The GoPro HERO 9 is amazing for action video. You can easily mount it to action cam mounts and objects like helmets or cars, and it's waterproof down to 33 ft. It also has an impressive digital video stabilization feature that helps smooth out camera shake, along with a horizon leveling feature.

Rugged, portable design., Impressive video stabilization performance., Lots of frame rate options in FHD., Waterproof.

Poor video quality in low light.

GoPro has been the industry standard for action cameras for over 15 years. It wasn’t until a few years ago that brands such as DJI and Insta360 began making action cameras with more features that challenged GoPro’s lead.

Crisp 5K footage; A useful front-facing screen; Still rugged build quality

More expensive than before; Slow HDR processing; Still needs a second battery for heavy use

More like an iPhone 13S. The generational upgrades for the iPhone 14 are limited to a few subtle changes. At the same time, however, the base price climbs to 800 USD, while the only true innovation happens inside the iPhone 14 Pro series.

excellent OLED display, dust- and waterproof, fast Wi-Fi, wide range of supported frequencies, great camera, very fast performance, good battery life

display limited to 60 Hz, charging rate limited to 20 watts, no macro lens, wide notch

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

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

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;

Just watch a couple you tube instructional vids...then start playing . Very good

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

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

With 5K video and a front-facing display, the GoPro Hero9 Black is the new action camera to beat. There are many imitators, but no one has yet come close to knocking GoPro off its perch as the best action camera, and that continues with the GoPro Hero9.

Smooth video, Front-facing screen, Intuitive interface

Heavy