GoPro MAX review

We went into reviewing the GoPro Max thinking it was a 360-degree action cam for enthusiasts; we’ve come out realizing everyone could benefit from having one. Hit record and forget about framing (within reason), then edit your footage in the app. The GoPro Max builds on the Insta 360 One X’s success with better quality capture and microphones, doubling up as a vlogging cam and an action cam too. We would have loved 4K single-camera capture and the app experience could use some work, but given everything the Max can do, it’s still a sensational step towards what could be the future of film making.

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We have had you, our dear reader, ask us which is the better camera of the two, and to be honest, both are very different from each other. The difference between GoPro’s poster boy and the 360 action camera is quite vast. That said, the GoPro Max is on par with other 360 cameras in the market and, honestly, it’s one of the few that can take a kick and a dip. Its slight premium price over the Insta360 and Ricoh Theta is justified with a better battery life, seamless 360 footage editing on the app and it doesn’t heat up as fast. GoPro is also going to release Adobe codec for Adobe Premiere Pro editors. If you’re an early riser, photo quality is great and the audio is even better. Just don’t whip it out at night.

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The GoPro Max has huge potential and is already the easiest 360 camera to use. It has among the best video quality of any 360 camera out now and its App is perfect for creating high quality video quickly. The camera is almost perfect for vlogging thanks to stabilization, a front facing screen and full 360 filming. You get two cameras in one thanks to Hero Mode and the audio is surprisingly high quality.

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The GoPro Max is a solid 360-degree camera, but the format just doesn’t make sense for most people. GoPro’s Hero8 is still the way to go if you want to record your adventures.

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Overall, I really like this camera a lot. I actually had fun going through clips, trying different angles, and figuring out how I wanted to tell the story. It just gives you so many more options to play with, and that feels novel and exciting. It’s worth noting that I’ve shot with other consumer-focused 360 cameras, including the Insta360 One X, the Rylo, and the Garmin Virb 360, and I think the GoPro Max produces the most vivid, highest-quality footage (though I do love the Garmin’s tough hardware), and that footage was the easiest to work with.

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The GoPro Max is one of the most impressive action cameras I’ve come across in years and it’s certainly the most accessible, easy to use and practical 360-degree camera. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the GoPro Max is genre-defining. The ease with which you can produce usable, shareable video from its raw 360 video footage is simply amazing and the fact you can also use it as a regular action camera or a tool for vlogging are added bonuses.

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The 360-degree GoPro Max camera promises an easier, more streamlined workflow than last year's Fusion, but has more niche appeal than the more affordable Hero8 Black.

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GoPro wanted to make a 360-degree camera that regular people might want, and in that regard, it’s succeeded. The lower price point, the added flexibility of Hero mode, and improved stabilization definitely mean Max is a capable camera whatever action you’re shooting. But there are still some inherent turn offs when dealing with 360 video, and the hardware’s more unwieldy than a regular action camera. The result is a speciality device that will appeal more to creatives than the average outdoor type.

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The GoPro Max could be the next evolution of two product categories - 360-degree camera and action camera. GoPro's innovation when it comes to in-app editing transforms 360-degree footage into something anyone, irrespective of expertize, can enjoy and can make look truly dynamic. While we're yet to stress test it in low light, first impressions after a few days of use are looking good.

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In the past, 360-degree footage meant high-end equipment and headaches in post, and that always pushed me away from using it. But when put in the same form factor and app as a GoPro Hero, a workflow I have been using for years, it’s way more approachable. Is this enough to be more than a novelty camera that will ultimately end up in a forgotten tech bin in my basement? I’m not entirely sure. But it’s the most fun and user-friendly 360 camera I have used to date and I’m excited to see where GoPro takes this line in the future.

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