GoPro MAX vs. HERO 10 vs. Insta360 ONE X2: Specs/Differences/Reviews 2025
Overview of GoPro MAX, GoPro HERO 10 and Insta360 ONE X2
| #1 GoPro MAX 360 Degree Action Camera
Google Users Rating: 4.1/5
GoPro: $399.98 (up to 3% cashback)
Bestbuy: $499.99 (up to 0.5% cashback)
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The GoPro Max is the second all in one 360 camera from GoPro and is one of their best ever cameras. Natively waterproof to 33ft, shock resistant and tiny, it’s ideal for mounting on motorcycles, cars and other vehicles alike. Unlike most 360 cameras, the GoPro Max has a small display on its back that lets you view what its cameras are looking at. While it's not as handy as it seems, the large display does make it easy to navigate and change the Max's settings without having to use your smartphone. GoPro bills the Max as three cameras in one. That’s because it can capture 6K video in either 360 or standard format when flipped over to HERO mode, and the Max can be used as a 1080p live streaming camera for easy vlogging.
If you want to turn your 360-degree video into a traditional 2D film – which is one of the main benefits of 360 cams – the app's OverCapture software lets you do this easily, as long as your happy with the final footage being in Full HD. The Max also amps up many of the features seen on the GoPro's Hero action cams, including superior HyperSmooth stabilization and 360-degree TimeWarp sequences. In addition, the Max features a total of 6 microphones on its body offering by far the best audio quality of any 360 camera out now. However, the GoPro Max's design requires the use of a selfie stick, and lacks a tripod mount, so you have to use it with one of GoPro's accessories.
PROS | CONS |
Intuitive menus | No traditional 4K capture |
Rugged & Waterproof Body | Inferior performance in low light |
360 and single-lens capture | Hard to hold in one hand without tripod |
Very High Quality Video | |
Amazing Stabilization Technology | |
Multiple Microphones for Excellent Audio | |
Slick editing process |
| #2 GoPro HERO10 Black Action Camera
Google Users Rating: 4.3/5
GoPro: $349.98 (up to 3% cashback)
B & H Photo: $449.99 (up to 1.5% cashback)
The GoPro HERO10 Black is the best action camera you can get. It is very light, weighing only 153g and has a removable lens cover.Though looking identical to the Hero9 Black in almost every way, the Hero10 Black is nevertheless a significant upgrade. That’s all down to its use of the all-new GP2 processor, which powers both a speedy user interface, doubles the frame rates and fuels the best image stabilization tech yet. Upgraded to incredible 23MP photos and 5.3K video resolution at 60fps, HERO10 offers double the frame rate for amazingly smooth motion. Plus, there’s 8x slo-mo at 2.7K and you can pause videos and grab 15.8MP still photos from 5.3K video that look amazing. It also performs better in poor light conditions for example during dusk, sunset or while in a forest.
You can also not underestimate the usefulness of GoPro HERO 10 Black’s new HyperSmooth 4.0 video stabilization – in all modes. With the upgraded image stabilization, you can now tilt the camera as much as 45 degrees and it will still smooth things out for you. In addition, the GoPro Hero 10 Black also has five different digital lens simulation modes to achieve different fields of view. It also adds a nifty cable for super-quick camera-to-app content transfer and auto-upload of videos and photos to the cloud while it recharges. The GoPro HERO10 Black is also waterproof to an advertised depth of 33 feet and has a front-facing screen that lets you monitor yourself in Live View while recording. But its battery life is unremarkable. It can sometimes overheat and shut down when recording continuously for longer periods. Despite that, however, GoPro HERO 10 is one of the best action cameras, thanks to its wide range of frame rate options, durable build quality, and stabilization performance.
PROS | CONS |
Fast, Reliable Connectivity | Mediocre battery life |
Powerful new GP2 processor | Expensive |
High-Res Photos plus Videos | |
Improved lowlight performance | |
Excellent image stabilization | |
Increased frame rates | |
Front and back-facing displays | |
Hydrophobic lens coating |
| #3 Insta360 ONE X2 360 Degree Digital Video Camera
Google Users Rating: 4.3/5
Focus Camera: $429.99 (up to 5% cashback)
Adorama: $429.99 (up to 2% cashback)
The Insta360 One X2 is the best 360 camera for most people.It provides the most advanced software and features on the market, in addition to boasting quality hardware. The camera can take 360° photos at a resolution of 6080 x 3040. The photo rendering is precise, and the HDR function allows you to obtain excellent colorimetric results, even in low light. On the video side, the ONE X2 has an impressive image stabilization feature, which will make the most chaotic videos look smooth. It can capture 5.7K (5760 x 2880) video at 30 fps and 4K video at 50 fps. The FlowState image stabilization algorithm allows for smooth shots, while the TimeShift tool enables you to slow down or speed up video segments quite efficiently.
The way Insta360 One X2 puts its 360º lenses to so many creative purposes is really impressive, and being able to shoot 'normal' widescreen video is also handy. If you want to capture regular footage, simply switch over to Steady Cam mode. Instead of shooting in 360 degrees, it’ll shoot with one lens only.You also get super slow-mo and hyperlapse modes, further increasing creative options.The Insta360 ONE X2 resists water down to 10 meters (33 feet) and has a longer battery life of up to 80 minutes. The camera also features a circular touchscreen that lets you preview videos/photos and change settings on the fly.
PROS | CONS |
Pocket-sized design | Somewhat tedious video editing process |
Waterproof body | Performance decreases in low light |
360 and single-lens capture | |
"SteadyCam"and "MultiView" modes | |
Good color and photo/video detail | |
Incredible image stabilization | |
Lots of creative effects |
GoPro MAX vs. GoPro HERO 10 vs. Insta360 ONE X2: Specs
GoPro Max | GoPro Hero 10 | Insta360 One X2 | |
Key Specs | |||
Weight | 163g | 153g | 149g |
Dimensions | 2.7 x 2.5 x 1.6 inches | 2.8 x 2.2 x 1.3 inches | 4.5 x 1.8 x 1.2 inches |
Image Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS | CMOS |
Effective Pixels | 18.0 megapixels | 23.0 megapixels | 18 megapixels |
Maximum Video Frame Rate | Up to 60 fps | Up to 240 fps | Up to 60 fps |
Video Resolution (Recording) | 4K (2160p) | 5.3K (2988p) | 4K (2160p) |
Digital Zoom | None | 2x | None |
360 Degree Capture | Yes | No | Yes |
Wi-Fi Enabled | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Waterproof | Up to 5m | Up to 10m | Up to 10m |
Photo | |||
Resolution | 18MP | 23MP | 18.4MP |
Modes |
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Formats | JPEG |
|
|
Video | |||
Resolution | 360 Mode
|
| 360 Mode
|
Max Bit Rate | 78MBPS | 100MBPS | 120MBPS |
Modes |
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Stabilization | Hypersmooth 2.0 | Hypersmooth 4.0 | Flowstate |
Livestream | Yes -1080p | Yes -1080p | Yes - 4K |
Audio | x6 Microphones / Ambisonic Audio | 3 Channel Microphones with Noise Reduction/ Audio Mod Available | x 4 Microphone Ambisonic |
GoPro MAX vs. GoPro HERO 10 vs. Insta360 ONE X2: Full Comparison
Design
The GoPro Max, GoPro HERO 10 and Insta360 One X2 are all deigned to be action cameras and like most action camera they offer a rugged design and some protection.
The GoPro Max is a square shaped camera with a touch screen and two lenses that protrude out of the camera. These are fish-eye lenses which allows the camera to capture full 360 degrees. The screen on the Max is larger and therefore easier to use. The Max is also a camera built to be used in various environments.
The Hero 10 is the smaller and lighter of than the GoPro Max; In addition to a improved 2.27-inch rear touchscreen, it features a secondary screen at the front. Moreover, the big one for watersports fans is the new lens cover. This now has a water-repelling hydrophobic coating, and it really works.
The Insta360 One X2 is a candy bar shape the two lenses protruding at the top. A round touch screen in the centre of the camera allows for full control over all settings as well as video preview.
Photography
The GoPro Max allows you to shoot full panoramas, 360 images using two lenses and “normal” images using one lens. Photos shot with the Max top out at 18 megapixels and aren’t particularly sharp but there’s a lot that you can do with them.
The GoPro Hero 10 shoots at a higher resolution of 23mp which results in sharper images and better dynamic range. For standard shots the Hero 10 is better but you don’t have the same creative options. Both cameras have HDR modes and can shoot RAW images if you want to get the best quality possible.
The Insta360 One X2 offers considerably more options. It has a burst mode, can use HDRI or PureShot to enhance contrast, and there’s even a nighttime mode for better low-light pics. More importantly, it puts out 18.4MP RAW photos you may recover more details from in post.
Video
The GoPro Hero 10 can shoot an impressive 5.3K resolution video at 60fps; other options include 4K @120fps and 2.7K @ 240fps. This is the highest resolution camera that GoPro has ever made and the ability to shoot in 60fps is an impressive leap.This is possible thanks to GoPro’s new processor, the GP2. This allows for better colors, higher resolution and more frame rate options. This processor is the brain of the camera and it’s what makes it (probably) the best action camera on the market right now.
The GoPro Max can shoot 5.6K resolution video at 30fps and 3K @60fps. While 5.6K is a higher resolution than the 5.3K of the Hero 10, don’t be fooled, the quality is not nearly as good. That 5.6K has to cover 360 degrees field of view, whereas the Hero 10’s 5.3K only has to cover around 200 degrees. This might sounds a bit complicated but at the end of the day the Hero 10 video is sharper and clearer.
The Insta360 One X2 and the GoPro Max are very similar. Both cameras shoot the same 5.7K 360 video resolution. When reframed these videos end up as 1080p flat video. The Insta360 One X2 can shoot in 30, 25 & 24fps at the full resolution and at 50fps at 4K. You can also shoot 100fps slow motion video at 3K resolution.
Stabilization
What makes an action camera good or bad isn’t just video quality but more importantly how it can keen video stable. GoPro calls its stabilization software Hypersmooth.The new GoPro Hero 10 features Hypersmooth 4.0, their fourth generation stabilization software, and it works very well. When the best stabilization settings are activated, the Hero 10 will be able to handle all but the most extreme movements. There’s even a built in “Action” setting which sets everything up for perfect moving shots.
The GoPro Max is a few years older than the Hero 10 so only features the second generation version of Hypersmooth; despite this the stabilization capabilities of the Max is superior.
Insta360 calls its stabilization software Flowstate. Other than the name, the difference of stabilization between the GoPro Max and the Insta360 ONE X2 is minor and both work very well to stabilize any kind of action shot.
Battery Life
The differences in battery power and longevity are minimal. The GoPro Hero 10 has the 1,720mAh removable battery. It’s bound to run out sooner due to the improvements in the GoPro Hero 10’s capabilities and resolutions, though. Think around 65-75 minutes when shooting at maxed settings. You’ll get close to an hour and a half out of the Insta360 One X2’s 1,640mAh cell, while the Max’s marginally smaller battery manages ten minutes less.
GoPro MAX vs. GoPro HERO 10 vs. Insta360 ONE X2: Verdict
There is no doubt that the GoPro MAX, GoPro HERO 10 and Insta360 ONE X2 are all good action cameras on the market. Thanks to the new GP2 processor and the subsequent boost in video quality and frame rates makes the Hero 10 very tempting. The GoPro MAX is a few years old now but was way ahead of its time when it came out. So it is still one of the top two 360 cameras available right now.But it lacks some of the newer features like 60fps frame rate or webcam mode. So Which one should you choose depends on whether you value quality or creativity more.
If you’re after conventional footage and stills at the highest resolutions available from any action camera, your best bet is GoPro HERO 10. If you want to get more creative with your footage and stills and don’t mind a lower video and photo resolution, then the GoPro MAX is well worthy of your consideration.
Like GoPro MAX , the Insta360 ONE X2 is also 360 action cameras with the added ability to use one lens to shoot normal video, so they are both two cameras in one. However, the GoPro Max tends to shoot slightly higher quality video and probably features more advanced lens technology, the Insta360 has more effective software as well as much better photography features.
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