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GoPro Hero 11 Black
Our top pickThe GoPro Hero 11 Black takes things in a slightly different direction. Rather than chasing resolution and frame rates, it adds a new 8:7 sensor which allows you to crop into a variety of vertical and horizontal formats after shooting - perfect for social media aficionados.
Pros- New 8:7 sensor for versatile cropping
- New HyperView lens mode
- Best ever stabilisation
Cons- More expensive
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GoPro Hero 10 Black
Still excellentThe Hero 10 Black might be a bit older, but it's just as relevant as it ever was. It offers the same resolutions and frame rates as the newer model, and it has the same rugged chassis, too. Crucially, it's cheaper than ever, which makes it all the more tempting.
Pros- Excellent image quality and stabilisation
- Same resolutions and frame rates
- Cheaper than ever
Cons- FOV options more limited
The GoPro Hero 11 Black may no longer be the newest action camera on the block, the Hero 12 Black takes that spot, but it's still very much relevant, as is the Hero 10 Black. Both use the same chassis as the newer camera, so at first glance, it may appear that very little has changed.
However, when you look at what each camera is capable of, you'll notice the Hero 11 shares a lot more DNA with the current flagship, compared to the Hero 10. But there's more to the story than just that, as we'll uncover in this article.
Whether you're buying your first action camera, or considering upgrading, you're in the right place. We've compared these models head-to-head to see which one is deserving of your hard-earned cash. Let's dig in.
Specs, availability and pricing
The GoPro Hero 10 Black launched in September 2021, and has been available at retail ever since. The Hero 11 Black launched roughly a year later in September 2022 and is also available globally.
Both cameras launched with MSRPs of $499.99, or $399.98 with a GoPro subscription. However, there have been reductions in the time since. The Hero 11 Black now retails for $349 with no subscription required, and the Hero 10 Black goes for $249.
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GoPro Hero 11 Black GoPro HERO 10 Black Sensor Size 1/1.9 inch 8:7 1/2.3 inch 4:3 Video Resolution 5.3K 60fps 5.3K 60fps Photo Resolution 27MP 23MP Battery 1720 mAh Enduro 1720 mAh standard battery Size 71x55x34 mm 71x55x34 mm Weight 154g 154g Water Resistance Waterproof up to 10m Waterproof up to 10m Lens Replaceable hydrophobic lens protector Replaceable hydrophobic lens protector
Design, software and battery
When it comes to outward appearance, there's not much to talk about. All that has changed with the Hero 11 Black is that it now has "11" printed on the side. This means that both cameras benefit from fold-out mounting tabs, front and rear displays and replaceable lens covers.
The hydrophobic lens coating that was introduced with the Hero 10 has made its way over to the Hero 11 Black, too. It's a minor upgrade in the grand scheme of things, but it does make a pretty big difference to your footage, especially if you make a lot of water or snow sports videos.
The Hero 11 comes with GoPro's Enduro battery in the box, which was sold as an optional upgrade for the Hero 10. This battery has the same capacity as the standard battery, but uses a different chemistry, allowing it to last longer, particularly in cold climates.
Another big change with the Hero 11 is the way the menu system works. It now ships in Easy Mode which aims to simplify the user experience for newcomers. In this mode, you simply select between prioritising the highest quality or the best battery life, and the GoPro will figure out the rest. Of course, full manual controls are still available in the new camera, and switching to Pro Mode brings back the extensive options GoPro users are accustomed to.
Video and photo capture
The difference in video specs between the Hero 10 and 11 isn't quite as clear-cut as the jump from 9 to 10. However, in our opinion, the changes are often more significant to the final results with this generational leap.
The biggest change is that the Hero 11 uses a new 8:7 sensor, which is an unusual, almost-square, aspect ratio that isn't common on most cameras. While you're unlikely to use an 8:7 format for final delivery, the new sensor unlocks some very interesting and useful capabilities.
Firstly, recording in an 8:7 ratio allows you to crop your video to 9:16 for TikTok, 1:1 for Instagram and 16:9 for YouTube after the fact, with zero quality loss. It's extremely handy for content creators that use multiple platforms.
The new sensor format also meant that GoPro could create the HyperView digital lens. This works like SuperView but with significantly more height captured, as well as additional width, resulting in an extremely wide FOV with lots of distortion. It works fantastically with chest-mounted cycling videos, capturing significantly more of the surroundings and creating an energetic sense of speed.
The Hero 11 is also capable of recording 10-bit colour, which is a game changer for anyone who likes to colour grade their footage. It's more of a professional feature, and casual users are unlikely to benefit much, but for those who can take advantage, it's a serious step up.
The larger sensor also gives us a slight bump in photo resolution. The Hero 11 offers 27MP snaps, compared to the Hero 10's 23MP. What's more crucial, though, is that photos also utilise the entire 8:7 sensor, allowing for the same cropping freedom as 8:7 videos. Again, perfect for social media aficionados
Stabilisation and features
HyperSmooth 4.0 on the Hero 10 Black was the best stabilisation we had seen on an action camera, then, with the release of the Hero 11, GoPro once again bumped things up a notch.
With AutoBoost activated the GoPro will automatically, and smoothly, zoom in to the footage when it detects severe shaking to add more stabilisation. It works fantastically and it's definitely the best in-camera stabilisation that we've tested. That said, the Hero 10 is still impressive, it just depends on how much smoothing you need.
The 8:7 sensor has one more trick up its sleeve, too, and that's that it allows for full 360-degree horizon locking. This is something that could only be achieved with the Max Lens Mod on previous cameras. Comparatively, the Hero 10 Black is limited to tilting up to 45 degrees before it gives up.
In addition, the Hero 11 adds some brilliant long-exposure night photography modes. Our favourite is the new light painting mode, which automatically creates an animation of your sparkler or torch-drawn artwork, it's great fun to mess about with.
Conclusion
The right camera for you is all dependent on your needs. For us, the features unlocked by the 8:7 sensor are well worth the additional outlay. We especially enjoy using the new HyperView lens and the flexibility afforded by full-frame clips.
On the other hand, the Hero 10 Black still produces an absolutely superb image with excellent stabilisation and offers the same frame rates and resolutions as the Hero 11. Though, it's worth noting that SuperView is available in higher frame rates on the newer model, if you like that FOV.
At full pricing we'd suggest going for the Hero 11, however, if you see a good discount on the Hero 10, it's still a top-notch action camera that's well worth picking up.