GoPro MAX2vsInsta360 X5: 360 Camera Comparison

The X5's 0.78-inch sensor is roughly twice the linear size of the MAX2's 0.43-inch chip, and that gap shows up first in low light and in stills. The X5 shoots 72 MP photos and supports RAW; the MAX2 tops out at 29 MP with RAW unpublished. If you plan to pull stills out of a 360 frame or shoot after sunset, the X5 has more to work with.

The MAX2 answers with 10-bit color and 8-bit on the X5. Ten-bit capture gives you smoother gradients and more room to push color in editing before banding appears. That matters if you grade footage; it matters less if you post straight from the app.

Both hit 8K, so resolution isn't the deciding factor. The MAX2's headline bitrate of 300 Mbps is four times the X5's 180 Mbps — but only if you install GoPro's optional Labs firmware. Out of the box it records at 120 Mbps, which is below the X5. Budget for that step if high-bitrate capture is why you're buying.

Frame rate and codec split the other way. The X5 reaches 120fps at 4K for 360 video, though its single-lens 4K mode caps at 60fps. The MAX2 stops at 100fps. The X5 also records H.264 alongside HEVC, which is easier for older editors to handle. The X5 adds pre-recording, buffering up to 90 seconds before you press the shutter — genuinely useful for unpredictable action.

The X5's 2,400 mAh battery is the larger of the two, and Insta360 claims 208 minutes of recording — a figure that requires 5.7K at 24fps with Endurance Mode enabled, not the top mode. GoPro publishes no runtime figure for the MAX2 at all, so there's no like-for-like number to compare. Treat the X5's claim as a best case.

The shapes differ more than the 5 g weight gap suggests. The MAX2 is a short, wide brick at 64 mm across; the X5 is tall and narrow at 46 mm wide but 124.5 mm high. The X5's shape is more pocketable and more natural on a selfie stick. The MAX2's 1.82-inch rear screen is smaller than the X5's 2.5-inch panel, which makes framing and menu work fussier.

The X5 is rated to 15 m underwater without a housing; the MAX2 manages 5 m. That's the difference between snorkeling and actual diving. Add Insta360's Invisible Dive Case and the X5 goes to 60 m, so it's the only one of the two with a real underwater path.

The X5 also publishes an operating range of -20 °C to 40 °C. GoPro doesn't publish temperatures for the MAX2, so cold-weather shooters have no stated figure to rely on. If you shoot in winter or at altitude, that's a meaningful unknown on the GoPro side.

The MAX2 has built-in GPS; the X5 has none. That's a real gap if you want speed, altitude or route overlays burned into your footage without syncing a phone or watch afterward. The MAX2 also ships Wi-Fi 6 against the X5's Wi-Fi 5, which speeds up large 8K transfers to your phone or laptop.

Both rely on built-in mics with wireless pairing rather than a 3.5mm jack. The MAX2 pairs Bluetooth mics like AirPods directly; the X5 pairs with Insta360's Mic Air without an adapter. Neither gives you a wired option out of the body.