It's been merely a year since Insta360 launched its latest 360-degree action camera, the Insta360 X4, offering higher resolution and better frame rates in most shooting modes than its predecessor. The rest of the camera world still hasn't caught up yet, but that never stopped Insta360 from innovating further.
Enter the Insta360 X5, the new 360° rugged camera, launched on the 10th anniversary of the company. The new model is a true generational leap over the X4 and sports a significantly larger 1/1.28-inch sensor, new Triple AI Chip, and replaceable lens.
As expected from the brand, it has been heavily advertising some of these features on its social media channels (especially the replaceable lens), so the updates might not come as a shock to lovers of the best action cameras.
Still, one wonders if the upgrades warrant an upgrade from the X4 to the X5? After all, the X4 already had lens protectors (both standard and 'premium'), and all the AI features under the sun. I tested both cameras, and here's what I think.
Insta360 X5 vs Insta360 X4
Price and availability
The Insta360 X5 was launched on 22 April 2025 for a recommended retail price of $550/ £520/ AU$930. It's available via the Insta360 Official Store, Amazon, and select global retailers. The Insta360 X4 remains on the market at a lower price point (RRP $500/ £500/ AU$880), often selling for an additional discount.
Design and durability
Insta360 is famous for its rugged cameras, and the IP68-rated X5 and X4 are both built for action. From a physical dimensions point of view, the two models are almost exactly the same: they share the same height, width, and depth.
The X5 is a hair lighter (200g vs 203g) with the same 2.5-inch touchscreen display. The lens units are located in the same position as before and are the same size, too. The buttons are also identical.
Flip the cameras over to their non-screen side and you'll see the first major difference. The microphone unit is now much larger and positioned under one of the lenses. Better still, it features a "multi-layer" steel mesh Wind Guard that silences wind noise.
The USB-C 3.0 port was moved to the other side, just under the two buttons. This change doesn't affect the user experience, but it's a change, nevertheless.
A more significant upgrade is the magnetic mount compatible base, which means you won't need the screw-on plate anymore to mount your X5 onto the base. This is cool and allows you to swap the camera more freely between the invisible selfie stick, the bike mount, or the car mount.
A big-big upgrade is the changeable lens. The X4 has a lens guard, but the X5 allows you to change the lens itself, much like how you can swap lenses on the GoPro Hero 13 Black (albeit there aren't any special (e.g. macro) lenses for the X Series yet). You can also use lens guards for extra protection.
The X5's waterproof rating has also been increased to 49ft (15m), compared to 33ft (10m) on the X4. This allows you to use the camera deeper underwater without a special housing.
Finally, battery performance also gets a solid boost: the X5’s 2400mAh battery offers up to 185 minutes of recording (in 5.7K@24fps Endurance Mode) and can charge from 0 to 80% in just 20 minutes. By contrast, the X4 uses a 2290mAh battery with a shorter runtime and slower recharge.
Image quality
Both cameras support up to 8K (7,680 x 3,840 pixels) 360° video at up to 30fps. They can shoot in 5.7K (5,760 x 2,880 pixels) at up to 60fps and 4K (3,840 x 1,920 pixels) at up to 120fps (all this in 360 degrees, of course). Maximum photo resolution is 72MP (11,904 x 5,952) on both cameras.
What is different is that the Insta360 X5 leverages supersampling from 11K to deliver sharper, more lifelike footage with minimal loss of detail. Plus, it has a much larger 1/1.28" sensor (compared to the X4's 1/2" sensor), making the X5 better suited for low-light conditions.
The new array, called the Triple AI Chip system, is made up of one 5nm AI Chip and two Pro Imaging Chips, which, combined with the stitching and noise-reduction algorithm, ensure the footage coming out of your X5 is clean as a whistle.
The aperture and focal length of the lens also changed from F1.9/ 6.7mm to F2.0/6mm. The X5 has a slightly narrower aperture, but combined with the larger sensor, overall low-light performance is still significantly better than the X4.
Features and modes
The X5 refines and expands upon the shooting modes that made the X4 so popular. InstaFrame Mode is a standout new feature, which automatically captures both a standard flat video and a full 360° video in one take.
The new PureVideo mode, first introduced on the Insta360 Ace Pro, is particularly impactful at night or indoors. The X5 is the first to incorporate this into a 360° camera. While the Ace series utilised PureVideo for wide-angle footage, the X5 adapts this AI-powered low-light enhancement to immersive 360° content.
The X5 also brings more intuitive ways to start recording, including a new Twist to Shoot gesture (just twist the selfie stick), alongside improved voice commands, gesture controls, and optional remote control pairing.
Of course, you also get all the modes of the X4, including starlapse, timelapse, interval road mode, loop recording, bullet time and time shift.
AI and software
The Insta360 app has always been one of the best in the business for editing 360° content, but it’s had a facelift for the X5 launch. The updated interface is sleeker and more streamlined, with new tools like one-tap dewarp to remove fisheye distortion, and simplified exporting features for quick edits. Of course, all the familiar favourites, from Quick Edit and AI Edit to Shot Lab templates and a full manual editing suite, are still available.
Verdict
The Insta360 X4 was already a top-tier 360° action camera, but the X5 builds on its success with meaningful, creator-focused upgrades. From the larger sensor and PureVideo low-light mode to the replaceable lens system and all-new InstaFrame shooting mode, the X5 delivers on every front.
There is an argument that the X4 has already been quite overpowered with its 8k maximum resolution and a million shooting modes compared to the competition, so one wonders if there is a need for an even more powerful action camera on the market.
That said, the X5 is a worthy successor and the brilliant camera to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Insta360. It certainly isn't just a token model; the X5 is a serious content creation powerhouse. I know many content creators personally who will be the first ones in the virtual queue to buy one.
If you have an X4, equipped with a lens guard, of course, I wouldn't rush to get the X5 yet. The new features make it more convenient to use the camera, but the X4 is still a beast of a model that can provide plenty of creative freedom for users.
For now, I'd keep my eyes peeled for offers on the X4, as I'm sure there will be some floating around very soon. If you have the Insta360 X3 (or maybe even the brilliant Insta360 X2) that has seen better days, investing in the X5 might be something to consider, though.
