GoPro Hero 13 vs Insta360 X4: Key Strengths
By Naila Syifa
Updated September 2024
The Hero 13 and X4 are two flagship cameras of the popular brands GoPro and Insta360. Both being their newest model in 2024, they offer the latest advancements in action camera technology. However, each comes with different strengths that cater to different user needs.
Key Takeaways
GoPro Hero 13's key advantages lie in its professional-level features like 10-bit HLG HDR and HB-Series Lenses support, while the Insta360 X4's strengths are in its 360-degree capture capabilities and creative AI editing features.
GoPro Hero 13 Black
Best for Professional Uses
✓ 5.3K/60 Video + 27 MP Photo
✓ 10-Bit HLG HDR
✓ 400fps Burst Slo-Mo
✓ Combine with HB-Series Lenses
Insta360 X4
Best for Creative Pursuits
✓ 8K/30 Video + 72 MP Photo
✓ Reframeable 360 FOV
✓ AI-Powered Editing Tools
✓ Invisible Selfie Stick
#1 Design & Display
GoPro Hero 13
GoPro Hero 13 wins in terms of compactness, coming in a boxy design with 50.8 x 71.8 x 33.6 mm dimensions and 154 g weight. It features a dual LCD screen, with a 1.4" front-facing screen for previewing selfies and a 2.27" rear touchscreen for control and review.
Insta360 X4 measures 46 x 123.6 x 37.6 mm and weighs 203 g. It is taller and heavier but still compact and pocketable. There is only one 2.5" touchscreen display on one side of the camera, but the 360-degree dual-lens design makes a dual-sided screen unnecessary.
The GoPro Hero 13 has another advantage with the more mounting supports provided, including a built-in folding finger for attachment to various accessories, a 1/4-20 tripod screw hole, and a separately sold magnetic mount that allows quick switching between different mounts. On the other hand, the Insta360 X4 only offers a 1/4" thread, but a wide range of accessories are available for it.
One aspect that the Insta360 X4 has an edge is its better extreme temperature resistance. It is able to withstand temperatures as low as -4°F (-20°C), while the GoPro 13 is only rated for 14°F (-10°C).
Other aspects are neck and neck, with both offering excellent durability, waterproofing to 10m without a housing, and protection against the elements.
#2 Video & Photo Quality
Insta360 X4
Insta360 X4 is a 360 camera that uses a dual lens to take 360° video and photos, while the Hero 13 is a standard action camera that captures one-directional video and photos. This difference gives the X4 an advantage in terms of flexibility and creativity, as a single 360° capture can be reframed into multiple perspectives during post-processing.
The dual lens also automatically gives the Insta360 X4 a full 360° field of view. That's super immersive compared to the GoPro Hero 13 with a maximum field of view of only 156°, which is far more limited and achievable only in the 8:7 aspect ratio.
Other aspect ratios reduce the Hero 13's field of view further, such as 141° in 16:9 or 138° in 4:3. There are compatible GoPro lens mods that can expand the FOV to 177°, but that's still less than the X4's full coverage. We'll explore more detail about the lens mods in the 'Additional Accessories' section below.
In terms of resolution, the GoPro Hero 13 has the advantage. It delivers a maximum 5.3K/60 fps video resolution and 27 MP photo resolution.
Indeed, the Insta360 X4 offers a maximum video and photo resolution of 8K/30 fps and 72 MP, but that's for the 360° capture. The resolution is spread across the pixels covering the full 360° FOV, so the effective video and photo resolution for a single perspective is lower than what you may imagine. When using the single-lens mode, the X4 tops out at 4K/60 fps, which is clearly lower than the GoPro Hero 13.
GoPro Hero 13
GoPro Hero 13 also has a slightly larger 1/9" image sensor compared to 1/2" on the X4. A larger image sensor generally results in better low-light performance and dynamic range.
For professional-level imaging, the GoPro Hero 13 is again winning. It is equipped with 10-bit color depth with Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) HDR, which delivers a wider color gamut than HDR alone and meets the Rec. 2100 broadcast standard. Meanwhile, the Insta360 X4 is limited to 8-bit color depth with no HLG support.
In terms of slow-motion capability, the comparison between the GoPro 13 vs Insta360 X4 is a bit tricky. The GoPro Hero 13 supports a very high 400fps frame rate, but it sacrifices the resolution to only 720p. Increasing the resolution to 5.3K reduces the frame rate to 120fps.
Contrarily, the Insta360 X4, supports a lower 120fps and 240fps frame rate for slow motion with Bullet Time, but with a higher 5.7K and 3K resolution respectively.
#3 Audio Quality
GoPro Hero 13
Insta360 X4 is equipped with four microphones and offers 4 audio modes to choose from – Auto Wind Reduction, Active Wind Reduction, Stereo, and Direction Focus. The two types of wind noise reduction modes give greater control over how much you want the wind noise to be suppressed. The Active Wind Reduction is recommended for more intense action.
Meanwhile, the GoPro Hero 13 offers three microphones and an Audio Tuning feature that lets users choose between Standard and Voice Mode. The Standard mode captures audio naturally as it is, while the Voice Mode prioritizes capturing clear speech.
For professional audio recording, both action cams equally offer wired and wireless external microphone connections. A wired connection requires a mic adapter, while a wireless connection can be achieved via Bluetooth to connect the camera to a range of Bluetooth-enabled headsets and earbuds, including AirPods, Samsung Galaxy Buds, and even motorcycle helmet headsets like SENA. However, the compatible Bluetooth audio devices may differ between the GoPro Hero 13 and Insta360 X4.
#4 Features
Insta360 X4
GoPro Hero 13 and Insta360 X4 share a range of common additional features, including live streaming support, webcam mode, Timecode Sync for multi-camera setups, and editing app with GoPro Quik app and Insta360 app.
The Insta360 app is very rich in AI-powered features, from a range of AI templates, Deep Track subject-tracking, and Auto Edit. These advanced features are offered by the Insta360 and not by GoPro perhaps because 360° videos are more complex to edit. You need to reframe and decide the perspective for the whole duration, but the AI features can automate these tasks and simplify the editing process.
While the GoPro Quik app is not as AI feature-rich as the Insta360 app, it still provides a solid set of editing tools and effects that are easy to use. GoPro also offers an Automatic Highlight Video feature that selects the best clips and creates a short video automatically, but this requires a subscription in contrast to the Insta360 app's fully free AI-powered editing features.
While both the Insta360 X4 and GoPro Hero 13 can record GPS data and overlay them on the videos, the Insta360 X4 requires an Apple Watch, Garmin Device, a paired phone, or the GPS Preview Remote to record GPS data, while the GoPro Hero 13 can record GPS data directly straight from the camera.
However, the Insta360 X4 offers a unique Apple Watch Control feature, which allows remote control of the camera from a compatible Apple Watch. The X4 also supports gesture control and voice control, while the GoPro Hero 13 only offers voice control.
#5 Additional Accessories
GoPro Hero 13
I have mentioned before that the GoPro Hero 13 offers an additional lens mod that can expand the FOV to 177°. This is possible with the separately sold Max Lens Mod 2.0 ($99).
Other than that, the Hero 13 also supports HB-Series Lenses, a suite of interchangeable lenses that provide even more creative flexibility, including an Anamorphic Lens Mod ($129) for a cinematic 21:9 footage, Macro Lens Mod ($129) for close-up shots 4x closer than the standard lens, Ultra Wide Lens Mod ($99) for a wider field of view up to 177° in 16:9 or 176° in 1:1, and a 4-pack ND filter for easy motion blur.
The Insta360 X4 offers no additional lenses, but it has its own advantage with the Invisible Selfie Stick accessory, which allows you to capture a third-person perspective without the selfie stick appearing in the frame. The selfie stick is available in various lengths, but the longest version is 9.8 feet (3 meters), which is long enough to capture drone-like aerial shots.
#6 Battery Life
Insta360 X4
Powered by a 2290mAh battery, the Insta360 X4 offers a 20% larger battery capacity compared to the GoPro Hero 13, which has a 1900mAh battery.
The Insta360 X4 offers up to 135 minutes of runtime at 5.7K/30 fps and 75 minutes at 8K/30 fps.
Meanwhile, the GoPro Hero 13 is rated for a battery life of up to 98 minutes at 5.3K/30 fps and 163 minutes at 1080p/30 fps.
GoPro Hero 13 vs Insta360 X4
Final Thoughts
GoPro Hero 13
The GoPro Hero 13 excels in terms of video and photo quality, with its higher resolution, better low-light performance, and support for professional-level imaging features like 10-bit color depth and HLG HDR.
However, the Insta360 X4's 360-degree capture capabilities provide greater flexibility and creativity in post-processing, allowing users to reframe their shots and explore new perspectives. Additionally, the Insta360 X4's advanced AI-powered editing features and unique accessories like the Invisible Selfie Stick may be appealing to certain users.
Ultimately, the decision will depend on the user's specific needs, shooting style, and the type of content they wish to create.
If you would like to read more about Action Camera, check out our other relevant guides here:
GoPro Hero 12 vs 13
GoPro Hero 11 vs 13
GoPro Hero 11 vs 12
GoPro Hero 13 vs Insta360 X3
GoPro Hero 12 vs Insta360 X4
GoPro Hero 12 vs Insta360 X3
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