses X5 just edges it on night-time video DJI Osmo 360 technical specifications Sensor 2 x 1/1.1in CMOS ISO range 100 to 51200 Video recording Up to 8K 50 fps / 4K 120fps Screen 2in 314 x 556 Storage 128GB + microSD card slot Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C Dimensions 61 x 36.3 x 81mm Weight 183g
