GoPro, one of the best action camera manufacturers, decided to launch its latest action camera with as little fanfare as possible.
It's true that the updated Max isn't a new iteration of the brand's 360-degree camera and only adds a new mounting system, battery and some new features.
The original GoPro Max was launched in 2019, and at the time, we called the Max the "best 360-degree action camera currently available."
Times have changed a lot since then. These days, it's not just GoPro that has 360° cameras – Kandao and, most notably, Insta360 have a slew of devices that compete in this area.
In an interview, GoPro Head of Product Pablo Lema confirmed that the company “is still very committed to 360 cameras," adding that "the Max, which came out in 2019, remains competitive in terms of image quality."
This might be why the new Max has the same resolution as its predecessor (5.6K). It's not quite the 8K resolution of the Insta360 X4, but it's not unusual for the company to not upgrade its cameras resolution
The two physical updates to the camera are the addition of the MAX Enduro Battery and an upgraded mounting system, making it compatible with all standard ¼-20 tripod mounts.
More importantly, GoPro has overhauled its 360 mobile editing experience in the Quik App, introducing AI-powered object tracking to keep subjects in focus automatically, along with keyframing for precise view adjustments.
The update also adds CameraFx for dynamic movements like backflips, seamless automatic transitions between ReFrame Modes, and single-clip edits for fine-tuning colour, volume, and filters.
Finally, a new Frame Grab tool makes pulling high-quality photos from 360 video stills easier than ever, streamlining the entire editing process.
The big question is, will GoPro launch the Max 2 this year? In the same interview, Pablo Lema said, "Our goal with the next iteration [of the Max] is to make a significant leap forward." I suspect we might have to wait a little longer for a completely new model.
The revamped GoPro Max is available now at GoPro US, GoPro UK and GoPro AU for a recommended price of $349.99/ £349.99/ AU$599.95.
