Sixmou i3 vs Insta360 Ace

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Overview of the Sixmou i3

Sixmou i3☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Sixmou i3
A thumb sized, budget action camera
The i3 is a thumb sized action camera that features 4K video recording. It's an all-in-one package with many accessories for people looking for a cheap wearable camera. It's lightweight and very simple to use and makes it an affordable alternative to the more expensive but also more capable Insta360 Go 3S.
  • Pros
  • Light & small
  • Lots of accessories
  • SD card included
  • Cons
  • Average performance
  • Average quality build
  • No screen

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

Comparison of the i3 vs the Ace

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Video performance

Only the Ace offers HDR video. Only the Ace features slow motion video. The two cameras have image stabilization.
Sixmou i3
Insta360 Ace
4K video at 30fps
Max resolution
5.3K video at 30fps
HDR video unsupported
HDR video
4K 30fps
No slow motion video
Maximum slow motion
8x at 1080p
Yes
Stabilization
Flowstate
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 Ace offers a much larger battery capacity. The Ace has a removable battery whereas the i3's battery is not removable
Sixmou i3
Insta360 Ace
800mAh
Battery capacity
1700mAh
Removable
Removable battery
Removable
90min for 4k and 150min for 1080p
Battery life
100min at 4K30fps HDR
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 i3 and the Ace support SD cards. The Ace supports a lot more storage than the i3.
Sixmou i3
Insta360 Ace
No built-in storage
Built-in storage
No built-in storage
microSD
Storage format
microSD
64GB
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 i3 is a lot more compact than the Ace. The i3 is a lot lighter than the Ace.
Sixmou i3
Insta360 Ace
1.1in x 2.48in x 0.71in / 28mm x 63mm x 18mm
Dimensions
2.83in x 2.05in x 1.52in / 71.9mm x 52.15mm x 38.5mm
1.27oz / 36g
Weight
6.24oz / 176.8g
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

The Ace is a lot more waterproof when using a diving case.
Sixmou i3
Insta360 Ace
Feature missing
Waterproof
33ft / 10m
131ft / 40m
Waterproof with diving case
197ft / 60m
Feature missing
Min operating temperature
-4°F / -20°C
Feature missing
Max operating temperature
104°F / 40°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

Sixmou i3
Insta360 Ace
Feature missing
Pixels
48MP
Feature missing
Field of view
157°
Feature missing
Video bite rate
170Mbps
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

Sixmou i3
Insta360 Ace
Feature missing
ISO range
100-6400
Feature missing
Exposure Compensation
+/-4
Why these settings matter: The ISO range and exposure compensation settings will mostly allow you to tweak your action camera for low light situations.

Sixmou i3 versus Insta360 Ace specifications

NameSixmou i3Insta360 Ace
Year of release20242023
Width1.1in / 28mm2.83in / 71.9mm
Height2.48in / 63mm2.05in / 52.15mm
Depth0.71in / 18mm1.52in / 38.5mm
Weight1.27oz / 36g6.24oz / 176.8g
Waterproof-33ft / 10m
Waterproof with diving case131ft / 40m197ft / 60m
Min operating temperature--4°F / -20°C
Max operating temperature-104°F / 40°C
Battery capacity800mAh1700mAh
Removable batteryNoYes
Battery life90min for 4k
150min for 1080p
100min at 4K30fps HDR
Charging time-70min (5V/3A)
Storage formatmicroSDmicroSD
Storage rating requiredUHS-3V30 or UHS-3
Maximun storage supported64GB1TB
Rear screen size-2.4in
Front screen size-Yes
Field of view-157°
Sensor-1/2"
Pixels-48MP
Aperture-F2.4
Focal length-16mm
ISO range-100-6400
Video zoom-4x
Color Depth8bit8bit
Video bite rate-170Mbps
Exposure Compensation-+/-4
360-degree videoNoNo
5.3K video-30fps
4K video30fps120fps
2.7K video-120fps
1440p video-60fps
1080p video30fps240fps
Slow motion at 4K-4x
Maximum slow motion-8x at 1080p
HDR video-4K 30fps
StabilizationYesFlowstate
Horizon lock-Yes
Video formatH.264 (MP4)H.265 (HEVC)
Timelapse mode-Yes
Starlapse mode-Yes
Timeshift mode-Yes
Loop recording mode-Yes
Photo burst mode-Yes
RAW format supported-Yes
Microphones-3
Stereo audio-Yes
Noise reduction-Yes
Audio format-aac
Audio bluetooth support-Bluetooth headsets
WifiYes802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth-BLE 5.2
USBType-C USBUSB-C
GPS integrated-No
GPS pairing-iOS Application
Android Application
Voice commands-Yes
Gesture commands-Yes