Why we chose this
We owned an X3 for two years and rarely used it past the first month, because the export workflow was just too slow and the resolution was just too soft for anything but social. The X4 fixes both. It's the first 360 camera that earns a permanent spot in the camera bag.
The review
The X4 is a meaningful upgrade in the only ways that matter for a 360 camera: resolution and battery. 8K capture means reframed standard-aspect footage is finally true 4K rather than the soft 1080p of the X3, and the new battery is 67% larger while the camera is only marginally heavier. Insta360's reframing app remains the killer feature — shoot once, decide framing in post, never miss the moment because you were pointing the wrong way — and the new AI tracking handles fast subjects (cyclists, skaters, dogs) significantly better. The new modular protective lens guards are a quiet but important addition: rather than risking the irreplaceable lenses on rocks, you swap in $30 sacrificial glass. We've used this for trail rides, ski days, and a couple of indoor concerts, and the workflow is now fast enough to actually post the same day.
