My Favorite New $699 Toy: Hands On With the Elite Optimus Prime

In a perfect future, no parent will have to manually transform a robot by hand for their Transformer-obsessed children ever again. Sadly, that future is far off, but the Robosen line of robots, two of which are versions of Hasbro’s Optimus Prime, make it seem possible.

If you’re not familiar with Transformers, Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots, autonomous mech-based lifeforms from the planet Cybertron. They’ve been in an on-again-off-again civil war with the evil Decepticons for decades, which usually spills over onto planet Earth. Optimus—called Convoy in Japan—has always been at the forefront of the franchise since 1984. He’s died a couple of times, but like Superman, he always comes back.

A 19-inch tall version of this robot, now dubbed Flagship Optimus Prime(Opens in a new window), launched in 2021 with a lot of fanfare (like in videos featuring people such as director Kevin Smith(Opens in a new window)). It also sported a hefty price tag of close to $1,500, though it is now down to $999 direct. This year has a new version of Optimus Prime, dubbed the Elite, ready to step into action with a somewhat more reasonable price of $699.

Shorter than its predecessor by about 3 inches, the Elite Optimus Prime still has over 5,000 components, including the same number of servo motor joints (27) and microchips (60). Robosen claims this makes the Elite faster and more agile when changing or making moves. But what’s it really like having the leader of the Autobots in your home? I was lucky enough to find out.

My Favorite New $699 Toy: Hands On With the Elite Optimus Prime

Elite Optimus Prime’s Look and Feel

The packaging for the Elite Optimus Prime is as high-end as the price tag. In the box is a sturdy gray foam carrying case with the Autobots badge and the words “Authentic Transformers” on it. Inside the case is Optimus himself, plus some manuals, plastic additions (specifically his “chrome” smokestacks), and his two weapons—the ion blaster(Opens in a new window) and Energon axe(Opens in a new window).

If you want a robot that looks like the overwrought Optimus from the Michael Bay-directed movies, this isn’t for you. This is pure 1980s vintage “Generation 1” Optimus. Even the mobile app that can be used for controlling him defaults to playing a knockoff version of the original Transformers theme from almost 40 years ago.

The voice recordings were impressively made by original voice actor Peter Cullen, who also voiced him in the movies. A lot of other actors have spoken for the Autobot leader, but—no offense to Alan Tudyk—Cullen’s is and always will be Optimus Prime’s real voice. The 80 recorded sounds absolutely nail all the feels for old-school fans playing with this robot.

The major giveaway that this isn’t an oversized version of the original toy is the size of Optimus’ feet—they’re quite large, as befits holding up an almost four-pound body. It’s a sturdily built device that impresses with every move it makes.

But, when you lift Optimus out of the box, he feels kind of floppy. That’s because all the servo motors are disengaged. The same thing happens whenever he powers down, sometimes making for a real…Floptimus Prime.

“Floptimus! Are you okay?”
(Credit: Eric Griffith)

But after you hold down the power button for five seconds, you hear that rumbly, “I am the leader of the Autobots!” and feel like a kid all over again. Optimus does a little calibration/reset of the servos and stiffens, ready for action, whether in truck or ‘bot mode. He’s waiting to talk to his new human friends.

Autobots—Transform!

The wake word for the toy is, “Hey, Optimus Prime.” The microphone resides behind his head, next to the power button. He replies with, “Greetings.” You can then give him one of many preset actions to follow. Say “Transform” or “Convert” and watch him do just that—go from truck to robot, or vice versa. That moment is really what this toy is all about.

An early one I tried was the classic “Roll out!” and while in truck mode, Optimus did exactly that—and drove right off my dining room table to the floor before I could catch him. Outside of scattering his clipped-on plastic smokestacks, he was uninjured (and just as tough as you’d expect of a Cybertronian). He works best on a big table or a hard floor. The instructions say this Prime isn’t even supposed to be on a rug.

If you let Optimus stand there in robot mode while powered up, you’ll notice that he’s subtly moving. It’s like he’s mimicking breathing but also tense and ready for battle.

Guessing commands to say to Optimus wasn’t as much fun as simply going to the manual for the full list of 43 commands. Some have Optimus moves (“hero pose” makes him go full Black Widow(Opens in a new window)), some get him talking and gesticulating (like “Happy birthday”), and he gets pretty agitated at the mere mention of the name “Megatron.”

While the weapon additions—the gun in his right hand, the axe is his left—look cool, they cause some problems, as you can’t transform Optimus back into vehicle mode when they’re attached. Some commands also won’t work. A couple of times, holding the gun caused Optimus to jam while waving his arms about. When that happens, he stops moving and a female voice emits from the speakers with a warning that he needs to be reset.

It’s good that the servo motors can detect a jam, but they’re still moving fast. My five-year-old testing assistant, who wishes to be known as Paxton Prime, tried to catch Optimus when he thought his new pal was too close to the table edge during a transformation and got his finger pinched.

Paxton Prime meets Optimus Prime
(Credit: Eric Griffith)

This underscores something that is probably obvious based on the price—the Elite Optimus Prime isn’t a toy for kids. It’s a walking, talking piece of nostalgia for adults or collectors. But how do adults get something more out of it than a conversation piece that will eventually collect dust? By programming it.

Optimus Prime by Your Command

There are two ways to personalize your Prime.

The first is voice control—tell Optimus “Customize” and he’ll reply “Customize your arsenal.” You can then feed him a series of preset commands, but wait for a prompt after each to confirm it was accepted. Then say “Start actions” and watch them all play out at once. It’s a quick and dirty way to get him to do something extra.

The app for Android and iOS—which features the worst font I have ever seen in a mobile app, almost entirely unreadable—is how you get even more out of Elite Optimus Prime. He supports Bluetooth and connects easily to the app. Once connected, he won’t respond to the wake word anymore—the app is in charge.

The Elite stands with a Modern Optimus
(Credit: Eric Griffith)

When an Elite Optimus Prime owner gets a little bored with the presets, the app is a must to expand his capabilities. Not only does it offer actions you can’t get with a voice command (like having Optimus do push-ups), the app can download actions created and uploaded to share by other users. As I write this, a lot of that capability is reserved for the Flagship, but according to people in the Robosen_Transoformers group on Facebook, it’s coming soon for the Elite. Eventually, you can have Optimus doing everything from martial arts practice to the indignity of dancing.

One other cool thing you can do with the app: Use it as a remote control. It doesn’t look like it, but in truck mode with the app, it’s possible to send Optimus careening around the floors of your home.

A Pricey Dose of Nostalgia

Few families are going to run out and buy the $699 Elite Optimus Prime for kids. Robosen’s target audience is collectors and Transformers enthusiasts, but even superfans may hesitate at the price. But if the Flagship version’s price drop in one year is any indication, the Elite model may not take long to become a bit more obtainable. For a few hundred dollars less, it’s a robot in disguise that anyone might enjoy. Even at its current price, for Transformers aficionados with deep pockets and a severe case of wistfulness for the ’80s, the Elite Optimus Prime is easy to recommend.