Is the Insta360 X4 worth the upgrade? Honest review

Date reviewed: September 2024 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £499.99 | www.insta360.com

The Insta360 X4 on review here offers significant improvements over the X3, but it’s not as clear-cut as you might think. By taking it to Spain, and running several more tests when I got back, I’ve had it fitted to my motorcycle for more than 4,000 km. While it’s an incredible tool with some huge advantages over a ‘normal’ single-lens action camera, there are several points you should be aware of before buying. You might even want to consider the Insta360 X3, which – at the time of writing – is available at a hefty discount…

Compared to the Insta360 X3, the X4 is a little bigger and 19g heavier, at 200g on my scales

Why you can trust this review

No manufacturers or distributors ever have any influence on the reviews I write or film, I won’t ever do any paid reviews, and I’ll never agree to affiliate links. All products are tested fairly and equally, and if anything changes over time, I will update the written reviews.

Your purchasing choices should always be your own – Bennetts BikeSocial is just here to help ensure they’re informed choices.

Insta360 X4 vs Insta360 X3 daylight comparison

Both cameras set to medium sharpness and high bitrate. Please watch in full-screen with resolution set to 4K

How the Insta360 X4 is better than the Insta360 X3

To compare the footage of the X3 with the X4 in UK daylight conditions, watch the video above. Note that the X4 is set to -0.3EV…

In this footage both the Insta360 X4 and the X3 were mounted next to each other on the screen of a very vibey single-cylinder Zontes ZT350-T, so the stabilisation had to work hard, but proved to be excellent. You can clearly see that the detail is much improved on the X4 over the X3, but when passing through trees and out of them, the X4 seems to struggle, over-exposing some areas and creating a slightly messy image. However, in general the detail is much better, which can be seen throughout the image. One strange area though is a softening of detail around my shadow when it can be seen on the road about half way through the footage.

The Insta360 X4 records at up to 8K resolution in 360° mode. That doesn’t mean you get 8K footage though (like the single-lens Insta360 Ace Pro) because it’s filming everything – front, back, top, bottom and sides; it’s 8K across the entire, reframeable sphere.

Once you’ve chosen your viewpoint when working on the clips after shooting, the X4 is actually about the quality of 2.7K footage, though it is exported as 4K and you’d be hard pressed to see the difference in resolution, especially when watching on a phone. However, do keep in mind that – in my experience – the clarity and exposure handling of the X4 isn’t as good as the DJI Osmo Action 4 single-lens camera I’ve also reviewed here, for instance.

The Insta360 X3 shoots at 5.7K in 360° mode, which when reframed gives you about 1080P footage. Again, good enough for most YouTube videos, and great for home movies to remember your adventures. And of course, you could even watch them back in a VR headset.

As you can see from the table, the Insta360 X4 offers higher resolution AND higher frame rates than the X3, though it’s surprising not to find 100 fps in the single lens mode of the new device, and keep in mind that reframed 4K 360° footage will be roughly equivalent to about 720P.

Single-lens action cameras like the Osmo Action 4, Insta360 Ace Pro and Ace, and GoPro Hero 12 and 13 Black can shoot at up to 120 fps in 4K, and 240 fps at 1080P. On the 25 fps timeline I usually work to, 120 fps footage allows you to slow it down to 21%, while 240 fps allows you to drop to 10.4%. If recording at higher speeds is important to you, think carefully before investing.

The Insta360 X4 isn’t much better than the X3 in low light

Despite the fact that the X4 needs to be run in 5.7K mode when shooting 360° footage in low light, in some cases it doesn’t look quite as good to me when it’s mounted to a bike as the X3. The video below shows how the X4 compares to the X3…

Insta360 X4 vs Insta360 X3 night comparison

Both cameras set to medium sharpness and high bitrate. Please watch in full-screen with resolution set to 4K

As you can see, the vibration from the engine, and bumps from the road surface make the footage largely unusable, though the X3 seems to have a very small edge in stabilisation. I suspect this might be down to the slightly larger size and weight of the X4 compared to the X3 causing a little more vibration.

Keeping in mind that both these cameras are shooting at 5.7K, the X4 appears a fraction sharper, but it also exhibits a bit more noise (for instance in the sky in the first section). Overall, the Insta360 X4 doesn’t appear to offer any major advantage over the X3 in night shooting, but they do both tend to be better than the single-lens DJI Osmo Action 4 in their stabilisation. The single-lens Insta360 Ace Pro appears to have much better low-light and night stabilisation in influencer videos, though I haven’t tested this, and have yet to see it mounted to a motorcycle for testing.

The Insta360 X4 comes with a soft pouch that also has space for a pair of lens guards and a cleaning cloth, though I’d still strongly recommend you buy the Lens Cap too…

Insta360 X4 and X3 file sizes

A large, fast UHS-1 V30 memory card is important when shooting 360° footage, and the Insta360 X4 and X3 both support up to 1TB. Here’s an approximate guide to how much storage space is required based on my testing…

The Insta360 X4 also offers a 5.7K+ mode, which is not suitable for low-light use, but does reduce the file size over 8K, while offering a shaper-looking image than standard 5.7K in daylight. This video offers a useful comparison of 8L and 5.7K+, but I prefer to work with the full-size 8K.

Insta360 X4 vs Insta360 X3 audio quality

Both cameras set to medium sharpness and high bitrate. Please watch in full-screen with resolution set to 4K

Insta360 X4 vs Insta360 X3 audio quality

In the riding clip above, the Insta360 X4 is set to ‘Auto Noise Wind Reduction’, while the X3 is set to ‘Wind Noise reduction’. I was really surprised at just how well these cameras both dealt with the wind noise. For comparison, I also included the DJI Osmo Action 4, which seemed to do a better job of letting you hear the engine’s noise, but did get a bit spoiled by some vibration coming through.

In the video clip where I test the wind muffs later in this review, you’ll hear that even without them, the Insta360 X4 does seem to do a better job of reducing wind noise than the X3.

You can also record audio from your Bluetooth intercom; I tested it using the Cardo Packtalk Pro, but you’ll hear the intercom’s wind noise reduction affecting quality. A mic tucked into the foam of your helmet’s cheek pad usually tends to provide better audio. The following intercoms are listed as supported by Insta360:

• Sena 50S, ST1 and 10S

• Cardo Packtalk Edge

• Airide G7+

• ASMAX F1

• Lexinmoto G4

• Vimoto V9S and V9X

Insta360 X4 vs X3 battery life

The Insta360 X4 has a 2,290mAh battery, compared to the X3’s 1,800mAh, but of course it does have more work to do. I set both up to record until they stopped themselves, then charged them back up using a Power Delivery (PD) capable charger. Both cameras can record while they charge, but the X4 also supports Power Delivery, which means that a 9V 2A charger can have it back up to full power more quickly.

The Insta360 X4 doesn't have a recording gap

An annoying quirk of the Insta360 X3 was that it would stop recording after 30 minutes then start a new clip, but there’d be a gap of a few seconds between them. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to sync more than one camera, though it’s not the end of the world for most users.

During my testing, the Insta360 X4 managed to produce a single clip of 1 hr 16 mins before it stopped due to the card being full.

The Standard plastic lens protector is smaller than the Premium tempered glass version

The Insta360 X4 lens guards have an annoying flaw

The Insta360 X4 comes with a pair of ‘Standard’ plastic lens guards in the box, which cost £19.99 to replace. Also available are the ‘Premium’ lens guards at £34.99 for a pair.

The Insta360 X3 was launched with self-adhesive sticky plastic lens guards that cost £20.99, but removable lens guards were later introduced that cost £19.99, though they are still plastic.

Insta360 X4 lens guards test

Watch a full destruction test of the Insta360 X4 lens protectors

It’s great that the X4 includes a set of plastic lens guards as standard, but these aren’t all that protective. In my drop test, which you can see in the video below, they smashed on the first drop, though it’s possible they might still have protected the lens itself. As you’ll see, it took several more drops before the ‘Standard’ plastic lens guard smashed to the point that the lens would hit the ground, but keep in mind this wasn’t from a great height, or at speed.

Interestingly, YouTube user Doug Stewart commented on my main review video, saying “Anecdotal I know but I can speak to the plastic protectors doing their job if you have one mounted to the front of your bike and someone does a very sudden turn across your lane. The lens guards were absolutely destroyed but my camera was fine. Bike was totalled. I was also fine, for the record. Good gear is worth its weight in gold.”

In my testing of the tempered glass ‘Premium’ lens guards, they chipped as soon as they hit the ground, but took a lot more drops before shattering.

It’s hard to say which is the more likely to save your X4’s lenses in a drop off the bike, but the Premium glass lens guards are more scratch-resistant and generally more resilient. However, they’re also larger, and show lens flare a little more when filming into the sun.

The biggest problem with the lens guards is that they don’t seal effectively against the body of the camera; when riding in the rain, water can pool in the bottom of the guard, which can be seen in some angles. Condensation can also form inside the guards, ruining the shots.
I also found that dust can blow into the lens guards while you ride, which was a particular problem in Spain. You can see this in the final video in this article.
Ultimately, the lens guards can spoil your footage to some extent, depending on the conditions. It’d be great to be able to leave them on all the time, but unfortunately that’s simply not possible. They’re good, but this is an area that Insta360 could really work on a little more.

Essential accessories for the Insta360 X4

The beauty of the Insta360 X4 (and indeed its previous iterations like the X3) is that you can stick it pretty much anywhere and film anything. The camera has a standard ¼” tripod thread on the bottom, so with a suitable adaptor you can fit GoPro-style mounts to it.

For use on a motorcycle, Insta360 offers some great accessories, and also bundles that can save you some money. The ‘Motorcycle Multiview Bundle’, for instance, is £584 at the time of writing, and adds a selfie stick and heavy duty clamp…

Lens Cap, £6.99 | It’s a shame this isn’t included with the camera as I’d say it’s the most important accessory. A soft case (with space for a pair of lens guards) is included with the camera, and this is great, but the optional Lens Cap allows you to protect the lenses (with or without the standard or larger premium lens guards) while the camera’s mounted. It’s quick and easy to whip off before you shoot, and while it doesn’t protect the screen, it’s this style of cap that I’ve used since the X2. Make sure you buy this when you order your camera.

Heavy Duty Clamp, £39.99 | The new motorcycle clamp is more compact than the previous ‘RAM’ style mount, but still very versatile thanks to a head that pivots and rotates, which – combined with the ¼” screw mount not limiting you to one position – means you can set the camera pretty much anywhere.
A female ¼” to GoPro three-prong adaptor is included, as well as a spanner for tightening the main handle, though this isn’t really required.
I’d recommend the Motorcycle Kit, which usually costs £46.99 (currently £41.99) and has this clamp as well as a pair of large, round, flexible Go-Pro style mounts that will fix to any surface. I trimmed one down to use it as a chin-mount on my trip to Spain, which you can see at the end of this review. Two male ¼” to GoPro adaptors are supplied too, making this a good value piece of kit.

Action Invisible Selfie Stick, £46.99 | Thanks to the fact that the Insta360 X4 (and X3) can’t see what’s directly to the top, bottom and sides, selfie sticks disappear from view in any footage. I must admit that I was surprised how expensive this selfie stick was, but it’s carbon-fibre, and extends to a very useful meter. It’s got a ¼” male tripod connector at the top, as well as a female one at the bottom, so it’s easy to screw onto a clamp. The sliding mechanism is very smooth, and there’s even a fine mesh covering the air outlet on the bottom, so the quality and attention to detail make me feel the price is justified, but cheaper options are available, like the £27.99 Invisible Selfie Stick.

Motorcycle U-Bolt Mount, £33.99 (usually £37.99) | The U-Bolt Mount has the same versatile head as the Heavy Duty Clamp, but it’s attached to a clamp that’s secured with a pair of nuts, so ideal for leaving on the bike. I had the Insta360 clamped to the Zontes’ bars with this when I went to Spain as it provided a more permanent fixing that I wasn’t worried about having pinched when I left the bike in the street overnight (obviously I took the camera off!).

Mic Wind Muff, £9.99 | Thanks to their narrows design, these muffs (you get six pairs in the pack) are invisible in any 360° footage. They Velcro onto the sides of the camera with supplied pads, but unfortunately they can’t be left on with the Lens Cap (the Velcro patches are fine). Insta360 says that before use, the camera must be set to ‘Active Wind Reduction’ mode, which seems to defeat the point of having a wind-muff to me. Still, in my testing they do take the edge off of windnoise, as you’ll see in the video below. What’s more interesting is the overall difference between the X4 and the X3.
I’d suggest that using a remote mic is the best bet if you’re filming a lot of spoken audio. As the Insta360 X4 supports Bluetooth mic connections, you could pair it with a DJI Mic 2. This video from Eat Sleep 360 gives useful advice on pairing the DJI Mic 2 to the Insta360 X4.

DJI Insta360 X4 vs X3 audio and wind muff test

Comparing audio, and using a fan blowing onto the camera to test the wind muffs

Lens Guards, £19.99 to £34.99 | The Insta360 Lens Guards certainly have their place when you’re shooting in harsh environments, but you need to be aware of their limitations. If you drop the X4 onto anything other than carpet without the lens protectors, one or both lenses will likely be ruined, and the Lens Guards can help prevent this, but they spoil your image, are not really usable in the rain, and they soon get dusty inside. They’re not the ultimate solution to a 360 camera’s vulnerability, but they can help.

Are the AI features worth having on the Insta360 X4?

One of the selling points of the new X4 is its artificial intelligence capabilities, which include AI editing. This can see the smartphone-based app choose edits and transitions that it thinks work best for your footage and what’s in it.

Personally, I prefer to use the excellent (and free) desktop Insta360 Studio software for Mac and PC as it’s less fiddly and gives me all the control I need to choose the edits I want.

As a motorcyclist making content for the Bennetts BikeSocial YouTube channel, I don’t have any interest in the AI editing, or additions like ‘sky swap’, but if you’d like to know more about the many other features available for all types of shooting, I recommend Ben Claremont and Eat Sleep 360 as very helpful YouTube channels.

The ‘TimeShift’ feature is very good, giving a hyper-lapse style of high-speed footage that can still be reframed in post, while the StarLapse mode is cool too, and could create a great effect with a bike parked in the foreground. You can see examples of both of these in the video below…

Is the Insta360 X4 good value?

With some heavy discounting of the Insta360 X3 at the time of writing, the older camera might offer better value for you, but that’s a decision only you can make after reading this review.

You might also want to consider a single-lens action camera, but think about what you’ll be using it for and where; if it’s going to be regularly knocked about in a harsh environment, a 360 camera might not be the best bet.

Also check if the single-lens action camera you’re looking at has user-replaceable lens guards. The Insta360 Ace Pro, for instance, does not: the protector will be replaced free of charge in the first 12 months if it suffers any damage, but not after. However, images leaked online appear to indicate that the Ace Pro 2 will have user-replaceable protection.

* Special offer prices. All prices correct at time of writing

Insta360 X4 video review

Real-world Insta360 X4 footage

Insta360 X4 review: Verdict

The Insta360 X4 is an incredibly powerful action camera, but it does have its limitations. My main concern remains that it’s vulnerable to damage, and while the Lens Guards have gone some way to addressing that, the lack or water and dust proofing means they can spoil footage all too easily.

It’s perhaps unfair to compare the Insta360 X4 to a single-lens action camera, but it’s a buying decision many people make. My experience of single-lens models is limited to my old GoPro Hero 3, 5 and 7, a brief use of a Hero 12, and the DJI Osmo Action 4. The new Osmo Action 5 may offer some more advantages, as likely will the upcoming Insta360 Ace Pro 2, and for my work, I do tend to use a single-lens camera more. That’s partly due to the more rugged construction, but it’s also because the image quality is better in more conditions than a 360 camera can currently offer.

But… I wouldn’t be without the Insta360 X4. It might not be the ultimate motorcycle action camera (yet), but it’s allowed me to capture angles I simply couldn’t with any other device, so comes highly recommended.

I label all my videos with the action cameras I used, so keep an eye on the Bennetts BikeSocial YouTube channel for those.

Insta360 X4 vs DJI Osmo Action 4

3,387km in France and Spain: ALL footage labelled by camera