GoPro HERO (2024) vs AKASO Brave 8 Lite
In short: The GoPro HERO (2024) costs $20 less; the AKASO Brave 8 Lite goes 10 m deep with no housing against 5 m; the GoPro HERO (2024) puts features behind a ~$49.99/yr plan, which makes its first year ~$229; the GoPro HERO (2024) claims 1 h 40 min at 1080p30 continuous, built-in battery.
| Spec | GoPro HERO (2024) | AKASO Brave 8 Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$179 | ~$199 |
| Year-one cost | ~$229 with the plan | ~$199 |
| Type | Compact / mini | Budget action |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3-inch | 1/2.3-inch |
| Sensor area | 28 mm² | 28 mm² |
| Max resolution | 4K @ 30fps | 4K @ 60fps |
| Reframed resolution | n/a — already flat | n/a — already flat |
| Max fps at 4K | 30 | 60 |
| Max fps at 1080p | 60 | — |
| Max bitrate | Not published | Not published |
| Colour depth | 8-bit | Not published |
| Log profile | None | None |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth | SuperSmooth 2.0 |
| Horizon lock | None | None |
| Aperture | Not published | Not published |
| Waterproof | 5 m bare | 10 m bare, 40 m cased |
| Claimed runtime | 1 h 40 min at 1080p30 continuous, built-in battery | 1 h 30 min at 4K60 continuous; 150 minutes at 1080p |
| Tested runtime | No third-party test collected | No third-party test collected |
| Battery | 1250 mAh | 1550 mAh |
| Cold rating | 14°F | — |
| Weight | 86 g | 115 g |
| Screens | 1.76-inch rear touch | 2.0-inch rear touch |
| Mount | GoPro folding fingers | GoPro folding fingers |
| Replaceable lenses | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Voice control | No | No |
| Storage | microSD | microSD |
| Subscription | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr | None |
| Released | 2024 | 2023 |
A highlighted cell is the outright better figure in that row, and only where one direction is unambiguously better. Weight, field of view and battery capacity are left neutral because the better direction depends entirely on what you are shooting.
Strengths and drawbacks
GoPro HERO (2024)
- +Genuinely tiny and light — you stop noticing it on a helmet
- +Simplest interface GoPro has shipped; there is almost nothing to get wrong
- +Takes the whole GoPro mount ecosystem despite the smaller body
- +Under $200 for real 4K and working stabilisation
- −No horizon lock, which is the feature that makes handlebar footage watchable
- −4K caps at 30 fps, so there is no slow motion above 2.7K
- −Sealed battery and 8-bit colour with no log profile
- −1/2.3-inch sensor struggles the moment the light drops
AKASO Brave 8 Lite
- +4K60 with bare 10 m waterproofing for under $200
- +Two batteries, a wristband remote and a mount kit in the box
- +150 minutes at 1080p is a real day's recording on the pair
- −1/2.3-inch sensor — this is a daylight camera and nothing more
- −No horizon lock and no front screen
- −Stabilisation is a crop-and-smooth, not in the class of RockSteady or HyperSmooth
- −Frequently out of stock on AKASO's own store
- −No external microphone input, unlike the older Brave 7 LE