PONGBOT Nova S Pro Review: A Practice Partner That Never Tires
A two-wheel table tennis robot with 21 speed levels, 9 spin types, 264 preset drills and app control, which is a genuinely serious practice tool rather than a ball launcher. Buy it if you have a table and want to drill technique without a partner. Skip it if you have not thought about ball collection, because a robot firing 90 balls a minute empties your ball supply in under a minute and then you are picking them up.
Two throw wheels, nine spin types and 264 drills, and a collection net you have to buy separately.
PONGBOT Nova S Pro Table Tennis Robot with App Control and 264 Drills
~$300
A portable table tennis robot with two BASF throw wheels, app and remote control, programmable drills and a landing spot animation.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Throw wheels | Two BASF wheels |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 30 to 90 balls per minute, maximum 0.66 s per ball, 11 levels |
| Speed | Up to 15 m/s, 21 levels |
| Spin | 9 types, rotation speed 60 r/s, 21 levels |
| Drills | 264 built-in presets plus custom programming |
| Control | App or remote |
| Visualisation | Landing spot simulated animation in the app |
| Not included | Balls and 2 AAA batteries |
Specifications above come from PONGBOT's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Two wheels is what allows genuine spin variety. Single-wheel robots produce a limited range and it shows up as soon as you want backspin then topspin in the same drill.
- Two hundred and sixty four preset drills means you are not designing a practice session from scratch, which is the reason most robots end up unused.
- Twenty one speed levels and 21 spin levels give you somewhere to go as you improve, rather than a machine you outgrow in a month.
- The landing spot animation is a small feature that changes how you use the machine, because you can see the pattern before you face it.
- Portability matters. A robot that stows in a cupboard gets set up; one that lives assembled on the table does not.
Where it falls short
- Ball collection is the real cost of owning a robot. At 90 balls a minute you need a large supply and a net or you spend more time picking up than hitting. Neither balls nor a collection net are included.
- Balls are not included and 40 mm balls of consistent quality matter more to a robot than to a human, because inconsistent balls produce inconsistent feed.
- A robot drills what you tell it to. It cannot tell you that your stroke is wrong, which is the thing a coach or a good partner provides.
- It occupies the table while it is set up, so a household that plays doubles will be moving it constantly.
- The app dependency is a real consideration. The remote works, but the drills and the customisation are where the value is and they live in the app.
What owners report
Owner reports on this class of robot are enthusiastic about the drilling and consistently mention two frustrations: ball collection and ball quality. People who bought a catch net and a few hundred consistent balls describe the machine as transformative. People who did not describe an expensive object that they stopped using after a fortnight.
The alternative worth taking seriously is a rebound board, covered in our robot versus rebound board comparison. A rebound board returns the ball to you automatically, which solves the collection problem entirely, at the cost of variety and spin. For a lot of casual players that is the better trade.
Before buying either, check the room. A robot needs the same clearance as a person standing at that end, and our ping pong room size calculator and clearance reference give the figures. A table crammed against a wall is a table that neither a robot nor a partner improves.
Who it suits
- Players with a permanent table who want to drill specific shots repeatedly.
- Households where one player is much stronger than the others and has nobody to practise against.
- Anyone willing to buy a catch net and a few hundred balls alongside it.
Who should skip it
- Casual players who mostly want to rally, where a rebound board is cheaper and simpler.
- Conversion-top tables that get put away, because setup friction kills robot use.
- Anyone unwilling to solve ball collection, which is not optional.
Alternatives worth considering
Tabodd Table Tennis Rebound Board with 100 cm Stand
~$99
A rebound board returns the ball to you, so there is no collection problem and no ball supply to manage. It cannot produce spin variety or place the ball, which is precisely what a robot is for.
Check price on AmazonPONGBOT Nova S Pro Table Tennis Robot with App Control and 264 Drills
~$300
The robot itself, listed again as the reminder that balls are not included. A few hundred consistent 40 mm balls and a catch net are what turn this from a novelty into a practice tool.
Check price on AmazonPop-A-Shot Official Dual Shot Sport Arcade Basketball Game
~$230
If what you actually want is something to do alone in the game room, arcade basketball needs no partner, no ball collection and no setup. It develops nothing, and it is more fun more often.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Ping pong robot vs rebound board
- Ping pong conversion top vs dedicated table
- Ping pong room size calculator
- Ping pong table dimensions and clearance
- Best ping pong tables
- Best ping pong conversion tops
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Are table tennis robots worth it?
For players who want to drill, yes. Repetition against a consistent feed is how strokes improve, and a robot never gets bored. The catch is ball collection: at 90 balls a minute you will need a large supply and a catch net, or the practice session becomes a picking-up session.
Does the PONGBOT come with balls?
No. Balls and the two AAA batteries are not included, per the manufacturer. Buy 40 mm balls in bulk and in consistent quality, because a robot feeds whatever you give it and inconsistent balls produce an inconsistent drill.
Robot or rebound board?
A rebound board is cheaper, needs no ball supply and solves collection automatically, but it returns the ball the same way every time. A robot gives you spin, speed and placement variety and demands a ball supply and a net. Drill work needs a robot; rallying practice does not.
How much room does it need?
The same clearance a player at that end needs, which for recreational table tennis means allowing several feet behind each end of the table. Our ping pong room size calculator gives a figure for your room. A table pushed against a wall limits what any practice tool can do.
Can it replace a coach?
No. It repeats what you set, which means it will happily let you drill a flawed stroke a thousand times. A robot is most valuable to a player who already knows what good technique feels like, or alongside occasional coaching.
Measuring your own room before anything is delivered? The Game Room Layout Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.
How we work: we compare published manufacturer dimensions, the governing playing standards for each game, and reviews from owners who live with the equipment. We do not test games in person, and we say so on every page. Clearance figures here are researched guidance for planning a room, not professional advice: measure your own space, and have a slate table delivered, assembled and levelled by an installer rather than moving it yourself.