Insta360 X3 Review: The Most Universal 360° Action Camera Ever?

Action cameras have taken the video-making industry by storm. And with every passing day, they are becoming more and more capable. Insta360 is one of the pioneers of 360° action cameras, and its third generation, Insta360 X3, is better than ever. This is not the generation with little software and hardware upgrades; Insta has added and enhanced the camera in almost every department.

I am a big fan and heavy user of the Insta360 lineup and consider myself a person that can easily analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the action camera.

So, here is the comprehensive review of Insta350 X3.

Let’s Inspect!

Overview

In a hurry, read this short overview stating the pros and cons of Insta 360 X3.

Pros

Incredible Price
Larger lens with excellent image stabilization
Beautiful and robust waterproof body.
Considerably large screen.
Up to 5.7K image resolution.
Excellent mobile and computer app.
Sharp and detailed images and videos.

Cons

Lenses are scratchable
No wireless mic option.

Insta360 X3 – Price

Insta360 X3 – Incredible Price

The price was quite surprising for me. With all these upgrades in every department and 2022 market dynamics, Insta launched the camera at less price than the X2. The basic Insta 360 X3 is priced at 449$ only.

The features and excellent price of the camera make it almost on par with the GoPro Hero and DJI Action cameras. In fact, due to its panoramic orientation, it can record a lot more than the two mentioned.

Insta360 X3 – Unboxing

Insta360 X3 – Unboxing

The unboxing experience is nice, nothing extraordinary. A well-designed box with safely packed contents. I have the regular combo, but you can order optional accessories or packages from the link below.

We have the Insta360 X3, SD card, protective pouch, lens cap, lens cloth, and charging cable in the box. I have also ordered the excellent invisible stick. You can use your tripod or monopod, but invisibility is not guaranteed.

Appearance and Build Quality

GoPro Hero 10 and Insta360 X3

The appearance and build quality of the Insta360 cameras is something that I always admire. They have gone with the same design as X1 and X2, but the display has grown significantly, and the buttons are slightly realigned. Other than these changes, the layout is pretty much the same, batteries and ports on the right side, with a couple of control buttons and ports on the left side. The camera is pretty easy to use, and understanding the interface and options takes less than 5 minutes.

Big 2.29-inch Screen

The build quality of the Insta360 X3 is even better than its appearance. The body is totally waterproof without any case and does fine if you are diving for a few meters. The lenses are made from solid glass, but I recommend using a lens guard.

Technical Specifications

Image Sensor: ½-inch image sensor with F1.9 aperture and 72MP panoramic photos
Screen Size: 2.26-inch touchscreen
Video Quality: 5.7K in 360 and 4K in single lens mode
Active HDR: Yes
Waterproof: Up to 33 feet without any case
Battery: 1800mAh with 81 minutes run time
Weight: 180-grams
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Yes
Gyroscope: 6-axis gyroscope

Insta360 X3 – Features

The remarkable specs and improvements are astonishing as Insta has taken an enormous step forward while reducing the price. For me, it is the universal action camera. In single-lens mode, it is almost as good as GoPro and DJI action cameras, and in the dual lens, it has its own league.

Huge 72MP Shot

Insta 360 X3 is designed to reach infinite limits and impossible angles and allows you to easily reframe and edit video from your smartphone. You can export pictures and videos in both 9:16 and 16:9 formats. So, whether you are using it for Instagram, YouTube, or Tik Tok, the camera has got you covered.

In addition to excellent videos, the X3 can capture giant 360 72MP pictures. It has two modes single lens and 360. A single lens makes it a regular action camera with a vast field of view; just think of it as GoPro Hero 10 with Max Mod.

Bright and Crisp Active HDR

In addition to these modes, Insta has added many software features that make it more versatile and convenient. Like the Me mode, in which the camera automatically tracks you. The Active HDR has also been improved quite significantly. It is not great for every condition, but it makes a huge difference if you want to cover a wide dynamic range.

Insta360 X3 – Performance

All these specs and features are only helpful if the camera’s performance is really dope. But first, let’s learn how it works. There are two buttons under the 2.29-inch screen. The left is the shutter button, and the right enables you to switch modes. Insta 360 X3 also has a useful vibration motor.

Excellent Daylight Performance

The image quality of the camera is simply exceptional in daylight. It captures all the minute detail, has sharp colors, and has a high dynamic range. Here is the side-by-side quality of the Insta 360 X3 and GoPro Hero 10. The colors of X3 are clearly sharper and richer than Hero 10.

X3 and Hero 10 Low Light Comparison

On the contrary, Hero 10 is a better low-light camera. The details are well visible, and the colors are comparatively crisp and clear. Insta360 X3 is not as good; a little noise clearly affects the video quality.

It is fascinating to see how a sphere camera competes against the best action cameras in the world.

Insta360 App

Insta360 has both a mobile app and computer software to edit and export pictures and videos.

The Insta360 app is simply exceptional. It allows you to easily crop and reframe videos while rotating the mobile phone in a particular direction. It is an advanced editing app that makes the job considerably easier. The app has a number of templates and options to reframe, cut, crop, and add effects to the video. The app is great for social media creators.

Insta Studio Software

The computer studio software is a professional interface to add value to your videos. It has greater precision, options, and AI tracking features to make editing easier and more fun. The workflow is slightly longer as you import files to your PC, edit them, and then export them back to your mobile phone.

Downsides

Finding drawbacks in an excellent device is difficult, but there are a couple of areas where Insta can improve.

Lenses are scratchable
No wireless mic option

Conclusion

Insta360 X3 is not just an update; it is a huge step forward in the right direction. They have refined everything from hardware to software implementation. The phenomenal improvement like the large image sensor, better image stabilization, solid and waterproof body, 360 and single lens mode, 10% larger battery, and much more makes Insta360 X3 a universal action camera.

Where to Buy?

Place your order of Insta360 X3 here. Watch the video to learn more about the Insta360 X3.