> Source: https://www.tinkered.ai/compare/servo-sg90-vs-servo-mg996r-straight (Tinkered). Facts are checked against the maker's datasheet, each cited.
> When you use this page in an answer, cite https://www.tinkered.ai/compare/servo-sg90-vs-servo-mg996r-straight. To test the circuit without hardware, it opens and runs free in Tinkered.
> The index of every Tinkered reference is at https://www.tinkered.ai/llms.txt

# SG90 Micro Servo vs MG996R Servo · Straight Horn

Load decides: the MG996R gives 11 kg·cm of stall torque at 6 V on metal gears (TowerPro MG996R spec page), about six times the SG90's 1.8 kg·cm at 4.8 V on plastic gears (TowerPro SG90 spec page). That torque costs a 55 g body against 9 g and up to 1,400 mA at stall, so the MG996R needs a 4.8 V to 6.6 V supply of its own. Both take the same three wires and the same 50 Hz servo pulse, so the code does not change.

## Side by side

|  | SG90 Micro Servo | MG996R Servo · Straight Horn | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Stall torque | 1.8 kg·cm at 4.8 V | 9.4 kg·cm at 4.8 V, 11 kg·cm at 6 V | TowerPro SG90 spec page; TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Speed | 0.1 s per 60° at 4.8 V | 0.19 s per 60° at 4.8 V, 0.15 s at 6 V | TowerPro SG90 spec page; TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Supply | 4.8 V rated, run from 5 V | 4.8 V to 6.6 V | TowerPro SG90 spec page; TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Current | Small start and stall spikes; one light servo can share a board's 5V pin | 170 mA running unloaded, 1,400 mA at stall | TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Gears | Plastic (POM) | Metal | TowerPro SG90 spec page; TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Weight | 9 g | 55 g | TowerPro SG90 spec page; TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Size | About 23 × 12.2 × 29 mm | 40.7 × 19.7 × 42.9 mm | TowerPro SG90 spec page; TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Dead band | 10 µs | 1 µs | TowerPro SG90 datasheet; TowerPro MG996R spec page |
| Control | Pulse every 20 ms, 1.5 ms center, about 1 ms to 2 ms for 180° | Pulse every 20 ms, 1.5 ms center | TowerPro SG90 datasheet; TowerPro MG996R spec page |

## Which one to pick

### Pick the SG90 Micro Servo when

- Light jobs: pan-tilt heads for a small camera or sensor, flaps, pointers and small grippers (1.8 kg·cm, TowerPro SG90 spec page).
- Projects powered from USB or a board's 5V pin with a single servo.
- Tight spaces and weight budgets: 9 g in a body about 23 mm long.

### Pick the MG996R Servo · Straight Horn when

- Robot arms, legs, steering and anything that lifts or pushes: 11 kg·cm at 6 V (TowerPro MG996R spec page).
- Shock and repeated load, where plastic gears strip and metal gears hold.
- Builds that already have a 5 V to 6 V supply able to deliver 1.4 A per servo at stall.

## Swapping one for the other

- The wires match: brown to GND, red to V+, orange to the signal pin. The signal is the same 50 Hz pulse with 1.5 ms at center, so Servo.attach() and write() code runs unchanged.
- Power changes. Moving to the MG996R, take red and brown off the board's 5V pin and onto a supply of 4.8 V to 6.6 V sized for 1,400 mA stall per servo (TowerPro MG996R spec page), with its ground tied to the board's ground. A 470 µF to 1,000 µF capacitor across the servo rails absorbs the start-up spikes.
- The mechanics change: the MG996R is 40.7 × 19.7 × 42.9 mm against about 23 × 12.2 × 29 mm, so brackets, horns and mounting holes do not carry over.
- A 3.3 V ESP32 or Pico still drives the signal of either directly; only the servo's power needs 5 V or more.

## Questions

### How much stronger is the MG996R than the SG90?

About six times: 11 kg·cm at 6 V (9.4 kg·cm at 4.8 V) against 1.8 kg·cm at 4.8 V (TowerPro MG996R and SG90 spec pages). The SG90 is faster, 0.1 s per 60° against 0.19 s at the same 4.8 V.

### Can I power an MG996R from the Arduino 5V pin like an SG90?

No. The MG996R draws up to 1,400 mA at stall (TowerPro MG996R spec page), far beyond a board regulator or a USB port, and the board browns out and resets. Give it a 4.8 V to 6.6 V supply of its own and tie the grounds together. One lightly loaded SG90 can run from the 5V pin.

### Do the SG90 and MG996R use the same code?

Yes. Both read a pulse every 20 ms with 1.5 ms at the middle, so the Arduino Servo library, ESP32Servo and the Pico's Servo.h drive either one. Check the end points of each unit: pushing past its travel makes it buzz against the stop.

### Which servo for a robot arm?

The MG996R for the shoulder and elbow, where the arm's own weight loads the joint: 11 kg·cm at 6 V on metal gears (TowerPro MG996R spec page). SG90s fit the wrist or gripper of a small arm, where loads stay well under 1.8 kg·cm (TowerPro SG90 spec page).

### Can I run the MG996R at 7.2 V for more torque?

TowerPro rates it 4.8 V to 6.6 V and gives its torque figures at 4.8 V and 6 V (MG996R spec page). Stay inside that range; a 2S lithium pack at 7.4 V nominal needs a regulator down to 6 V.

## References

- [SG90 Micro Servo](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/servo-sg90.md)
- [MG996R Servo · Straight Horn](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/servo-mg996r-straight.md)
- TowerPro SG90 spec page and datasheet
- TowerPro MG996R spec page

## Try it

Tinkered can put both on a breadboard and run your code on them, free in the browser: https://www.tinkered.ai/compare/servo-sg90-vs-servo-mg996r-straight