Insta360 GO 3 vs. Ace Pro vs. X3 - Which Action Camera Is Right For You?

Insta360 has released 3 action cameras in the past 2 years. From the best selling X3, to the small but mighty GO 3 and now the 8K resolution Ace Pro camera, all carefully designed with their unique selling points. Naturally one will look at all these options and ask, “which should I buy?”.

A simple summary is: 

• The X3 is a 360 action camera that allows you to capture all angles at once and allows amazing edits you can never find on any other camera.
  
• The Ace Pro’s large sensor and 5nm “AI” chip, gives you the best low light footage you’ll find on any action camera and AI assisted edits.
• The GO 3’s ability to be mounted almost anywhere allows for unique POVs. 

Read on for a more detailed explanation

Camera Specs:

How to choose:

Don’t worry too much about the specifications above, they’re for the technical folks among us. The following subheadings explain who should buy what camera and for what purpose.  

Insta360 X3

The X3 is a durable and waterproof pocket sized camera. Its unique feature is its ability to shoot crystal clear 5.7K 360° video with Active HDR, powered by dual 1/2" 48MP sensors. Active HDR stabilizes action footage, minimizes ghosting, and reveals details that other action cams miss in over and underexposed areas.

The X3’s design enables intriguing features such as the Invisible Selfie Stick effect, 8K timelapses and the bullet time video. Its huge 2.29” touchscreen is super responsive (you can use it with gloves on) and comes with many shooting modes to choose from.

Insta360’s video stabilization algorithm, called Flowstate Stabilization and the Horizon Lock feature make it such that no matter how unstable or dynamic the environment is, you still get buttery smooth footage.

Finally, if you’re in the mood for something more traditional, the X3 also comes with a single lens mode that shoots 4K images and you can use either lens for this feature. That said, you don’t even have to activate single lens mode to enjoy traditional shots; if you make a 360 video or image, you can achieve a regular aspect ratio by simply cropping the photo. 

For content creators who enjoy the post-production process, the X3 offers a plethora of creative possibilities. One of the X3’s taglines is “shoot first, focus later” and it’s not just marketing. The Insta360 app allows for a multitude of editing options from a single 360° shot. You can change the focus in a shot, change the direction of the shot, and much more. Simply set it up, start recording, and immerse yourself in the moment, knowing that you have the flexibility to shape your story later.

When: Motorcycling, winter sports, water sports, biking, high-intensity action sports, creative videos.

Why: 5.7K 360° video, easy reframing in post, third-person views, AI editing, intuitive touchscreen, long-life battery, rugged, waterproof (10m).

Where: Pick Insta360 X3 up here.

Insta360 Ace Pro

The Insta360 Ace Pro follows the more traditional “boxy” action camera look. However, it diverges heavily with the insertion of its large 2.4” touch screen that can flip 180 degrees, similar to the screen on the GO 3’s action pod. It also comes with a magnetic mount system that makes it very easy to clip and unclip on the go.
The Insta360’s “Ace Pro” strength is its performance in low light condition. Its large 1/1.3” sensor, one of the largest in any action camera, allows it to capture more light in darker conditions. This is augmented by its 5nm AI chip that provides extra processing power for noise reduction, better image stabilization and better HDR. All this is achieved via the Ace Pro’s PureVideo Mode. From Insta360’s website “In bright conditions, Insta360 Ace Pro produces footage that's about as good as one can hope for. In low light? Even better.” 

Like the X3, the Ace Pro comes with Flowstate Stabilization and Active HDR. It also has a rapid charging function that can see the battery go from 0 to 80% in just 22 minutes, meaning, depending on your approach, “you can pretty much go all day long on a pair of batteries”.

The Ace Pro is also able to connect your Garmin or Apple Watch for data-rich overlays in your footage. In fact, any Garmin device that shares data with Garmin Connect is compatible, including cycling odometers. However you must upload data from your Garmin device to Garmin Connect before synchronizing with the Ace Pro. All Apple Watches are supported as well, however, you cannot connect your Ace Pro to Apple Health on Android devices, and you need to start a workout on your Apple Watch and save it before you start recording otherwise your GPS and cycling data won’t register on the Ace Pro.

(Ace Pro footage is on the right in the video below)

The list below contains some awesome new features that come with the Ace Pro for creators, particularly vloggers, to take full advantage of:

• Pause and resume recording in the same file.
• Instantly cancel a recording if things don't go to plan.
• Continue Recording from a video after it is stopped and saved.
• AI Highlights Assistant finds the best moments from a video in-camera and presents you with an auto-edited highlight reel as soon as you connect to the app.
• Clarity Zoom lets you zoom in without losing any quality.
• If your camera is mounted just out of reach, try Gesture or Voice Control.
• Download files to the Insta360 app in the background, so you can carry on scrolling other apps until they're ready.
• Transform videos with new generative AI Shot Lab effect AI Warp.

Insta360 Ace Pro makes capturing action easier from shooting to editing, with clean, sharp footage any time of day.

Who: Action lovers, travelers, videographers/photographers, vloggers, .

When: Low light and night shots, action sports, cycling, AI-enhanced videos.

Why: Excellent low light capture, AI-powered features, flip touchscreen, magnetic mounting, waterproof (33ft/10m), smart shooting features, and AI editing.

Where: Grab your Insta360 Ace Pro here.

Insta360 GO 3

The Insta360 GO 3 is the world’s smallest Action Camera. It is literally the size of your thumb. It’s tiny size and magnetic mounting capabilities mean that you can mount it almost anywhere. You can mount it on your face cap, it has a pendant mount that it can be attached to. If you’re a chef and make cooking content, you can mount it on your knife - the possibilities are limited by your imagination. It is the ultimate POV camera.

It comes with a companion called the Action Pod, which takes the camera’s capabilities to a whole other level when the two are merged. Like the Ace Pro, the GO 3’s Action Pod comes with a flip screen. 

The Action Pod, lets users control the camera remotely and preview their shots in real time when the cam is mounted in hard-to-reach locations. GO 3 taped inside a pizza box? No problem. On your pet's collar? You got it. It also takes the battery life to a whopping 170 minutes, enough time to let your imagination run wild. NOTE: While the GO 3 itself is waterproof up to 5m, the Action Pod is only splash proof and should not be fully submerged in water, to avoid damaging it. 

The X3’s strength is 360 video and amazing edits, the Ace Pro’s strength is unbeatable low light performance and AI assisted photography, the GO 3’s strength is its tiny size and ability to be mounted anywhere and give you previously unseen POVs.

This camera comes with flowstate stabilization like the previous two and two microphones to capture crisp audio. Unlike the other two, however, it comes with very nifty accessories in the box, meaning, you don’t need to make any extra purchases before you’re able to start making magic. The Insta360 GO 3 is the perfect camera for vloggers, pets, and even toddlers to capture immersive POV shots.

Who: Vloggers, travelers, content creators, families, pets.

When: Daily life, family/pet vlogs, hands-free POVs, creative videos, running and cycling.

Why: Lightweight, portable, magnetic mounting, unique angles, flip touchscreen and Action Pod for remote control and live preview.

Where: Get the tiny Insta360 GO 3 here.