Insta360 Ace vs GoPro Hero 13 Black

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Overview of the Insta360 Ace

Insta360 Ace☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Ace
Insta360's budget action camera: 6K video and a flipscreen
The Ace is Insta360's entry level action camera but shares a lot of features with it's premium brother, the Insta360 Ace Pro. The main difference being the sensor technology, which although not as advanced, still offers very good performance, with video up to 6K.
  • Pros
  • Great image stabilization
  • Flip screen
  • Weather proof
  • Cons
  • Heavy
  • Average audio

Overview of the GoPro Hero 13 Black

GoPro Hero 13 Black☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 13 Black
GoPro's latest camera featuring 5.3K video, lens mods, super slomo
The Hero 13 is GoPro's latest high end action camera. It is only an incremental improvement over the past two models (the Hero 12 and Hero 11), but it is still the best action camera you can buy for most use cases.
  • Pros
  • Great 5.3K video
  • Super slomo (13x)
  • Lens mods with automatic detection
  • Great image stabilization
  • Integrated GPS
  • Cons
  • Ageing sensor
  • No 8K support
  • Low light performance

Comparison of the Ace vs the Hero 13

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Video performance

The Ace and the Hero 13 both offer HDR video. Both cameras feature slomo video. The two cameras have image stabilization.
Insta360 Ace
GoPro Hero 13 Black
5.3K video at 30fps
Max resolution
5.3K video at 60fps
4K 30fps
HDR video
5.3K 30fps
8x at 1080p
Maximum slow motion
13x at 720p
Flowstate
Stabilization
HyperSmooth 6.0
Why it matters: A high resolution will give you crisp footage but also allow you to reframe your video without losing too much quality. A higher framerate (fps) will result in smoother video and is important when filming action scenes or fast moving subjects. Image stabilization is a crucial feature for an action camera, as it removes camera shake, vibrations, rotation and other movements that deteriorate your final footage.

Battery life

The Hero 13 offers a slightly better battery capacity. Both cameras have removable batteries.
Insta360 Ace
GoPro Hero 13 Black
1700mAh
Battery capacity
1900mAh
Removable
Removable battery
Removable
100min at 4K30fps HDR
Battery life
150min at 1080p
Why battery life matters: Nothing worse than running out of battery just before capturing the best footage of the day! A long battery life is reassuring and convenient when shooting footage outdoors where options to charge are limited. Even the use of a power bank can be tedious or simply impossible like when filming watersports. Having removable batteries allows battery swapping on the go which further extends your runtime.

Storage

Neither camera features built-in storage. Both the Ace and the Hero 13 support SD cards. Both support up to 1TB.
Insta360 Ace
GoPro Hero 13 Black
No built-in storage
Built-in storage
No built-in storage
microSD
Storage format
microSD
1TB
Maximun storage supported
1TB
Why storage matters: High quality footage can quickly take up lots of space and insufficient storage can soon be frustrating. Having a large amount of storage and the possiblity to extend it or swap SD cards while on a outing will ensure you will always be able to capture the footage you want. However, smaller, wearable action cameras often rely on built-in storage because of their small size.

Weight and size

The Hero 13 is a slightly smaller camera. The Hero 13 weighs a little less than the Ace.
Insta360 Ace
GoPro Hero 13 Black
2.83in x 2.05in x 1.52in / 71.9mm x 52.15mm x 38.5mm
Dimensions
2.83in x 2in x 1.32in / 71.8mm x 50.8mm x 33.6mm
6.24oz / 176.8g
Weight
5.61oz / 159g
Why size and weight matter: Weight is important for action cameras because we often mount them on helmets, or hold them at the end of a selfie stick while moving. Therefore a heavier camera can be difficult or uncomfortable to film with. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.

Waterproofing and usage conditions

Both the Ace and the Hero 13 are waterproof to 33ft / 10m. Both the Ace and the Hero 13 are waterproof to 197ft / 60m with a diving case. The Ace is far better for extreme cold. The Ace beats the Hero 13 in high heat conditions.
Insta360 Ace
GoPro Hero 13 Black
33ft / 10m
Waterproof
33ft / 10m
197ft / 60m
Waterproof with diving case
197ft / 60m
-4°F / -20°C
Min operating temperature
14°F / -10°C
104°F / 40°C
Max operating temperature
95°F / 35°C
Why it matters: Most action cameras are waterproof for accidental splashing or use above water, but if you plan on Snorkeling or Scuba Diving, we recommend choosing a camera which offers a diving case and always using it for underwater footage. If you plan on filming Snowboarding, Skiing or other wintersports in extremely cold conditions, you should pick a camera that is rated for those temperatures, most cameras are only rated down to 14°F / -10°C. Many action cameras are prone to overheating, even in ordinary conditions, so if you plan on filming in hot environments, you should choose a camera that can function at high temperatures.

Camera and sensor technology

The Ace features a much higher resolution. The field of view of the Ace is a little better than the Hero 13's. The Ace features a much higher bit rate than the Hero 13
Insta360 Ace
GoPro Hero 13 Black
48MP
Pixels
27.6MP
157°
Field of view
148°
170Mbps
Video bite rate
120Mbps
Why it matters: A higher amount of pixels will offer better quality footage and higher resolution photos. A higher field of view means that the camera captures over a wider angle and therefore more action can be seen in the final footage. Some cameras require accessories to enable the maximum FOV. A higher bitrate at a similar resolution will offer higher quality video.

Camera settings

Both the Ace and the Hero 13 have the same ISO range. The Ace's +/-4 exposure compensation is far superior.
Insta360 Ace
GoPro Hero 13 Black
100-6400
ISO range
100-6400
+/-4
Exposure Compensation
+/-2
Why these settings matter: The ISO range and exposure compensation settings will mostly allow you to tweak your action camera for low light situations.

Insta360 Ace versus GoPro Hero 13 Black specifications

NameInsta360 AceGoPro Hero 13 Black
Year of release20232024
Width2.83in / 71.9mm2.83in / 71.8mm
Height2.05in / 52.15mm2in / 50.8mm
Depth1.52in / 38.5mm1.32in / 33.6mm
Weight6.24oz / 176.8g5.61oz / 159g
Waterproof33ft / 10m33ft / 10m
Waterproof with diving case197ft / 60m197ft / 60m
Min operating temperature-4°F / -20°C14°F / -10°C
Max operating temperature104°F / 40°C95°F / 35°C
Battery capacity1700mAh1900mAh
Removable batteryYesYes
Battery life100min at 4K30fps HDR150min at 1080p
Charging time70min (5V/3A)3h (5W)
Storage formatmicroSDmicroSD
Storage rating requiredV30 or UHS-3V30 or UHS-3
Maximun storage supported1TB1TB
Rear screen size2.4in2.27in
Front screen sizeYes1.4in
Field of view157°148°
Sensor1/2"1/1.9" CMOS
Pixels48MP27.6MP
ApertureF2.4F2.5
Focal length16mm12-39mm
ISO range100-6400100-6400
Video zoom4x2x
Color Depth8bit10bit
Video bite rate170Mbps120Mbps
Exposure Compensation+/-4+/-2
360-degree videoNoNo
5.3K video30fps60fps
4K video120fps60fps
2.7K video120fps120fps
1440p video60fps-
1080p video240fps240fps
Slow motion at 4K4x4x
Maximum slow motion8x at 1080p13x at 720p
HDR video4K 30fps5.3K 30fps
StabilizationFlowstateHyperSmooth 6.0
Horizon lockYesYes
Video formatH.265 (HEVC)H.265 (HEVC)
Live streaming-1080p30 (HyperSmooth) or 1080p60
Webcam mode-1080p30
Timelapse modeYesYes
Starlapse modeYesYes
Timeshift modeYesYes
Loop recording modeYesYes
Photo burst modeYesYes
RAW format supportedYesYes
Microphones33
Stereo audioYesYes
Noise reductionYesYes
Audio formataacwav
Audio input-Media Mod (H9B/H10B/H11B)
Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter
Audio bluetooth supportBluetooth headsetsAirpods and Bluetooth headsets
Wifi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
BluetoothBLE 5.2BLE 5.3
USBUSB-CUSB-C
GPS integratedNoYes
GPS pairingiOS Application
Android Application
-
Voice commandsYesYes
Gesture commandsYes-