Should I buy a Roborock Q5 Pro or a Roomba j7+ as my first robot vacuum?

The [Roborock Q](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Roborock+Q&tag=wehavethat-20)5 Pro is the better first buy at $449 — it offers better suction, comparable navigation, and a similar overall experience for significantly less money than the [Roomba j](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Roomba+j&tag=wehavethat-20)7+ at $599. The Roomba is the safe answer, but the Roborock is the smarter one unless the brand name actually matters to you.