two minute review
The GoPro Hero 10 Black is now the middle child of the GoPro action camera family, following the release of the Hero 11 Black. While that means it's missing a few features over GoPro's flagship - most notably, an 8:7 sensor that's great for shooting vertical video and TikTok-friendly - it's arguably now the sweet spot for value. The GoPro Hero 9 Black is even cheaper, but this model's GP2 processor means it offers a tidier overall experience.
Despite its memorable name, the Hero 10 Black was not one of those GoPros that represented a breakthrough for the series. For example, we saw bigger changes when the GoPro Hero 5 Black came with caseless waterproofing or when the GoPro Hero 7 Black introduced HyperSmooth stabilization.
Instead, the Hero 10 Black refines (and fixes) many of the new features we saw in the Hero 9 Black, while adding a smattering of new shooting modes and better usability. This makes it the best action camera you can buy right now, as well as one of the best video cameras you can buy. It's also a model worth looking out for in the impending GoPro Black Friday deals.
The Hero 10 Black is built around the same 23/1-inch 2,3 MP sensor as its predecessor and is waterproof to 10 meters. But it's this new GP2 processor that unlocks most of its new talents. Chief among these are new shooting modes, including new 5K/60p, 4K/120p, and 2,7K/240p options.
As we discovered during our GoPro Hero 10 Black review, the latter two are fun, slow-paced affairs that are perfect for social media scenes or b-cam footage, especially since GoPro's revamped Quik app will be happy to do some of the editing for you. you.
- GoPro Hero10 Black on Amazon for $349.99 (opens in a new tab)
Other improvements include a much more responsive touchscreen interface (the Hero 9 Black fell here), a handy new wired data transfer mode for phones, and some under-the-hood image quality improvements, including local tone mapping. and low light noise improvement. reduction. There are certainly some small improvements to video quality as a result, but the Hero 10 Black still can't do much with its relatively small image sensor.
GoPro Hero 10 Black Specifications
Maximum video resolution: 5.3K/60p (100 Mbps bit rate)
Slow motion video: 4K/120p, 2,7K/240p
Photo resolution: 23MP
Live streaming: 1080p
Screen sizes: 2,27 inches (rear), 1,4 inches (front)
Stabilization: HyperSmooth 4.0
Battery: 1720 mAh removable lithium-ion
Battery charging time: 3 hours
Water resistance: 10 m (33 ft)
Processor: GP2
Memory card slot: microSD
More important to most people will be the fact that despite the arrival of HyperSmooth 5.0 on the Hero 11 Black, HyperSmooth 4.0 on this model is still one of the best video stabilization technologies for action cameras. Water sports enthusiasts will also appreciate the effective new hydrophobic coating on its reinforced lens cover.
It's a shame the Hero 10 Black hasn't upgraded to a larger sensor like the 360-inch Insta1 One R edition, while GoPro's recent updates to the webcam and live streaming continue to have limitations on resolutions ( still only 1080p) and platform support (although live streaming with HyperSmooth stabilization is now possible).
Despite its relatively conservative updates, the GoPro Hero 10 Black builds nicely on the image quality advances made by the Hero 9 Black and, alongside GoPro's newest flagship, is the easiest action camera to use. and the most powerful you can buy - if not exactly the best value. Its feature set also makes it one of the best YouTube cameras available today, and for the adventurous, it's also one of the best travel cameras you can buy.
GoPro Hero 10 Black price and release date
The GoPro Hero 10 Black has now dropped slightly in price since the Hero 11 Black arrived. You can buy it now for $349 / £349 / AU$549 with a GoPro subscription, which you can cancel at any time, or for $450 / £449 / AU$699 on its own. That means it's €50 / £30 / AU$50 cheaper than its original launch price in September 2021.
The GoPro Subscription, formerly known as GoPro Plus, costs $49,99 / £49,99 / AU$69,99 per year when purchased separately. If you buy the Hero 10 Black with a subscription, it will be set up for annual automatic renewal. But you can avoid this by canceling the subscription at any time during the first year.
Since you don't have to renew the subscription, this is probably the best way for most people to buy the Hero 10 Black. GoPro subscription includes unlimited cloud storage for full-quality video and photos, automatic uploads, full access to editing tools in the Quik app, 50% off all accessories (up to 10 per year), streaming support live and replacement of broken cameras (fee, depending on the camera).
The Hero 10 Black is now the mid-tier model in GoPro's official line of three Hero action cameras. The Hero 9 Black ($299 / £299 / AU$499, with a subscription) sits below it, while the Hero 11 Black (£399 / £399 / AU$649.95) is the flagship of the range. If you're looking for a cheaper action camera, it's worth keeping an eye out for the Hero 8 Black and GoPro Max deals in the Black Friday and Black Friday GoPro deals.
(*10*)GoPro Hero 10 Black: Design- New stronger lens cover with water repellent coating
- Rear touchscreen and menus are much more responsive
- Otherwise physically identical to the Hero 9 Black
The GoPro Hero 10 Black is physically almost identical to its predecessor (and now its successor Hero 11 Black). The only external difference from the Hero 9 Black is the stylish blue logos of the new model on the front and sides.
GoPro has made some subtle tweaks though, with the biggest one for watersports fans being the new lens cover. This one now has a hydrophobic water-repellent coating, and it really works: we ran the Hero 10 Black and its predecessor under a tap, and the new lens cover was significantly better at repelling water, leaving no droplets to obstruct your view.
Apparently this lens cover also has increased scratch resistance, which was more difficult to test on our loaner sample, though it was an unplanned test when our head-mounted GoPro went flying after a hard zipline landing and stopped at jagged wood chips. no obvious marks on the lens. Like the Hero 9 Black, this lens cover can also be removed and replaced if it sustains serious damage, such as a direct hit from an Airsoft pellet, or if you want to add ND (Neutral Density) filters.
The Hero 10 Black is actually 5g lighter than its predecessor, though we can't say exactly where GoPro achieved this weight savings, and it doesn't provide any practical benefit anyway. As before, the camera has fold-out "fingers" at its base for mounting directly to accessories. These first appeared on the Hero 8 Black and mean you don't have to fiddle with an extra case to fit the camera to your helmet.
If you're not familiar with the Hero 9 Black, here's a quick look at some of the other design features the Hero 10 Black inherited. There's a 1,4-inch front-facing LCD screen for vloggers, which GoPro says is now a bit smoother when displaying motion than before, thanks to higher frame rates enabled for sound. GP2 processor (more on that later). although this screen is so small that we honestly couldn't tell the difference to its predecessor.
The upgraded 2,27-inch rear touchscreen is much more noticeable. Again, GoPro says this has "improved touch sensitivity", but the real difference is in the power of the GP2 processor. The Hero 9 Black's slow and unresponsive rear screen was one of our biggest criticisms of this model, and while it's been improved with a recent firmware patch, it's still nowhere near as fast as the Hero 10's touchscreen.
Seamos claros: así es como debería haberse comportado el Hero 9 Black desde el principio, por lo que no es una victoria para su sucesor. But the faster boot times (it's typically ready to go in under five seconds, compared to the Hero 9 Black's eight seconds) and smartphone-like snappyness make it much more enjoyable to use than the often frustrating experience of el año pasado.
Open the side door of the Hero 10 Black and you'll find the same 1720mAh battery used by its predecessor. Like the 1,4-inch front LCD, this is another change introduced to the Hero 9 Black, so be careful if you're upgrading from an older GoPro: your old 1220mAh batteries won't work here.
Flanking the battery cover are a microSD card slot and a USB-C port. The latter is used for charging, but can also be used to transfer images directly to your Hero 10 Black via a wired transfer (it's about 50% faster than wireless transfers). It's a fairly simple process with Android phones, which only need a USB-C to USB-C cable, but iPhone users will need the Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, as well as a standard USB-A to USB-C cable. .
So overall, the Hero 10 Black is a rugged pocket camera that's waterproof to 10 meters and feels a bit more polished than its predecessor.
GoPro Hero 10 Black: Features
- Same 23,6 MP 1/2,3-inch sensor as the Hero 9 Black
- New GP2 processor unlocks significant enhancements to shooting modes
- Now it is possible to broadcast live with HyperSmooth stabilization
In 2020, GoPro Hero 9 Black introduced a new image sensor. It had the same sensor size as previous GoPros (1/2,3-inch), but with a higher resolution, making this camera the first GoPro to record 5K video. The Hero 10 Black has the same image sensor, but pairs it with a new GP2 processor that unlocks new hands-on talents.
The GP2 chip (now also in the Hero 11 Black) was the first major processing upgrade we'd seen in GoPros in four years, and it was long overdue. The GP1 struggled to keep up with the increasing demands placed by the Hero 9 Black's dual screens and higher-resolution sensor, and its successor is behind almost all of the improvements you'll find in the Hero 10.
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