Which LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 should you get? (REVIEW)

The new LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 is a bit of an odd release considering the fact that there's already another LEGO R2-D2 in production with a big $140 difference. With that said, which one should you get?
Buy from LEGO*
New R2-D2 ❯ bit.ly/3vN30Iz
Old R2-D2 ❯ bit.ly/3tvHYgJ
Buy from Amazon*
New R2-D2 ❯ amzn.to/4493JRJ
Old R2-D2 ❯ amzn.to/4aX32gZ
(affiliated)
Thank you LEGO for sending this set for review.
Views and opinions are my own.
#lego

[@TiagoCatarino]

* Buy from LEGO* New R2-D2 ❯ bit.ly/3vN30Iz Old R2-D2 ❯ bit.ly/3tvHYgJ * Buy from Amazon* New R2-D2 ❯ amzn.to/4493JRJ Old R2-D2 ❯ amzn.to/4aX32gZ (affiliated)

[@cubegame6291]

I bought the old one some years ago. One of the most satisfying lego builds i had

[@Noel_Parnell]

I always appreciate that you talk about how enjoyable the build experience was

[@TiagoCatarino]

After building hundreds of LEGO sets over the years that I usually don't keep on display for long, that's pretty much all I care!

[@pk251]

@@TiagoCatarinoreally agree

[@Schex13]

Darth Malak is from the Knights of the Old Republic video game. An amazing Star Wars RPG where you can choose to play as light side or Sith during the game. On the fence about the set but think ill get it during the next Star Wars promo in May

[@nonameronin1]

The smaller verison's greater use of blue on the dome really improves the overall look.

[@RogueBagel]

Except for that bottom band. I really wish they'd have done that in grey and used stickers or prints to get a thinner blue ring around the dome instead.

[@Artsdroids]

I like the older one better… it seems more lifelike. The smaller one gives me a toy vibe

[@BrickMeisterZ]

I think getting the new R2-D2 set with an exclusive LEGO Star Wars 25 years Minifigure seems affordable in my opinion.

[@MSalvadorStudios]

I like the small one more because of the exposed studs

[@willhamilton297]

See, this comment is the heart of Lego… and yet I expected like 30 comments all to say “SNOT ONLY MEEEEEEEHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

[@RogueBagel]

Isn't it weird how the blockier, studs-exposed style somehow conveys the round shape better than curved pieces? I noticed this when comparing the 2012 UCS R2 to the one currently on the market.

[@willhamilton297]

@@RogueBagel I agree

[@Benlovescheese]

​@@RogueBagelyeah definitely

[@agiustube]

Now that C-3PO is out, does it make more sense why Lego released the new R2-D2. They look so well together.

[@stevenwhoward87]

Having dozens of versions of the same model is pretty much the norm at this point for Star Wars Lego. There are still so many ships and characters to be made but remaking the same thing again and again is just kind of boring imo

[@Fakechilada]

Yeah, as a video game nerd I'm fully planning to buy this set *solely* for the Malak minifigure. That being said, I do appreciate the R2 build being a very faithful, displayable and affordable thing, which did convince me to buy the set rather than seek out the minifigure alone.

[@spencersmith1180]

I was wondering about the differences between the two, this was quite helpful. Thanks!

[@nonameronin1]

Here's hoping the Darth Malak minifig means they're planning on doing the Ebon Hawk eventually.

[@apocalypso1564]

All KotOR fans would rejoice if this became a reality.

[@SaperPl1]

I wish they would remake the Technic star wars sets. Droideka in Technic was really cool.

[@noneofyours9493]

They are bringing a droideka set out may 1st

[@danielpeters9680]

Thank you so much for this video Tiago. I was having a hard time deciding which one to purchase. Your comparison has made the decision much easier. Thanks again for the great content.

[@BlackAndBloom1]

The small one will probably fit the upcoming C3PO perfectly in scale.

[@EvA_productions]

Exactly

[@dmed5480]

I had to rebuild the large R2D2 a couple times while building for those same reasons...but I do love my big boy

[@loogoo]

I had bought the old one on eBay and had it for several months. Then the new, smaller (and less expensive) one was announced. It was a scale for which I could more easily make display space, so the older one was given away. Then C3PO came out and I'm very happy with my decision of which one to keep.

[@SheldonMeCooperAKABrian]

Why haven't there been these awesome reviews for so long? I missed these reviews! Which one is going to be the next?

[@TiagoCatarino]

Real life stuff, laziness and not a whole lot of new things to cover. Next video will be the midi-scale ships! But May is going to be loaded!!!

[@just4you770]

Tiago is back, better than ever!!!!!❤️❤️❤️

[@lorgpanther8920]

I have the 'old' one and I love it

[@a_literal_brick]

For the price of the old one, you could get the new one along with the ATTE or LAAT

[@TiagoCatarino]

Right?

[@dougsydnes8047]

I got the larger version and couldn't imagine wanting the smaller version as well. Then the C3PO model came out and the smaller R2 fits perfectly with the size of the C3PO version. Guess lego knew what they were doing releasing them so far apart LOL!!

[@Blitzuploads2K]

Sometimes misprints can be more valuable in the future because it’s so rare

[@stealthyoctopus3231]

I really appreciate what Lego is doing with the droids at this price and size range as well as the dioramas and the new ships. They're great as display pieces but aren't insanely huge or expensive. I could work with a couple of the larger sets but with these you could build up a real collection a lot easier.

[@map-reduce]

I'm guessing the business value is that the smaller set is more likely to end up in mass retail outlets (like Target and WalMart in the US), where the 18+ set will be more targeted to lego stores and older lego fans.

[@warrennewman5325]

Like the small one better great review may the force be with you 👍

[@PatMullen13]

I might be wrong, but I think the big R2 is to scale with the BB-8 (and possibly BD-1) set that came out a few years ago. So if you're planning to put R2 and BB on a shelf together you might want the $200 set. But I agree that the new smaller one looks better overall.

[@rafaelkohlmann2662]

I have The old one l, i like a lot, and think it was enjoiable building it

[@paulshinndraws]

I bought the old one when it came out and enjoyed the build, although it was tricky in places. Given the choice I’d probably go with the smaller version, just from a space saving perspective. It doesn’t look like it scrimps on too much to achieve a similar overall appearance.

[@wings9925]

Really enjoyable, as always. Thanks Tiago!

[@TiagoCatarino]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@matthewfarr4221]

I have BB-8 so reckon I'd need the larger one to match the scale. But I think I prefer the look of the smaller one. Which just makes me not want to buy either.

[@gregq8]

The old one is wobbly cow to build, but it is in scale with BB-8 and they look great together - that IMO is the #1 reason to get the old one.

[@Galva94a]

I disagree with the stability of the big model: i found it extremely stable, and the third leg actually reliable once the model is on vertical position. Only the head tends to snap off a bit too easily, but otherwise I loved the old R2

[@mattmakesthings]

I completely agree, the new smaller set is great and definitely the way to go.

[@AVeg-f2k]

Literally just bought this yesterday from Costco. Interesting thing is, online Costco has it for $85 and I was very close to ordering it. Went to Costco last night and they had the set but it was $80, so went ahead and picked one up. Not interested in Darth Malek mine fig since I never played the video game so may throw him up on Ebay whenever I build R2.

[@sogwatchman]

I like the look of the bigger build and have made a lot of modifications of my own and other MOCs. Also added light kit.

[@jasongoodacre]

I prefer the color of the smaller one. It looks more accurate.

[@chancesureshot2718]

All black style box is why more better and elegant

[@TRON0314]

"Why would people buy this one..." Because they haven't yet made the distinction between controlled consumerist hoarder and a curated collection enthusiast. Same people that have the video's of LEGO that they just buy every set. I'm like, ok, you do you but that's not impressive. Luckily I figured that out eventually. But had my years where I bought it because it was out, not because it added something to my collection or I legitimately wanted it.

[@noneofyours9493]

You failed to mention Darth Malak is selling for around $40 so you can potentially get half your money back when buying the smaller one if you don’t care for mini figures.

[@troodon1096]

Well hey, I'd just see it as a $40 rebate on the set lol making it a net $60, that sounds like an even better deal now.

[@JohnGuyJohn]

Ugh, stickers on a display model

[@RedGalaxy_official]

Printing is more expensive

[@user-go3jf7vb5w]

Hey Tiago! Darth malak is from the old republic games and books! Super loved character in the old republic fandom! 😁👍

[@stryke-jn3kv]

Really odd him being included with R2D2 though given how many millennia separate the two characters

[@user-go3jf7vb5w]

@@stryke-jn3kv I agree but what other set could he have been in

[@stryke-jn3kv]

@@user-go3jf7vb5w a HK-47 or the ship from Kotor would be neat, but yeah both would be way less marketable than R2

[@chasebarricklow1154]

George Lucas never really specified how old R2 D2 is so maybe it’s less millennia than you think lol

[@spawnytheistic]

Darth Malak is the main reason I have my eye on this set. I’m glad the build seems pretty interesting because I’d at least like the set to be interesting enough because 100$ price is a little hard to swallow for something I only want for the extra minifig.

[@TiagoCatarino]

Just buy it from Bricklink or something

[@runrgrl35]

I wanted the original R2D2 but it was too big and pricey. Just finished this new R2 as well as the Millennium Falcon and was very pleased with the build and size 😊

[@shaynepd]

I got the small one because it scales with C3PO

[@surrealcereal603]

This was great. Thank you Tiago for doing the homework so I didn’t have to!

[@CASHPABLOG]

3:10 complex build are u kidding me lol and also if it was so complex for you, that should be something positive.

[@timothybjorgen]

With the recent announcement of C-3PO, this one is even more desirable since they should be to scale with each other.

[@Lapince78]

Good review Tiago

[@jardex2275]

Looks like a pretty good build, and the final display doesn't look like it takes up much of a space footprint either. The $100 price point makes it almost a guilt free impulse buy, although I'd likely wait until x2 VIP or a GWP I liked came along. I'd say keep this in mind when the May 4th promotions go live.

[@ondrejm5042]

Now the question is what to do with the older UCS R2 version which i still have in MISB condition :)

[@cobbss1405]

The smaller one especially excels in size too! When it comes to lego collecting space becomes an issue fast, so not only is the new R2 more appealing to casual fans for its price, but also dedicated Star Wars lego fans with its bonus fig, cheaper price and smaller footprint

[@RogueBagel]

And there are some great videos out there showing cheap mods you can do to this kit to either color swap it to another droid or add accessories, like the leg jets! 🙌

[@variousunicycles]

You’re forgetting about the Lego boost R2-D2

[@TiagoCatarino]

Is it still up for sale?!

[@pedro380085]

I thought you had disappeared! 2 weeks since the last video. Our summer season in Portugal will be here soon though 😅

[@TiagoCatarino]

I've had a lot of real life stuff to take care off AND I've been extremely lazy whithout many exciting stuff to cover :P

[@quick4912]

Good review as always! I disagree about Darth Malak, it's nice for niche characters that wouldn't otherwise make it into a set to get some appreciation. I really want Darth Malak but unfortunately, I already have the old R2-D2, and I agree about the build process of it. I made a large mistake on that set and it took a while to correct. I like the new scale because it's much more affordable and I would've picked the new one had they both been on the market at the same time. Not because I think the new one looks better, I prefer the look of the old one, but they look similar enough and both have the functions that it's a fine trade off in favour of a cheaper price.

[@TiagoCatarino]

But if it's a niche character, put it in a niche product, like a book or a polybag or something. Not on an unrelated $10 product

[@destinyangel5]

Is this a case of Shrink flation like charge more give you less ?

[@evan17campos17]

You don’t get it Tiago. The bigger R2 Set comes with a 50th anniversary tile while the smaller one has a 25th anniversary tile. Higher number means more expensive. Duhhhhhhh

[@TiagoCatarino]

THAT'S THE REASON?!! I'm dumb 😬

[@BrianBrian-qn8sc]

I would have preferred printed parts rather than Darth Malak too!

[@prodby.tymbark]

Bruh

[@MrGollysnake]

Just picked this up for £53, couldn’t resist.

[@bigsam653]

It’s $80 at Costco right now

[@TiagoCatarino]

Even better!

[@jeremyarcus-goldberg9543]

The best R2D2 is the Star Wars Boost set. Nice looking model that can be operated remotely and programmed.

[@arrun5125]

God I was missing you Tiago. I've had to start watching other reviewers!

[@TiagoCatarino]

Oh no. May is going to be LIT with reviews... just saying...

[@Emozisbit]

I believe they have a C-3p0 coming out soon and this is the same scale. So that’s why the have two.

[@xxdravenxx8036]

The new def because you get a darth malak figure and you also get r2d2 as a bonus

[@mrchinosofexodar]

Costco had it for 80 USD so at that price it's a must buy!

[@arghjayem]

00:20 not that weird, there are currently I think 4 Millennium Falcon sets out (think at one point there were 5), until last year there were two x wing sets. Technically with Harry Potter there are 3 different versions of Hogwarts out- UCS, playscale (if you assemble all the separate sets together) and the architecture style build. Some people can’t afford or simply don’t want to pay for a more expensive set like a UCS or the more expensive R2. So it’s a gap in the market that is easy for Lego to fill, especially as there are so few prints in the new R2 it mainly being stickers! 🤔🤷 01:21 and because they’re unrelated figures to the scene is why LEGO have done it. They could’ve done episode 1 themed figures given it’s also 25 years sine that came out- especially as they also have a few episode 1 sets being released this year too. But by including completely unrelated exclusive figures in the sets it’s gonna drive collectors to get the sets even if they only want the figure. And certainly resellers are gonna stock up on the set just for the figure too and sell it on sites like brick owl or bricklink- which LEGO now owns so they get a cut of the figure twice!

[@Brian-fo6ew]

Same here, almost no idea who Darth Malak is!

[@TiagoCatarino]

Some people have said it better but pretty much, something you sell on the side to make some money back and have your R2 for cheaper

[@BriantheBrick]

I already bought the big one, but I want the small one too! I'm starting to regret buying the big one now. 😢I also have the Tantive IV and want to expand my 25th anniversary minifigure collection! There will be a total of 6 figures released, so yeah. Bye wallet!

[@TonyHuynh-q7y]

I like the big one more than the small one I wish I can have the big one😢

[@yoavbenclaudia3073]

In reference to the misprint, LEGO’s quality control is getting worse and worse, despite prices [often] going up.

[@dalibrowne2704]

will you be reviewing the new ucs tie interceptor?

[@TiagoCatarino]

Should I?

[@dalibrowne2704]

@@TiagoCatarino it would be awesome if you did 👍

[@dalibrowne2704]

@@TiagoCatarino also a review of the new gotham city art set would be cool

[@TiagoCatarino]

Will probably do them both!

[@kirboioproductions74398]

I did NOT know they downscaled it THAT much?!

[@OkayYaraman]

What did you expect with that price?

[@kirboioproductions74398]

@@OkayYaraman honestly, idk

[@karrde593]

Very happy to get that minifig and very unhappy to buy a completely unrelated set for it, correct. Sweet spot is $100? Aus pricing is $200. Its only funny. Only reinforces my personal era of putting lego star wars aside for the moment. 4 large shelves of the stuff has been packed into bags, and only one tiny shelf remains with the midi super star destroyer and the probe droid.

[@TiagoCatarino]

Yeah, AUS pricing is usually all over the place. Either very good deals when compared to the rest of the world, or the complete opposite.

[@karrde593]

@@TiagoCatarino ... You have to admit that ultimately it becomes more of corporate scheming than anything else. See, while the prices are true, if you factor in the exchange rate and 10% retail tax, the prices get alot closer to USD.. then factor in that any lego collector with volume only buys lego at 30-40% off apart from exclusives.. the bigger take away is lego and retailers in aus are both still making a profit when lego is sold at similar to USD numbers in AUD..... so if anything, US consumers who don't get discounts are probably the worst off, and do not feel sorry for this company at all.

[@trinyle7888]

I like big one better because its thick and big 😊😊😊😊😊

[@kalolawahine9182]

I have the BIG one, n love it, BUT… I’m Probably Gonna Get This Smaller One ‘CAUSE… Later This Year(I HOPE!) LEGO May Be Doing A C-3PO To Go Side By Side With It🤗

[@vintermussen]

I do NOT buy any LEGO when it is labeled with DISNEY brands like MARVEL, STARWARS or DISNEY it self (that is my take) OR if a set excedes 0,70 -1,05 $ per brick piece (not included any elecktrick pieces) (what is leaving ALL DISNEY set out of MY pocketlists)

[@joshramirez7]

Lol okay bro, remember to touch some grass and get off the internet at times

[@cryodann]

I really love the old one.

[@troodon1096]

No idea who Darth Malak is (and don't explain it to me, I really don't care) but honestly the newer version seems a more reasonable buy, and in many ways actually looks better than the older version. I'd have to seriously consider it when the older one is just beyond what I'm willing to pay for R2-D2.

[@apocalypso1564]

He features prominently in the Knights of the Old Republic games, potentially the greatest Star Wars games ever released.

[@TiagoCatarino]

Darth Malak is good for selling on ebay so you make some money back and have your R2 for cheaper

[@villewintermaul1907]

Looks great but extremely expensive at $200aud. Be waiting for a sale for this guy😅

[@randompog8493]

Interesting they left both listed

[@dangleberries992]

just payed €80 new for R2-D2.

[@stairmasternem]

Smaller is better. I have limited display space as is!

[@Lord_zeel]

The smaller one looked better as soon as I saw the thumbnail. The larger one just looks a little too blocky and goofy.

[@RafaelaSantos-bz2tb]

I have mixed feelings about this one due to the price…

[@jackwiegand8659]

Lego Batman the Animated Series Gotham City Skyline review next?

[@TiagoCatarino]

Not next, sometime in May perhaps!

[@JediRamen]

So how tall is the new one?

[@NickolasMcleod]

I have both of them

[@leg0liver194]

Prints over Minifigs-throw-in! Always!

[@TiagoCatarino]

Right?!

[@Fishysalmon02]

Gotta love darth Malák

[@ahchiu9]

2:42 - R2-DTools

[@batshats8243]

I wish you would've made a video with the x-men x-wing or batman the animated series set rather than this. A new and different set, than a repeated product just bigger l, but not better.

[@TiagoCatarino]

I'll get to the Batman set eventually. I just don't have it yet

[@pokemoncards5960]

The best Is the other older One.

[@puffy9257]

Yikes. If you find it hard to build, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

[@justatanuki.6495]

Do you want R2-D2 or do you want Darth Malak?

[@FabuBrik]

One word: stickers

[@martazedbricks]

New, because of price.

[@hungnguyenquang7247]

Great set but not the first

[@JoãoRocha-k5w]

The correct answer is both. Is almost a tax on being nerd

[@Tr4tu]

I bought it only for the figure ..