Insta360 X4 vs Insta360 X4 Air
In short: The Insta360 X4 Air costs $30 less; the Insta360 X4 Air collects light over 38 mm² per lens against 31, which is 1.2× the area; the Insta360 X4 Air goes 15 m deep with no housing against 10 m; the Insta360 X4 Air claims 1 h 28 min at 8K30 360 video, screen off, Wi-Fi on auto, standard bitrate.
| Spec | Insta360 X4 | Insta360 X4 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$429 | ~$399 |
| Year-one cost | ~$465 with the plan | ~$435 with the plan |
| Type | 360 | 360 |
| Sensor size | 2 × 1/2-inch | 2 × 1/1.8-inch |
| Sensor area | 31 mm² per lens | 38 mm² per lens |
| Max resolution | 8K 360 @ 30fps | 8K 360 @ 30fps |
| Reframed resolution | ≈1.7K (estimated) | ≈1.7K (estimated) |
| Max fps at 4K | 100 | 50 |
| Max fps at 1080p | 60 | 60 |
| Max bitrate | 200 Mbps | 180 Mbps |
| Colour depth | Not published | Not published |
| Log profile | None | None |
| Stabilisation | FlowState | FlowState |
| Horizon lock | 360° (full) | 360° (full) |
| Aperture | f/1.9 | f/1.95 |
| Waterproof | 10 m bare, 50 m cased | 15 m bare, 60 m cased |
| Claimed runtime | 1 h 15 min at 8K30 360 video, screen off, Wi-Fi on auto, high bitrate | 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 | 2400 mAh | 2010 mAh |
| Cold rating | -4°F | -4°F |
| Weight | 203 g | 165 g |
| Screens | 2.5-inch rear touch | 2.09-inch rear touch |
| Mount | 1/4-20 | Magnetic quick-release + 1/4-20 |
| Replaceable lenses | No | Yes |
| GPS | No | No |
| Voice control | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | microSD | microSD |
| Subscription | Insta360+, ~$35.88/yr | Insta360+, ~$35.88/yr |
| Released | 2024 | 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
Insta360 X4
- +8K spherical for well under the X5's price
- +200 Mbps holds fast-motion detail better than the bitrate on most rivals
- +Same Insta360 Studio reframing workflow as the current flagships
- +2400 mAh battery matches the X5's
- +Bullet-time at 4K240 is a mode no flat camera can reproduce at all
- −Lenses are not replaceable — a scratch is permanent, and these lenses scratch
- −1/2-inch sensors, under half the X5's area, and it shows the moment light drops
- −75 minutes at 8K30 against the X5's 135 at 5.7K30
- −No magnetic mount; it is a 1/4-20 thread and an adapter
- −No magnetic mount, so it needs an adapter to use the accessories the newer bodies clip straight onto
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