The new $399 “Air” model keeps the flagship 8K recording but makes some strategic cuts to slow-motion and photo quality to hit a more accessible price point.

It feels like we just got our hands on the premium Insta360 X5, the company’s high-end 360-degree action cam that landed only six months ago. But in the fast-moving world of action cameras, Insta360 apparently isn’t taking a break.

The company announced it’s already back with a new camera, but this one isn’t a successor. It’s a new running mate.

Meet the Insta360 X4 Air. The name pretty much says it all: it’s a lighter, smaller, and—most importantly for many—cheaper alternative to its beefier siblings.

The headline-grabbing feature? It still shoots in glorious 8K resolution. The headline-grabbing price? A much easier-to-swallow $399.99. That’s a full $150 less than the top-tier $549.99 X5, making it a new, tempting entry point into high-resolution 360-degree video.

It’s launching around the world through Insta360’s online store in two colors: graphite black and arctic white. However, action junkies in the US and Canada will have to practice a little patience, as availability for those regions is still listed as “coming soon.”

So, what’s the catch? If the X4 Air shoots 8K, why would anyone still spend the extra cash on the X5 or even the original X4?

As always, the devil is in the details—specifically, the frame rates and photo quality.

Yes, the X4 Air captures massive, immersive 360-degree 8K videos, which is fantastic for reframing your shots later. But it tops out at 30 frames per second (fps). For most vlogging, travel, and action shots, that’s perfectly fine.

The compromise rears its head when you want that buttery-smooth slow-motion.

If you drop the resolution on the X4 Air to 4K, your frame rate maxes out at just 50fps. Compare that to the original X4 and the high-end X5, which can both hit a speedy 100fps at 4K. That 100fps capability is a huge deal for creators who love to capture fast action—like skiing, surfing, or motorsports—and slow it down dramatically without it looking choppy.

Want to get any slow-motion at all on the X4 Air? You can get 120fps, but you’ll have to switch to single-lens mode (using it like a regular action cam, not 360) and drop the resolution all the way down to 1080p.

The trade-offs are even more stark when it comes to photography. If you’re a 360-degree photographer who loves capturing high-resolution spherical images, this is almost certainly not the camera for you.

The X4 Air captures still photos at 29 megapixels. In a vacuum, that sounds like a lot. But when compared to the 72-megapixel images pumped out by both the X4 and X5, it’s a massive drop. That 72MP resolution gives you incredible flexibility to zoom in and “reframe” your photos after the fact, pulling out multiple high-quality traditional shots from a single 360 image. At 29MP, that flexibility is significantly reduced.

The sensor situation inside the X4 Air is… interesting. It features a pair of 1/1.8-inch sensors.

In a slightly confusing twist, these sensors are actually larger than the 1/2-inch sensors used in the older, original X4. Insta360 says this should help the X4 Air capture “better detail and more vivid color straight out of the camera” compared to the older model.

However, both are still dwarfed by the beefy 1/1.28-inch sensors packed into the flagship X5. Those larger sensors on the X5 are key to its superior performance in tricky, low-light conditions.

The takeaway here is simple: The X4 Air should produce vibrant, detailed footage in good daylight. But if you plan on shooting a lot at dusk, indoors, or at night, the X5 is still the clear low-light champion. You get what you pay for.

With a name like “Air,” you’d be forgiven for expecting it to float away. Well, not quite. The size and weight reductions are modest, not revolutionary.

• Weight: It clocks in at 165 grams, making it 30 grams lighter than the X4 and X5.
• Size: It’s about 10 millimeters shorter (113mm tall).

Is 30 grams (about 1 ounce) noticeable? You’d probably feel the difference in your pocket, and maybe at the end of a fully extended, three-meter selfie stick. It’s a “nice to have,” but perhaps not a game-changing reason to buy.

That slightly smaller body also houses a slightly smaller 2,010mAh battery. Despite the drop in capacity, the battery life seems surprisingly solid. Insta360 rates it for up to 88 minutes when recording at 8K/30fps, placing its endurance (as the company claims) somewhere in between the X4 and X5.

The smart compromise

Here’s the best news: Insta360 didn’t cut the features that really matter for day-to-day usability and, crucially, durability.

The X4 Air inherits one of the absolute best features from the high-end X5: user-replaceable lenses.

Anyone who has ever used a 360-degree camera knows the dread of scratching one of those bulging, exposed lenses. On many older models, that was a fatal, camera-ending mistake. On the X4 Air, you can just twist off the damaged glass and swap in a new one in seconds. This is a massive win for peace of mind.

It also keeps the removable lens guards introduced with the X4, giving you multiple options for protection.

Furthermore, the X4 Air matches the X5’s ruggedness. It’s waterproof to 49 feet (15 meters) right out of the box, no extra dive housing required. All the slick, hands-free recording options are still here, too, including gesture controls, voice commands, and the ability to just twist the selfie stick to start and stop recording.

Ultimately, the Insta360 X4 Air looks like a very smart play. The company is betting that a huge number of potential users want the magic of 8K 360 video but don’t necessarily need pro-level slow-motion or ultra-high-resolution photos.

By strategically trimming the specs that casual users and hobbyists might not even miss, Insta360 has kept the core 8K experience, added the must-have replaceable lenses, and made the whole 360-degree world $150 more accessible. For many, that’s going to be a compromise well worth making.