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Action camera comparison

GoPro Hero 12 vs Insta360 GO Ultra

Compare video, stabilisation, battery and durability.

Compared products
01Selected
GoPro Hero 12 Black

GoPro Hero 12 Black

  • 121 g without battery.
  • Camera type: Standard action camera.
  • 1,720 mAh battery capacity.
  • 1.4-inch display.
  • No built-in recording storage.
KSh 43,000In Stock
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02
Insta360 GO Ultra

Insta360 GO Ultra

  • 2.5 inch screen.
  • About 30 W rated wired charging power.
  • Wi-Fi 6 support.
  • Camera type: Mini / wearable action camera.
  • No built-in storage.
KSh 46,000Out of Stock

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2 spaces available

DJI Osmo NanoKSh 46,000
Insta360 X4 8k CameraKSh 42,000
Insta360 GO 3SKSh 44,000
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Adventure ComboKSh 49,000
GoPro Lit HeroKSh 50,000
GoPro Hero 13KSh 46,000
Insta360 X4 Air 8K 360 CameraKSh 44,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

The GoPro Hero 12 Black has a much bigger battery (1,720 mAh) and 5.3K video and works with a wireless microphone, while the Insta360 GO Ultra has a larger 1/1.28-inch sensor for cleaner low-light footage.

Camera

GoPro Hero 12 Black
Camera type: Standard action camera
Insta360 GO Ultra
Camera type: Mini / wearable action camera

Display

GoPro Hero 12 Black
1.4-inch display
Insta360 GO Ultra
327 ppi

Battery life

GoPro Hero 12 Black
1,720 mAh battery
Insta360 GO Ultra
500 mAh battery

Storage

GoPro Hero 12 Black
No built-in recording storage
Insta360 GO Ultra
No built-in storage

Weight

GoPro Hero 12 Black
154g (Camera w/mounting fingers + Battery) 121g (Without Battery)
Insta360 GO Ultra
About 52.9 g

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

GoPro Hero 12 Black

  • Bigger battery: 1,720 mAh (vs 500 mAh).
  • Higher video resolution: 5.3K (vs 4K).
  • Works with a wireless microphone.
  • Voice control.
  • Longer rated run time: 90 minutes (vs 70 minutes).

Insta360 GO Ultra

  • Larger 1/1.28-inch sensor (vs 1/1.9-inch) for cleaner low-light footage.
  • Newer model: released in 2025 (vs 2023).

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
CameraCamera type: Standard action cameraCamera type: Mini / wearable action camera
Display1.4-inch display327 ppi
Battery life1,720 mAh battery500 mAh battery
StorageNo built-in recording storageNo built-in storage
Water resistance10m (33ft) without Protective Housing. 60m(196ft) with Protective HousingIPX8 water and dust resistance
ChargingUSB-C charging30 W wired charging

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
BrandGoProInsta360
ModelHERO12 BlackGO Ultra

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Dimensions71.8 W x 50.8 H x 33.6 D (mm)Camera: 46 × 45.7 × 22.4 mm; Action Pod folded: 70.4 × 48.8 × 33.25 mm; unfolded: 70.4 × 91.21 × 33.55 mm
Weight154g (Camera w/mounting fingers + Battery) 121g (Without Battery)Camera: approx. 52.9 g; Action Pod: approx. 108.5 g

Display

Display specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
DisplayRear: 2.27" Touch Display Front: 1.4" Color DisplayAction Pod touchscreen
Screen sizeFront: 1.4 inches; rear touch display: 2.27 inches2.5 in
Screen resolution—431 × 690; 327 ppi

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
ChargingUSB-C chargingCamera: approx. 20 min to full; Action Pod: approx. 32 min with 30 W USB-C PD3.0 PPS charger; usable while charging

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
USBUSB-CUSB-C 2.0
BluetoothBluetooth connectivity and wireless audio support for compatible earbuds, headphones and microphones—
Wi-FiWi-Fi connectivity; Quik app connection and cloud auto-upload with eligible subscriptionCamera: 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n/ax and 5 GHz 802.11 a/n/ac/ax; Action Pod: 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n/ax

Durability

Durability specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Water resistance10m (33ft) without Protective Housing. 60m(196ft) with Protective Housing.Camera: IPX8 to 10 m; Action Pod: IPX4 splash resistant; camera + Action Pod with Dive Case: 60 m; IP5X dust resistant

Identity & body

Identity & body specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Released202321 August 2025
Camera typeStandard action cameraMini / wearable action camera
Operating temperature-10° C - 35° C-20°C to 40°C

Camera & imaging

Camera & imaging specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Megapixels27.13 MP photos; sensor has 27.6 MP active pixels—
Sensor1/1.9" CMOS 27.6 MP active pixels (5599x4927)—
Sensor size1/1.9-inch1/1.28-inch
LensHyperView SuperView Wide Linear Linear + Horizon Lock / LevelingMinimum focus distance 0.3 m
Aperturef/2.5f/2.85
Field of view (FOV)156° in 8:7 aspect ratio—
35mm equivalent focal lengthMin = 12mm Max = 39mm14.27 mm
Photo max resolution27.13MP (5568x4872)8192 × 6144
Photo formats.jpg.gpr (RAW)JPG, DNG
Video max resolution5.3K (16:9) at up to 60 fps4K at up to 60 fps
Video modes / frame rates5.3K (8:7) 30/25/24 fps 5.3K (16:9) 60/50/30/25/24 fps 4K (8:7) 60/50/30/25/24 fps 4K (9:16) 60/50/30/25 4K (16:9) 120/100/60/50/30/25/24 fps 2.7K (4:3) 120/100/60/50 fps 2.7K (16:9) 240/200 fps 1080 (9:16) 60/50/30/25 1080p (16:9) 240/200/120/100/60/50/30/25/24 fps4K 16:9 and 2.35:1 up to 60 fps; 4K 4:3 up to 30 fps; 2.7K up to 120 fps; 1080p up to 240 fps
Slow motion8x - 2.7K; 1080p 4x - 4K 2x - 5.3K2.7K up to 120 fps; 1080p up to 240 fps
Video formats / codecsMP4; H.265 / HEVCMP4; H.264 and H.265; up to 180 Mbps
Color profiles / HDR8-bit / 10-bit video; GP-Log with LUT support; HDR video at supported 5.3K and 4K settings—
StabilizationHyperSmooth 6.0FlowState Stabilization
Horizon leveling / lockLock: Linear + Horizon Lock Lens Leveling: In-Camera (23-27*) for 5.3K60; 4K120; 2.7K240; 1080p240 Can apply in post using Quik AppHorizon Lock
Shooting modesVideo; standard, burst and night photo; TimeWarp, Time Lapse, Night Lapse, Star Trails, Light Painting and Vehicle Light TrailsPhoto, HDR/Live Photo, Interval, Starlapse, Burst, Video, PureVideo, FreeFrame, Toddler Titan, TimeShift, Timelapse, Loop Recording, Slow Motion, Pre-recording, Interval, Timed Capture

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
SpeakersBuilt-in speaker—
Microphones3 microphones2
External microphone supportBluetooth wireless audio; compatible wired microphones via Media Mod or Pro 3.5 mm Mic Adapter (sold separately)—

Platform & storage

Platform & storage specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Operating system / platformGoPro camera firmware; GoPro Quik companion app—
Chipset / processorGP2—
Internal storageNo built-in recording storage; microSD requiredNo built-in storage
Memory card / expandable storage1x microSD™ rated class A2 V30 or highermicroSD up to 2 TB

Battery

Battery specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Battery capacityRemovable 1720mAh Enduro BatteryCamera: 500 mAh; Action Pod: 1450 mAh
Battery life / runtimeUp to 70 minutes at 5.3K60; over 1.5 hours at 5.3K30; over 2.5 hours at 1080p30 under GoPro test conditions (25°C, 0.6 m/s airflow, Wide lens, wireless and HyperSmooth on, screens on with 1-minute screensaver, voice control off)Camera: approx. 70 min; camera with Action Pod: approx. 200 min under Insta360 test conditions

Sensors & ecosystem

Sensors & ecosystem specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Companion app / compatibilityGoPro Quik app (iOS / Android); GoPro LabsInsta360 app and Insta360 Studio
Mounting / accessory systemBuilt-In Mounting with Folding Fingers ¼-20 Mount—
Sensors—Six-axis gyroscope
Colors—Arctic White; Midnight Black

Camera system

Camera system specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Optical and digital zoomUp to 2x—
Exposure control / compensation2+/-—

Video capture

Video capture specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Colour bit depth8-Bit; 10-bit (4K and higher)—
Maximum video bitrate120Mbps—
Video codec / encodingH.265 (HEVC)—
Livestreaming1080p60 w/HyperSmooth 4.0 + 1080p60 recording—
Webcam / UVC modeup to 1080p30—

Photo capture

Photo capture specifications comparison
SpecificationGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO Ultra
Photo modesStandard Photo; Burst Photo; Night Photo—
Burst photo ratesAuto, 60/10, 60/6, 30/6, 30/3, 10/3, 30/1, 10/1, 5/1, 3/1—
Frame grabs from video24.69MP from (8:7) 5.3K Video; 21.16MP from (4:3) 5.3K Video; 15.87MP from (16:9) 5.3K Video—

Similarities

  • Both charge over USB-C.
  • Both reach up to 60 fps.
  • Both use MP4 (video formats / codecs).

In summary

For most buyers the GoPro Hero 12 Black is the better buy; the Insta360 GO Ultra makes sense if you want a larger 1/1.28-inch sensor for cleaner low-light footage.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Insta360 X4 8k CameraFor GoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 X4 8k CameraView product ↗Insta360 GO 3SFor GoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO 3SView product ↗DJI Osmo NanoFor Insta360 GO UltraDJI Osmo NanoView product ↗GoPro Hero 13For Insta360 GO UltraGoPro Hero 13View product ↗

Related comparisons

GoPro Hero 12 BlackDJI Osmo NanoGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 X4 8k CameraGoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 GO 3SGoPro Hero 12 BlackDJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Adventure ComboGoPro Hero 12 BlackGoPro Lit HeroGoPro Hero 12 BlackGoPro Hero 13GoPro Hero 12 BlackInsta360 X4 Air 8K 360 Camera
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