Neuralink and Synchron are the two most-watched brain-computer interface companies in the world, but they take fundamentally different approaches to connecting the human brain to computers. Neuralink's N1 implant uses 1,024 electrodes inserted directly into brain tissue through open surgery, delivering the highest-bandwidth neural recording available. Synchron's Stentrode takes an endovascular route — threaded through a blood vessel with no brain surgery at all — trading raw bandwidth for dramatically lower surgical risk. This comparison breaks down every dimension: electrodes, surgical approach, FDA status, patients implanted, funding, clinical outcomes, and which device is right for which patient.
| Spec | Neuralink N1 | Synchron Stentrode |
|---|---|---|
| Device Name | N1 Implant (Telepathy) | Stentrode |
| Company | Neuralink Corp | Synchron |
| Surgical Approach | Craniotomy (skull removal, robotic insertion) | Endovascular (catheter via jugular vein) |
| Brain Surgery Required | Yes — open brain surgery | No — no brain surgery |
| Electrode Count | 1,024 | 16 |
| Data Channels | 1,024 | 16 |
| Signal Type | Single-unit spikes, multi-unit activity | Local field potentials, high-gamma |
| Bandwidth (raw) | 200 Mbps (compressed to ~1 Mbps BLE) | Lower (LFP-based, through vessel wall) |
| Implant Location | Motor cortex (subdural, intracortical) | Superior sagittal sinus (endovascular) |
| Indications | ALS, quadriplegia, spinal cord injury | ALS, motor neuron disease, severe paralysis |
| FDA Status | IDE (PRIME study) + Breakthrough Device (Blindsight) | Breakthrough Device Designation |
| Patients Implanted | 21 (PRIME study, as of Dec 2025) | 10 (4 SWITCH AU + 6 COMMAND US) |
| First Human Implant | January 28, 2024 (Noland Arbaugh) | April 2019 (Melbourne, Australia) |
| First US Patient | January 28, 2024 | July 2022 (Mount Sinai, New York) |
| Surgery Duration | ~2 hours (robotic, R1 system) | ~20 minutes (catheter deployment) |
| Reversibility | Difficult — threads embedded in cortex | Potentially reversible — stent in blood vessel |
| Battery Life | ~8 hours per charge (wireless charging) | Powered via subcutaneous chest unit |
| Wireless | Yes — Bluetooth Low Energy + inductive | Yes — subcutaneous transmitter |
| Total Funding | $1.29B+ (through Series E) | $345M+ (through Series D) |
| Key Investors | Founders Fund, ARK Invest, Sequoia, GV | Gates Frontier, Bezos Expeditions, ARCH, Khosla |
| Key Partnerships | Proprietary R1 robot, global trial sites | Mount Sinai, Apple Vision Pro integration |
| Valuation | $9B (Series E, June 2025) | Not publicly disclosed |
The single most important difference between Neuralink and Synchron is how each device gets into (or near) the brain. This difference shapes everything else: surgical risk, reversibility, who can perform the procedure, signal quality, and the path to scale.
A neurosurgeon removes a coin-sized piece of skull. The R1 surgical robot then inserts 64 ultra-thin polymer threads (each thinner than a human hair) directly into the motor cortex, avoiding surface blood vessels using computer vision. The N1 chip is placed flush with the skull surface and the bone flap is replaced around it.
An interventional neurologist threads a catheter through the jugular vein in the neck, navigating it up into the superior sagittal sinus — a large blood vessel running along the top of the brain. The self-expanding Stentrode (a nitinol stent embedded with electrodes) is deployed inside the vessel. A subcutaneous wire connects to a transmitter implanted in the chest.
If you prioritize bandwidth and precision, Neuralink leads with 1,024+ electrodes directly on the brain surface. If you prioritize safety and surgical accessibility, Synchron wins — its endovascular approach requires no brain surgery, can be performed by any interventional neurologist (not just neurosurgeons), and is inherently reversible.
For paralysis patients who want the fastest path to clinical availability, Synchron is further along in FDA trials. For the highest-performance BCI pushing the boundaries of human-computer bandwidth, Neuralink is the leader.
Both are making history.
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06429735, NCT03834857, NCT05035823), FDA IDE and Breakthrough Device records, peer-reviewed publications in Nature and JAMA Neurology, and verified company disclosures. Funding data from SEC filings and Crunchbase. Last verified: March 2026.