Better battery despite two screens; Sharp and stable 5K video ; In-device horizon levelling;

Overheats after 30 minutes of 5K capture; Slightly narrower field of view than Hero8 Black; Bulkier than the dinky Hero8 Black;

The GoPro Hero 9 Black is the most powerful and versatile action camera you can buy, but for most people its predecessor offers better value. While the new sensor and front display are useful additions, the changes don't collectively represent a big leap over the Hero 8 Black. Its slightly unresponsive touchscreen is also a little frustrating, even if a firmware fix is en route. No other action can match the Hero 9 Black's skillset, but others do currently edge it for value.

5K video delivers more detail; Front display is handy for vlogging; Improved battery life; New software tricks;

Unresponsive touchscreen; Little improvement to 4K shooting; Still no 4K/120p mode; HEVC files need recent editing hardware

“The Hero9 Black is as good as it gets, but its major improvements hold little real-world benefit over the Hero8.”

Front screen; Larger rear screen; Higher-capacity battery; Supports Max Lens Mod; 24MP stills

Bulkier compared to Hero8; 5K video feels pointless; Incompatible with Hero8 Media Mod

For the first time in years, GoPro has changed the design of its flagship action camera. The Hero9 Black ($349.98 with one-year GoPro subscription) is a little bit bigger all around than last year's still-on-sale Hero8 Black. It utilizes the extra space well—pumping a bit of extra life into the battery, swapping the dated monochrome information panel for a full-color front display, and including support for add-on lenses. If those upgrades are compelling to you, it's another worthy offering from GoPro, but it has to compete with last year's fantastic Hero8 Black, priced $50 lower.A Bigger Hero The Hero9 sports a new chassis that's a bit larger than the previous generation, but it's still one of the smallest 4K cameras out there, and certainly the tiniest we've seen with support for 5K recording, at just 2.8 by 2.2 by 1.3 inches (HWD) and 5.6 ounces. The larger frame holds a bigger battery, a bigger rear touch LCD (2.3 inches), and, just like the rival DJI Osmo Action, a color di...

GoPro's Hero9 Black action cam delivers excellent, stabilized 5K video and ups still quality, but not everyone should spend more when the Hero8 Black is still available for less.

Up to 5K quality at 30fps; Front-facing color LCD; Exceptional video stabilization; Up to 240fps HD slow motion; Time-lapse, buffering, and HDR imaging; USB-C charging; Strong app support; Compact and waterproof

You'll likely want to carry extra batteries; Subscription service adds recurring costs; Discounted pricing not available from all retailers

With 5K recording, a front-facing screen and a bigger battery, GoPro’s Hero 9 Black is the best action camera yet

Fantastic video stabilisation; Practical front-facing screen; Improved battery life; Interchangeable lenses;

Touchscreen can be under-responsive; Won’t fit some older accessories;

The GoPro Hero 9 Black’s most important changes are to do with ease of use rather than image quality, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Longer battery life; Image quality and stabilisation are excellent; Useful front display

Similar 4K image quality to Hero 8 Black; but with greater contrast; The price jump is significant; Still pretty poor at night

This year’s Hero 9 dwarfs every action camera produced by GoPro so far. You will find genuine improvements in the Hero 9 like the use of front-facing screen from framing self-shots, a removable lens cover, the ability to record videos at 5K, capturing stills at 20MP, and the much loved HyperSmooth...

The GoPro Hero 9 Black’s most important changes are to do with ease of use rather than image quality, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Longer battery life; Image quality and stabilisation are excellent; Useful front display;

Similar 4K image quality to Hero 8 Black, but with greater contrast; The price jump is significant; Still pretty poor at night;

We like TimeWarp, it’s a fun feature that could be a good tool for storytelling. Although not groundbreaking, the low light performance was a stop greater than we expected and it’s easy to operate.

Just love this product Ever since I am just chill out