Insta360 Go 3 It was a really fun action camera that transformed from a traditional GoPro-like camera into a unique pendant-style wearable, enabling shots that just weren’t possible with a traditional GoPro-style camera.
This year, the company released the Go 3S, with an updated camera that adds 4K video support, a higher bit rate for smoother video, and improved battery life.
Sensor Improvements
Cosmetically, it’s hard to tell the Go 3S from the Go 3. They’re the same size, the flip-up screen on the back hasn’t changed, and the USB-C port is in the same place. The main visible difference is the lens guard, which is bigger and thicker. I like this change because it makes it much easier to pull the lens out of the Action Pod, which Insta360 calls the main body of the design.
Other small cosmetic changes I noticed are more textured edges around the camera lens for a better grip, and the power and Q buttons on the side. Other than that, all of the Go 3S’s significant changes are inside the camera.
Photo: Scott Gilbertson
The standout feature of the Insta360 Go 3S is undoubtedly the 4K video. In my review of the Go 3, I said, “The Go 3’s 2.7K footage never felt like 2.7K, which means most people won’t notice the difference in image quality unless they’re shooting side-by-side with a 4K camera.” I still stand by that opinion. However, teeth Try putting 2.7K and 4K side by side in the same video and you’ll see the difference. For example, I’ve always found it difficult to mix footage from the Go 3 with footage from a GoPro, which often shoots at 5.3K. Here’s where the new Go 3S really shines: 4K footage does look objectively better (but again, that’s hard to tell until you see it side by side). More importantly, it blends naturally with 4K footage from other cameras, like the GoPro Hero 12 (8/10, WIRED Recommended) and the Insta360 Ace Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommended).
What impressed me most about the Go 3S’s videos wasn’t so much the increased clarity, but the lack of pixelation, especially in action shots. The Go 3 was prone to pixelation quite a bit in action shots (like when riding a bike), but the Go 3S doesn’t. This improvement is likely due to the Go 3S’s higher bit rate than the 4K video (120Mbps versus 80Mbps), but it’s a welcome improvement either way.
That said, higher frame rates also introduce a fair amount of pixelation, so we recommend avoiding them – shooting at 120fps isn’t too bad, but the 200fps mode is often unusable (footage quality depends a lot on lighting, and even in fairly bright light 200fps just isn’t something this sensor and lens can handle).
