The Insta360 X6 price starts at $699.99, $150 above the X5 it replaces. Insta360 announced the 360-degree action camera on August 12 and began selling it that day in black and white, according to The Verge. The pitch is familiar gadget math: a shorter, lighter body with larger image sensors and faster 8K capture. The bill, naturally, also got larger.
The X6 is one inch shorter and four grams lighter than the X5, The Verge reported. It is also slightly wider and thicker, so “smaller” needs the usual asterisk. Its rear touchscreen drops from 2.5 inches on the X5 to 2.32 inches, while changing from LCD to OLED.
How does the Insta360 X6 compare with the X5?
The central hardware change is a pair of custom Sony 1/1.1-inch square sensors, replacing the X5’s 1/1.28-inch sensors. The Verge puts the difference at 33% more sensor area. The X6 raises maximum 360-degree video from the prior models’ 8K at 30 frames per second to 8K at 50fps.
For slow motion, the camera can shoot its Bullet Time mode at up to 6K/120fps or 4K/240fps. Using only one sensor turns it into a conventional 2D action camera, with maximum modes of 5K/60fps or 4K/120fps. It can also take 120-megapixel 360-degree photos, or 42-megapixel photos from one side.
Those specifications do not settle image quality. Insta360 says the sensors take in four times as much light per frame as those in the X5, and says its imaging chips improve low-light denoising. Separately, BIKE magazine, which tested the camera in a cycling-focused review, reported visibly better low-light images and found the camera easy to use. That is one outlet’s early assessment, not a universal verdict on the company’s performance claims.
What else changes on the X6?
Insta360 retained replaceable lenses and claims the new replacements are five times more scratch-resistant and 60% cheaper. It also says the X6 is the first 360-degree camera to record Dolby Vision metadata in camera. Both are manufacturer claims awaiting wider testing.
The battery capacity rises to 2,600mAh from 2,400mAh on the X5. Insta360 says that produces up to 51% more recording time, estimating about 140 minutes at 8K/30fps. An optional Power Selfie Stick is claimed to add 180 minutes. Waterproofing is rated to 66 feet, according to The Verge.
Buyers can pay $799.99 for the Essentials Bundle, which adds a spare battery, an invisible selfie stick, a fast-charging case and other accessories. The X6 therefore offers a concrete upgrade in capture rates and sensor dimensions, while asking existing X5 owners to decide whether those changes clear a $150 price step.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
