Insta360 Go 3S vs GoPro Max

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Overview of the Insta360 Go 3S

Insta360 Go 3S☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Go 3S
Insta360's latest wearable camera: 4K video in a tiny package
The Go 3S is an amazing pocket action camera offering of 4K video in a very small package. With the ActionPod pairing, it becomes a more traditional action camera with extended battery life and a flip screen.
  • Pros
  • Tiny footprint
  • 4K video
  • Modular design with ActionPod
  • Cons
  • Not waterproof with ActionPod
  • Storage not extendable with SD cards

Overview of the GoPro Max

GoPro Max☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Max
GoPro's 2019 360 camera: 5.7K video
The GoPro Max was GoPro's second attempt at a 360 camera and was released in 2019. It is still offers relatively good performance but it's age is showing in comparision with the more recent competition. It's replacement, the GoPro Max 2, is still to be released.
  • Pros
  • Good stabilization
  • Cons
  • Average image quality
  • Ageing model
  • Still excessively expensive

Comparison of the Go 3S vs the GoPro Max

Weight and size

The Go 3S is a lot more compact than the GoPro Max. The Go 3S is a lot lighter than the GoPro Max.
Insta360 Go 3S
25.6mm x 54.4mm x 24.8mm / 1.01in x 2.14in x 0.98in
1.38oz / 39.1g
Features
Dimensions
Weight
GoPro Max
64mm x 69mm x 25mm / 2.52in x 2.72in x 0.98in
5.43oz / 154g
Why size and weight matter: Weight is important for action cameras because we often mount them on helmets, or hold them at the end of a selfie stick while moving. Therefore a heavier camera can be dvifficult to use or uncomfortable. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.

Battery life

The GoPro Max offers a much larger battery capacity. The GoPro Max has a removable battery whereas the Go 3S's battery is not removable
Insta360 Go 3S
310mAh
Removable
38min at 1080p
Features
Battery capacity
Removable battery
Battery life
GoPro Max
1600mAh
Removable
85min 5.7K30fps 360° and 105min at 1080p
Why battery life matters: Nothing worse than running out of battery just before capturing the best footage of the day! A long battery life is reassuring and convenient when shooting footage outdoors where options to charge are limited. Even the use of a power bank can be tedious or simply impossible like when filming watersports. Having removeable batteries allows battery swapping on the go which further extends your runtime.

Storage

Only the Go 3S features built-in storage. Only the GoPro Max supports SD cards, the Go 3S is therefore limited to it's built-in storage.
Insta360 Go 3S
64GB or 128GB
Storage not extendable
Features
Built-in storage
Storage format
GoPro Max
No built-in storage
microSD
Why storage matters: High quality footage can quickly take up lots of space and insufficient storage can soon be frustrating. Having a large amount of storage and the possiblity to extend it or swap SD cards while on a outing will ensure you will always be able to capture the footage you want. However, smaller, wearable action cameras often rely on built-in storage because of their small size.

Video performance

Neither camera offers HDR video.
Insta360 Go 3S
4K video at 30fps
HDR video unsupported
Features
Max resolution
HDR video
GoPro Max
1440p video at 60fps
HDR video unsupported

Camera and sensor technology

The GoPro Max offers a slightly higher resolution. With 155°, the GoPro Max features a much wider field of view than the Go 3S. The Go 3S features a much higher bit rate than the GoPro Max
Insta360 Go 3S
12MP
134°
120Mbps
Features
Pixels
Field of view
Video bite rate
GoPro Max
18MP
155°
78Mbps

Camera settings

Both the Go 3S and the GoPro Max have the same ISO range. Both cameras have the same exposure compensation adjustments.
Insta360 Go 3S
100-3200
+/-4
Features
ISO range
Exposure Compensation
GoPro Max
100-3200
+/-4

Go 3S vs GoPro Max specifications

NameInsta360 Go 3SGoPro Max
Year of release20242019
Width1.01in / 25.6mm2.52in / 64mm
Height2.14in / 54.4mm2.72in / 69mm
Depth0.98in / 24.8mm0.98in / 25mm
Weight1.38oz / 39.1g5.43oz / 154g
Waterproof33ft / 10m16ft / 5m
Waterproof with diving case197ft / 60m-
Min operating temperature-4°F / -20°C14°F / -10°C
Max operating temperature104°F / 40°C95°F / 35°C
Battery capacity310mAh1600mAh
Removable batteryNoYes
Battery life38min at 1080p85min 5.7K30fps 360°
105min at 1080p
Charging time-120min
Battery extension capacity1270mAh-
Battery extension run time140min at 1080p-
Battery extension charging time65min-
Battery extension weight3.4oz / 96.3g-
Built-in storage64GB
128GB
-
Storage format-microSD
Storage rating required-Class 10 or UHS-I Rating
Maximun storage supported128GB1TB
Rear screen sizeWith Action Pod1.69in
Front screen sizeWith Action Pod-
Field of view134°155°
Sensor1/2.3"1/2.3"
Pixels12MP18MP
ApertureF2.8F2.0
Focal length16mm13-27mm
ISO range100-3200100-3200
Color Depth8bit8bit
Video bite rate120Mbps78Mbps
Exposure Compensation+/-4+/-4
360-degree videoNoYes
5.7K 360 video-30fps
360 video format-GoPro 360 file
4K video30fps-
2.7K video30fps-
1440p video50fps60fps
1080p video50fps60fps
Maximum slow motion6x at 1080p2x
StabilizationFlowstateMax HyperSmooth
Horizon lock-Yes
Video formatH.264 (MP4)H.264 (AVC)
H.265 (HEVC)
Live streamingNo1080p30
Timelapse modeYesYes
Starlapse modeYes-
Timeshift modeYesYes
Loop recording modeYesYes
Subject tracking-No
Photo burst modeNoNo
RAW format supportedYesYes
Microphones26
Stereo audioYesYes
Noise reductionYesYes
Audio formataacwav
Wifi802.11a/n/ac802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
BluetoothBLE 5.0BLE 4.2
USBType-C USB2.0Type-C USB
GPS integratedNoYes
GPS pairingGarmin device
Apple Watch
-
Voice commandsYesYes
Gesture commandsYesNo