Best GoPro: Which action camera should you buy?

The GoPro Hero 11 Black is the best GoPro camera available right now. 

Launched in 2022, the Hero 11 Black is the latest update to GoPro’s flagship action camera range and one of three Hero 11 Black cameras, along with the Hero 11 Black Creator Edition and the Hero 11 Black Mini. 

The biggest update here compared to 2021’s Hero 10 Black is the camera’s new 8:7 sensor. This allows it to record 360-degree horizon-locked video at up to 4K resolution and capture footage that can be cropped for a variety of platforms. 

The camera delivers impressive 5.3K60 video quality, is capable of capturing 24.7-megapixel stills and footage can also be slowed down for an up to 8X slo-mo effect when recording at 2.7K240. We found the video quality to be GoPro’s best yet, with plenty of dynamic range in bright environments and smoother colour gradation thanks to 10-bit colour support.

The Hero 11 Black takes advantage of best-in-class stabilisation with the help of HyperSmooth 5.0. Stabilisation has received an update over the HyperSmooth 4.0 found on the Hero 10 Black with AutoBoost and Horizon Lock now built-in to HyperSmooth.  

The design of the camera is identical to that of the 10, with the same dual-screen layout, and the camera is waterproof up to 33ft. However, it comes with a new Enduro battery for longer improved performance in cold temperatures and up to 38% longer recording times in moderate temperatures compared to the Hero 10 Black. 

The mounting system is more fiddly than that on the DJI Osmo Action 3 and the camera is pricier than the competition, but the Hero 11 Black is still our action camera of choice and a fantastic follow-up to the Hero 10 Black. 

Reviewer: Basil Kronfli

Full review: GoPro Hero 11 Black

If you’re looking to save a bit of money on your next GoPro, then look no further than 2021’s Hero 10 Black. 

Recently succeeded by the Hero 11 Black, the 10 remains an excellent GoPro with plenty of useful features for anyone looking to trade out their smartphone for a more rugged action camera. 

Like the Hero 11 Black (and the Hero 9 Black before it), the Hero 10 Black boasts a compact and durable design with plenty of accessories available to upgrade it and a waterproof rating of up to 33ft. 

The biggest upgrade that arrived with the 10 was the long-awaited GP2 processor. Not only did the new processor increase the frame rate across the board, but it also delivered a much-needed speed boost to the previously sluggish UI, allowing it to better compete with the best camera phones on the market. 

The Hero 10 also included the Hero 9’s biggest update – the front display. This, along with the touchscreen on the back of the camera, makes framing and previewing shots significantly easier than on older GoPros. 

Other features here include HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilisation and a battery life we found was good enough to get us through a day. 

Footage captured with the Hero 10 is strikingly detailed and colourful in daylight and the camera is able to transition to underwater scenes quickly and almost instantaneously. Low-light performance is less impressive, with the dedicated Night Mode unable to produce images of the same quality seen in daytime capture. This is something we also experienced on the newer Hero 11 Black. 

The Hero 10 Black is also pricier than much of the competition. Regardless, the camera is still a powerful action camera and second only to the Hero 11 Black. 

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan

Full review: GoPro Hero 10 Black

If you’re looking for a 360-degree camera, the GoPro Max is the best GoPro available right now. 

Unlike the flagship Hero line, the Max isn’t designed for straightforward video capture. Rather, the Fusion follow-up is built for those looking to get creative with super wide fields of view. 

Like the Hero 11 Black and the Hero 10 Black, the GoPro Max features a compact design. However, the Max feels a bit more delicate with its convex lenses on either side sticking out and lens caps supplied in the box. 

However, like the Hero line, the Max does have built-in mounting fingers and is water-resistant (though only to 16ft instead of the 33ft on the Hero). This means that, while the Max can handle surface-level swimming and snorkelling, it shouldn’t be used for high-speed water sports. The Max is also worse off for underwater shooting due to the visual aberrations caused by the way the lens reacts to the refraction of light through water. 

The Max is also limited to one display whereas the Hero line has two. However, the screen is bright and the camera’s dual-lens design means you can film vlogs with the display pointing either way anyway, so there’s less of a need for two screens. 

The biggest benefit to the Max is how versatile and simple it is to use. We found it to be comparable to using two action cameras in one, with multiple fields of view designed to mimic those on the Hero line, along with the 360-degree option. 

Editing and sharing footage is easy with the GoPro app and features like Reframe and Timeline make the app better than Insta360’s. You can also use the app to control your GoPro, while features like Time Lapse and Time Warp offer sped-up capture styles. 

Video quality is good, though not as high as that across the Hero line. The Hero line is more detailed, sharper and highly contrasted at 1080p with a 27mm field of view and even the impressive-sounding 5.6K resolution on the 360-degree mode is less so when spread across such a wide capture. 

However, stabilisation is superb and the horizon appears level even if you spin the camera 360-degrees with horizon levelling switched on. 

If you’re looking for the best 360-degree GoPro – and don’t require the very best 4K action camera around – the GoPro Max is an easy choice. 

Reviewer: Andrew Williams

Full review: GoPro Max