GoPro HERO11 Black Mini vs GoPro HERO (2024)
In short: The GoPro HERO (2024) costs $20 less; the GoPro HERO11 Black Mini collects light over 34 mm² against 28, which is 1.2× the area; the GoPro HERO11 Black Mini goes 10 m deep with no housing against 5 m; only the GoPro HERO11 Black Mini has horizon lock; the GoPro HERO11 Black Mini records 10-bit colour; the GoPro HERO (2024) claims 1 h 40 min at 1080p30 continuous, built-in battery.
| Spec | GoPro HERO11 Black Mini | GoPro HERO (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$199 | ~$179 |
| Year-one cost | ~$249 with the plan | ~$229 with the plan |
| Type | Compact / mini | Compact / mini |
| Sensor size | 1/1.9-inch | 1/2.3-inch |
| Sensor area | 34 mm² | 28 mm² |
| Max resolution | 5.3K @ 60fps | 4K @ 30fps |
| Reframed resolution | n/a — already flat | n/a — already flat |
| Max fps at 4K | 120 | 30 |
| Max fps at 1080p | 240 | 60 |
| Max bitrate | 120 Mbps | Not published |
| Colour depth | 10-bit | 8-bit |
| Log profile | None | None |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 5.0 | HyperSmooth |
| Horizon lock | 360° (full) | None |
| Aperture | Not published | Not published |
| Waterproof | 10 m bare, 60 m cased | 5 m bare |
| Claimed runtime | 1 h 8 min at 5.3K30 continuous, built-in battery | 1 h 40 min at 1080p30 continuous, built-in battery |
| Tested runtime | No third-party test collected | No third-party test collected |
| Battery | 1500 mAh | 1250 mAh |
| Cold rating | 14°F | 14°F |
| Weight | 133 g | 86 g |
| Screens | 0.6-inch rear status display only | 1.76-inch rear touch |
| Mount | GoPro folding fingers, two sets (base and rear) | GoPro folding fingers |
| Replaceable lenses | Yes | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Voice control | No | No |
| Storage | microSD | microSD |
| Subscription | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr |
| Released | 2022 | 2024 |
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 HERO11 Black Mini
- +Flagship image quality in a body 24 g lighter and noticeably shorter
- +Nothing to set up in the field — press the button and it records
- +The rear mounting fingers solve the flat-against-a-helmet problem no other GoPro does
- +Cheapest way into GoPro's 8:7 sensor capture
- −Battery is sealed in, so a long day means a power bank and a cable
- −No screen at all, so framing is guesswork until you review the clip
- −Mono audio only
- −You configure it from the phone app, which is one more thing to have charged
- −No GPS on a camera aimed squarely at athletes, so no speed or route overlays
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