Action cams have long been dominated by the self-titled pros of GoPro fame, which first grew into popularity in the realm of surfing. The firm's more recent GoPro Hero 11, which sports a 1/1.9-in sensor and 27-megapixel camera, is a testament to its continued success in the fold but may well be forgotten in the face of a far more interesting and all-around product that gives users the entire world around them to play with in both photo and video content.
Coined the X3, third in the line of its X-titled offerings, Insta360's newest addition to its action camera fleet gives users the full range of potential in creating content unlike any other. With a multitude of varied shooting modes, as well as both 360 and single lens options, the X3 adds a suite of additional features on top of its predecessors, now retrofitted with a far larger 2.29-inch display for setting up and watching back videos.
I've been lucky enough to test Insta360's X3 over the course of the last several weeks, trying out all of its myriad shooting methods in tandem with showing off just how creative users can get without the stress of missing out on any of the surrounding action. With the X3, users don't have to compromise or waste time setting up the best angles. With its dual sensors and 360 namesakes, this product grabs everything around you in stunning 5.7K active HDR video quality.
Unlike the GoPro Hero 11, the X3 wields two ½-inch 48MP sensors and AI-powered reframing tools to give users vast control over their video and photo content. For photos, the X3 can even shoot with 72MP, allowing for crisp and natural detail never before seen in such 360-degree shots. In single lens mode, the X3 can hit up to 4K30fps for sick first-person action shots, but if you'd rather keep yourself in the video, you can now leverage the X3's aptly-titled ME Mode, which leaves the filmogropher always in-frame.
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And at $540 USD, the X3 is hard to pass up. For that price, you are receiving some pretty impeccable hardware, which comes equipped with the beloved invisible selfie stick, and includes high-class video editing software. No, this isn't anything like Adobe Premier, but Insta360's 2023 Studio and mobile app are the real stars behind the X3, allowing users to create and post content on their device of choice directly, then post it to practically any social almost instantaneously.
Despite these awesome inclusions, the X3 isn't without several faults. In my initial testing, I found the setup to be a bit annoying and time-consuming. Users must first register their device via the Insta360 mobile app before taking a single video or photo, which requires one to connect their smartphone to the X3. Using an iPhone took quite a bit of finagling to make the registration process finally go through, as I had to connect to the X3's WiFi, a step that wasn't clearly labeled anywhere in the directions.
Additionally, having those highly revolutionary dual-sided sensors may be the X3's crowning feature, but it also leaves the lenses prone to scratching or other potential damage, as there is no real way to set the product down without facing lens-first. Obviously, this calls for users to simply cover the lens or set the camera down on a cloth of sorts, but it would be nice if Insta360 designed the X4 to allow the device to be placed on its side safely for better ease of use.
Lastly, Insta360 was kind enough to include a full bike accessory kit, which allowed me to take some awesome videos while riding my electric bike. Unfortunately, I found them to be a bit flimsy - at least when leveraging the selfie stick attached to the bike. This could be a product of the bumpy and oft-unkempt roads around my apartment, but I experienced jank and lurches in the videos quite a bit, which is a little frustrating, but nothing a bit of enhanced stabilization can't help.
I also was a bit bummed out by the fact that Insta360's Studio software doesn't come equipped with DaVinci Resolve support, only allowing for Adobe Premier plugin assistance. The software itself can be used on its own and is, as mentioned previously, incredibly intuitive and streamlined, so you could simply work inside of the editor itself (even on your mobile device), but I would prefer to have the full workflow in one main place. Not a major problem, but I doubt I'm alone in this.
Overall, the X3 is one awesome camera. GoPro has its own 360 option, but in my opinion, it doesn't have the same suite of features or incredible software backbone that makes the X3 so uniquely special. You can also get the X3 in a variety of special packages, like a Snow Kit, Virtual Tour, Bullet Time, and much more. Sure, the lenses are prone to getting dirty, but you should be regularly cleaning them before shoots anyway, and the vast array of creations at users' fingertips makes the X3 hard to pass up, especially at its relatively affordable price point.
| Insta360 X3 Pros | Insta360 X3 Cons |
| Software is incredibly intuitive on mobile/PC | Set up was a bit tedious |
| Immense control in image quiality | No davinci resolve support |
| Superb lowlight quality | Dual-sided sensors means easier to damage |
With that, I have to give the Insta360 X3 a solid 8 out of 10. I think a bit of refinement on the overall build itself, not so much the quality but the sensor placement, would greatly benefit the next iteration. Plus, allowing users to work in their preferred video editor, i.e., Davinci Resolve, would make the workflow a lot more approachable for some. Still, the X3 platform is outstanding, and I'm genuinely curious to see how Insta360 takes on a more advanced version of the product.
