Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and traditional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) in the treatment of obese patients with early renal tumors. Methods The clinical data of 71 obese patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 28 kg/m²) with cT1N0M0 renal tumors, who receiving RAPN or LPN in our hospital between Jan. 2016 and Aug. 2018, were retrospectively collected. There were 22 males and 12 females in RAPN group (n=34), with a mean age of (51.2±13.4) years and a mean BMI of (30.36±2.21) kg/m². The mean tumor size, R.E.N.A.L. score and preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were (3.67±1.09) cm, 7.3±1.7 and (92.8±22.0) mL/(min·1.73 m²), respectively. The operation was performed by transperitoneal approach in seven cases and retroperitoneal approach in 27 cases. There were 26 males and 11 females in LPN group (n=37), with a mean age of (56.2±12.6) years and a mean BMI of (29.74±1.36) kg/m². The mean tumor size, R.E.N.A.L. score and preoperative eGFR were (3.37±0.93) cm, 6.9±1.6 and (90.4±22.4) mL/(min·1.73 m²), respectively. The operation was performed by transperitoneal approach in six cases and retroperitoneal approach in 31 cases. The operation time, estimated blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion rate, warm ischemia time, intraoperative conversion rate, incidence of intra-and postoperative complications, positive surgical margin, postoperative hospital stay, and variation of eGFR from baseline were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results The partial nephrectomy operation was successfully completed in both groups with no intraoperative complications, and there was no intraoperative conversion to open surgery or radical nephrectomy. There were significant differences in warm ischemia time ([19.2±5.6] min vs [21.8±4.1] min) and postoperative hospital stay ([6.0±1.2] d vs [7.4±2.8] d) between the RAPN group and LPN group (both P<0.05). No significant differences were found in operation time ([153.0±33.3] min vs [140.1±32.3] min), estimated blood loss ([88.5±49.1] mL vs [106.2±72.0] mL), intraoperative blood transfusion rate (2.9% [1/34] vs 5.4% [2/37]), incidence of postoperative complications (0 vs 8.1% [3/37]) or variation of eGFR from baseline (2.1% [-4.8%, 9.3%] vs 5.8% [1.5%, 15.7%]) between the two groups (all P>0.05). Post-operation pathology results showed no positive surgical margin in the two groups. Conclusion Both RAPN and LPN are effective for the treatment of obese patients with early renal tumors. Compared with LPN, RAPN can reduce the warm ischemia time, shorten postoperative hospital stay, better protect renal function and accelerate postoperative recovery.