Should I buy the Sunseeker X7 Gen 2 or look for a first-generation X7?

It comes down to whether you'd rather avoid a running fee or avoid installing an antenna. Both generations of the Sunseeker X7 share the same basics: a 350 mm twin-disc deck, electric height adjustment, all-wheel drive and a 70% slope rating. The standard X7 is rated for 3,000 m² and the X7 Plus for 6,000 m² in both generations.

The first generation uses its own RTK base station, supplied in the box, which you set up in the garden with a clear view of the sky. Sunseeker doesn't require a subscription for it to mow. 4G is an optional module on the X7 and standard on the X7 Plus.

Gen 2 receives its corrections as network RTK over a built-in 4G module, so there's no antenna to put up. It also adds day-and-night obstacle sensing using binocular cameras plus an iToF sensor, where Gen 1 uses cameras alone. The catch is that Sunseeker's product page says continued use needs an active subscription once the included service ends: 24 months on the X7 and 60 months on the X7 Plus. Sunseeker quotes the renewal in euros. It sells an antenna kit, but doesn't say whether that removes the need to pay.

Gen 1 may be getting harder to find: it's still in the menu of Sunseeker's UK site but missing from its product list. Ask your dealer what stock it has. Our network RTK and 4G guide covers the trade-off in more depth.