A Complete Review of GoPro Hero 9: The Latest Action Camera

For all the vloggers, bikers, and YouTubers, GoPro Hero 9 is the latest action camera you can buy. This latest device from the company is more powerful and muscular in almost every niche: powerful battery, bigger body, huge video, and photo resolutions. Moreover, for the first time, it comes in a reusable case with no plastic packaging. Still, these improvements in Hero 9 are not considered as a big leap over its predecessor by the fans. Keep reading to what this Pandora box carries.

GoPro Hero 9

Hero 9 Black is the latest and most prominent upgrade of GoPro’s flagship action camera. There are three important physical upgrades from the Hero 8 Black: a new 1.4-inch color display on the front, a more muscular body (that houses a large battery), and a bigger rear 2.27-inch rear touchscreen.

It has a similar USB-C port, microSD card slot, and battery section on one side, along with the start/stop button on the top and the power and mode button on the side. As it is a square display, it surely isn’t really in the same class as the side-hinged screens seen on cameras like the Sony ZV-1, or your smartphone’s screen.

Generally, the latest color display comes with bigger battery demands, which is notably why GoPro has expanded the Hero 9 Black’s body mass to hold in a new 1,720mAh battery. That battery’s volume is 40% higher than the 1,220mAh ones its ancestors.

However, these developments do come with drawbacks for anyone who’s upgrading from an earlier GoPro. The Hero 9 Black isn’t backward compatible with earlier GoPro batteries, as they’re a different size, so you can’t use older ones as spares. And the modern design, which increases its mass and weight by about 10%, will also be further huge for your former cases or housings.

Another noticeable innovation is the resolutions. There is simply about every resolution and frame rate combo you could possibly demand from the Hero 9. The 20-megapixel sensor can record 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, and all the way up to 1080p 240fps. There is also a new duration capture, a schedule capture mode for time-lapses, and the new Hindsight mode. The battery consumes a little quicker with Hindsight mode enabled because the camera is continuously recording.

But that increased 23.6MP resolution is although the key that opens the Hero 9 Black’s prominent specifications. In proper light and the clean conditions, you would be surprised that its 5K/30p mode, especially when combined with the ‘High’ 100Mbps bit-rate, can capture more detail than any GoPro so far.

The GoPro Hero 9 Black shoots some of the best videos and photos you can get from an action camera, but it isn’t a huge upgrade over the Hero 8 Black. File sizes are also taken care of so that they do not get noticeably bigger. Thanks to the use of the efficient HEVC codec.

The GoPro Hero 9 Black is all ready to receive orders from the at the price tag of $449.99 / £429.99 / AU$699.95, which renders an 11% price hike on Hero 8 Black’s launch price. GoPro has also announced pricing and availability for its other ‘Mod’ accessories. The new Max Lens Mod, which is only compatible with the Hero 9 Black, will cost $99.99 / £89.99 / $159.95 when it will hit the market in October.

Key Features

• Huge 23.6 MP image sensor
• Video: 5K30, 4K60, 2.7K120, 1440p120, 1080p240 and more
• Photo: 20 MP
• Brand-new 1.4″ front color display with live preview and status modes
• Larger 2.27″ rear touch display with touch zoom
• 30% more battery life (1720 mAh) than HERO8 Black with improved cold-weather performance
• Removable, rechargeable battery
• HyperSmooth 3.0 with in-camera horizon leveling
• TimeWarp 3.0 featuring Real Speed and Half Speed
• 1080p live streaming
• 1080p webcam mode
• Power Tools: HindSight, LiveBurst, Scheduled Capture, and Duration Capture
• SuperPhoto + HDR Night Lapse video
• 3 microphones with advanced wind-noise reduction
• Bigger speaker for enhanced audio playback