Today’s featured robot vacuum cleaner is the Proscenic Q8 Max, not to be confused with the Roborock Q8 Max+. Both names are a little too similar for my taste, and I confess I don’t really understand the choice, but in any case, they’re different nonetheless.
Priced at 300 euros on the official website, this vacuum cleaner is quite classic in reality, at least on paper, it remains to be seen what it will offer in real-life conditions. It comes with a small charging and maintenance station, making life easier.
Design and packaging
I don’t know if you’ve ever had the opportunity to see different models of robot vacuum cleaners, but I have. And I have to admit that, in this race to optimize, all the different brands end up looking the same.
The Proscenic Q8 Max follows this trend, with its circular shape and fairly classic component layout. In any case, I’ll start by telling you what was included in the package containing the vacuum cleaner.
- The Proscenic Q8 Max
- Charging and maintenance station
- Two rotating brushes
- An additional dust bag
- A small maintenance brush
- Additional HEPA filter
- Additional mop
When it comes to accessories, I have to say that Proscenic has thought of everything. What’s really nice is the second mop included, so you don’t have to buy a new one when the first one wears out.
Charging and maintenance station
The Proscenic Q8 Max’s station is fairly compact, and not very high either. It’s a far cry from the one that came with the Dreame L20 Ultra, since it doesn’t have a clean-water tank or dirty-water recovery system.
First of all, the station is entirely black, like the robot. On the upper surface, a small hatch can be easily seen, which opens by lifting it to the side. Inside, you’ll find the waste collection bag and the HEPA filter.
The front features the brand logo in white, accompanied by an activity LED. This will tell you whether the Proscenic Q8 Max is charging, or something else. If it doesn’t light up, however, there’s a problem, hence its usefulness in making sure everything’s working properly.
Let’s go down a bit. We come to the vacuum docking area. This is where the robot will come to rest when it has finished cleaning, so that it can empty itself of the garbage it has picked up on the floor, but also recharge itself.
The last interesting thing I could mention about the station is the power port on the back. Personally, I prefer it when it’s on the side, as this avoids bending the power cable against the wall.
Proscenic Q8 Max
Let’s move on to the aesthetic description of the Proscenic Q8 Max itself, which, as I said, resembles many of its competitors. It’s not difficult to compare it to several existing vacuum cleaners, such as the Eureka E10S, which looks very similar.
Its color is black, and it’s circular. On the upper surface, the configuration is, as I said, really classic. I noted the presence of the LIDAR sensor, essential for mapping the different rooms in which you want the vacuum cleaner to work.
To its right are two equally important buttons. The first, of course, is the power button, which logically switches the unit on and off. The other button, “Home”, commands the Proscenic Q8 Max to return to the station when you press it.
Let’s move on to the front of the robot. No surprises here: the anti-shock bumper is there to prevent any collisions the vacuum cleaner might suffer during its cleaning sessions.
It is accompanied by a camera and several sensors, helping it to avoid such situations. It’s worth noting that several other sensors are arranged around it, which is a good thing. As you can imagine, the more there are, the less risk there is.
What’s more, the various sensors around him also mean he can be helped to reorient himself, so you don’t have to do it yourself. Finally, on the rear, there are the connection ports for recharging.
Turning the Proscenic Q8 Max upside down, we can finally see most of the components that make it useful and functional. First of all, the motorized wheels are obviously present. They feature all-terrain “tires” for rolling over carpets, for example.
In the center, the brush and vacuum inlet are positioned. The brush is fitted with carbon bristles for greater efficiency, especially with animal hair. The mop and water tank are just behind.
If you look at the top left, you’ll see the rotating brush, which logically turns on itself to pick up as much dust as possible. And finally, at the very top, you’ll find the directional wheel, which is not motorized.
Proscenic Q8 Max specifications
| Model | Proscenic Q8 Max |
| Vacuum cleaner type | Robot |
| Suction power | 4200 Pa |
| Voice commands | Yes |
| Battery capacity | 3200 mAh |
| Water tank volume | 250 mL |
| Minimum noise | n/c |
| Filter type | HEPA |
| Sensors | Laser rangefinder Fall sensor 3D scanner Camera |
| Vacuum dimensions | 32 x 9.7 x 32 cm |
| Weight | 7.8 kg |
| Mop | Yes |
| Application | Yes |
| Dust container capacity | 350 mL |
| Available colors | Black |
Vacuum performance
I wasn’t expecting exceptional performance, especially when you consider that some models, such as the Ecovacs Deebot T30 Pro, offer 11,000 Pa of power. The Proscenic Q8 Max, on the other hand, offers just 4200 Pa.
Obviously, the price isn’t the same, but neither is the performance. In my test, the machine cleaned an area of around 10 m². The floor wasn’t spotless, which is why I decided to vacuum this area.
At the end of its run, Proscenic Q8 Max had sucked up most of the dirt on the floor, but a few remained, which were certainly more deeply rooted than the others. I should point out, however, that I had set the power to maximum throughout the cleaning process.
The vacuum cleaner did some of its work, but not impeccably, which is regrettable. For your information, the robot offers its user 3 different power modes:
- Eco mode
- Standard mode
- Max mode
As I said, the “Max” mode didn’t prove particularly effective, so I imagine the others are even less so. I’m not saying it’s bad, but I’ve seen better performance.
It’s worth remembering, though, that the Proscenic Q8 Max is offered at a fairly lower price than most competing models, which is why the performance doesn’t seem as good. At least, that’s a factor.
Washing performance
Some robot vacuums offer configurations with a vibrating mop, or with rotating pads like the Roborock Q Revo. These are designed for optimized floor cleaning, with the aim of removing even the most stubborn stains.
The Proscenic Q8 Max, on the other hand, features only a mop, which is not mechanized. This means that it simply scrubs your floor, without rotating or applying pressure to the surface being cleaned.
Obviously, the result is less satisfactory than with higher-end models. Personally, I had opted to wash the floor after vacuuming, which seemed logical to me. However, the robot left several stains on the floor.
Not least coffee, or anything else for that matter. When I examined the floor after it had returned to its charging station, I noticed a few remaining stains. I should also point out that the water flow rate selected was the maximum.
At first, I thought it must be some old stains well anchored in the tiles, but when I ran my finger over it, it was gone straight away. This is testament to the mop’s lack of pressure on the floor.
Overall, then, the experience of washing with the Proscenic Q8 Max was not really conclusive, for the various reasons I’ve just mentioned.
Proscenic Q8 Max autonomy
As far as autonomy is concerned, which is a key point to consider when testing a robot vacuum cleaner, the Proscenic Q8 Max doesn’t offer very attractive features either. It has a 3200 mAh battery.
This isn’t exceptional, especially when you consider that the Eufy Clean X8 Pro, which isn’t extremely more expensive, offers a 5200 mAh battery. Apart from that, the brand promises its customers 200 minutes of autonomy in eco mode and 60 minutes in standard mode.
Personally, I mainly used Max mode, to push the robot’s performance to the max. To give you a precise idea, I started my cleaning at 84% and after 22 minutes of cleaning, the battery was down to 71%.
13% less autonomy in 22 minutes, with the maximum suction mode activated, is quite consistent with the manufacturer’s claims. So you shouldn’t have any worries.
Configuration and Proscenic application
Setting up the device is straightforward, and should take no more than 5 minutes of your time. First of all, you’ll need to have plugged in the Proscenic Q8 Max service station, and installed it.
You’ll also need to download the Proscenic app, available free of charge via the Apple Store or the Google Play Store for Android devices. Next, create an account and go to device search. Proscenic should then detect your vacuum cleaner.
Following this, the app will automatically give you the process for connecting the robot to your smartphone, so I don’t think there’s much point in explaining it all again. In any case, you’ll find the instructions in the various screenshots provided.
After these 5 minutes of configuration, you’ll finally have access to the application and its functionalities. The first step is to start up the Proscenic Q8 Max for the first time. It’s only logical that it should begin a fairly rapid mapping of the room it’s in.
The Proscenic application resembles all the others in its design. Indeed, the main menu is very familiar. You can access the various saved maps, return the vacuum cleaner to its charging station, start the cleaning process, and much more.
The zone section comes in handy if you want to restrict the vacuum cleaner to a specific area of the room, and the same goes for markers, which you can place virtually for the robot to see.
Of course, you can also define different suction and water flow powers. There are three for each category, but I won’t go into them here, as I’ve already mentioned them in the previous sections.
You’ll also be able to see the remaining autonomy of the Proscenic Q8 Max, the cleaning time from start-up, and the surface area cleaned. And that’s not all: there are additional settings available.
Inside, I found some very classic ones, such as map management and the definition of programmed cleaning times. There’s also a virtual remote control, although I don’t really see the point of it.
It’s also possible to set the Proscenic Q8 Max to “Do not disturb” mode, a very practical option indeed. When activated, the robot will not resume cleaning and will not emit any sound.
Proscenic Q8 Max : Reviews
The Proscenic Q8 Max is not cheap, that’s a fact. But personally, even if I want a spotless floor at home, I’d rather spend a little more than find a few dirt and stains despite the robot’s passage.
Indeed, although it has a good autonomy, the vacuum cleaner doesn’t offer performance to match, especially when you look at the competition. It’s one thing to offer inexpensive and accessible products, but they also have to be truly effective.