GoPro MAX vs Insta360 X4 Air
In short: The GoPro MAX costs $50 less; the Insta360 X4 Air collects light over 38 mm² per lens against 28, which is 1.4× the area; the Insta360 X4 Air reframes to about 1.7K against 1.2K; the Insta360 X4 Air goes 15 m deep with no housing against 5 m; the Insta360 X4 Air claims 1 h 28 min at 8K30 360 video, screen off, Wi-Fi on auto, standard bitrate.
| Spec | GoPro MAX | Insta360 X4 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$349 | ~$399 |
| Year-one cost | ~$399 with the plan | ~$435 with the plan |
| Type | 360 | 360 |
| Sensor size | 2 × 1/2.3-inch | 2 × 1/1.8-inch |
| Sensor area | 28 mm² per lens | 38 mm² per lens |
| Max resolution | 5.6K 360 @ 30fps | 8K 360 @ 30fps |
| Reframed resolution | ≈1.2K (estimated) | ≈1.7K (estimated) |
| Max fps at 4K | 30 | 50 |
| Max fps at 1080p | 60 | 60 |
| Max bitrate | 78 Mbps | 180 Mbps |
| Colour depth | 8-bit | Not published |
| Log profile | None | None |
| Stabilisation | Max HyperSmooth | FlowState |
| Horizon lock | 360° (full) | 360° (full) |
| Aperture | Not published | f/1.95 |
| Waterproof | 5 m bare | 15 m bare, 60 m cased |
| Claimed runtime | 1 h 18 min at 1440p30 single-lens, Enduro battery | 1 h 28 min at 8K30 360 video, screen off, Wi-Fi on auto, standard bitrate |
| Tested runtime | No third-party test collected | No third-party test collected |
| Battery | 1600 mAh | 2010 mAh |
| Cold rating | 14°F | -4°F |
| Weight | 154 g | 165 g |
| Screens | 1.7-inch rear touch | 2.09-inch rear touch |
| Mount | GoPro folding fingers + 1/4-20 | Magnetic quick-release + 1/4-20 |
| Replaceable lenses | No | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | No |
| Voice control | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | microSD | microSD |
| Subscription | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr | Insta360+, ~$35.88/yr |
| Released | 2019 | 2025 |
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 MAX
- +Max HyperSmooth in single-lens mode is still among the steadiest footage any GoPro produces
- +One body covers both 360 and conventional shooting, which nothing else here does as well
- +PowerPano produces level 270° panoramas without a tripod
- +Often sells well below $349, the cheapest route into 360 from a major brand
- −Lenses are not replaceable, and they are the first thing to scratch on any 360 camera
- −5.6K spherical reframes to well under 2K of usable 16:9
- −8-bit only, with no log profile
- −A 2019 sensor and processor, refreshed only in battery and mount
- −A 2019 processor makes in-camera stitching and the app noticeably slow next to current cameras
Insta360 X4 Air
- +35 g lighter than the X5, which is felt immediately on a pole or a helmet
- +Replaceable lenses and 15 m bare waterproofing, both inherited from the X5
- +Bigger sensors and a lower price than the X4 it sits beside
- +Magnetic mounting, which the X4 does not have
- −Sensors are roughly half the X5's area — this is a daylight camera
- −Single-lens mode caps at 4K50 against the X5's 4K120
- −88 minutes at 8K30 from a smaller 2010 mAh battery
- −No colour bit depth published, same as the rest of the line below the X6
- −The 2010 mAh cell is the smallest battery in the current X-series