GoPro Hero 10 Black vs Hero 9 Black: What's the difference?

(Pocket-lint) - GoPro has precocious announced a caller camera called the Hero 10 Black. It looks precise overmuch similar the Hero 9 that came earlier it, but comes with a big of caller features and capabilities. 

When the institution announced the Hero 9 Black successful 2020, it came with a full caller design, a 2nd colour surface and tons of large features. So it was improbable GoPro would rip it each up and commencement again with different wholly caller design. However, its caller GP2 processor has enabled overmuch much almighty show with higher framework rates and amended debased airy performance. 

So what precisely has changed betwixt the Hero 9 and Hero 10, and should you upgrade to the caller model? Find retired much below. 

Design 

• Hero 10: 153 grams 
• Hero 9: 158 grams
• Both: Waterproof to 10m/33ft
• Both: Removable lens covers
• Hero 10: Hydrophobic and scratch resistant lens cover

It's successful the plan that we spot precise small antithetic betwixt these 2 models. That's unsurprising though, particularly since the Hero 9 Black was the archetypal large plan alteration successful a fig of years. 

With the 2020 model, GoPro made the camera bigger and added a colour show to the beforehand truthful that you could usage it for framing yourself. It besides added a caller removable lens cover, making it easier to swap it retired for a antithetic lens oregon a caller 1 if the archetypal 1 brakes. 

Speaking of lens covers, the caller Hero 10 screen has been redesigned to marque it much durable. Not lone is it much scratch resistant than the Hero 9's, it's besides much hydrophobic truthful that h2o volition glide disconnected it much easily. You'll besides spot reduced ghosting with video changeable done it. 

From a purely ocular point, the lone existent quality is that GoPro's logo connected the beforehand and the Hero logo connected the broadside is agleam bluish alternatively of white. The outer framework of the camera is darker and has a somewhat rougher texture, and it is astir 5 grams lighter. Otherwise, it's practically identical. 

Both cameras are waterproof to the aforesaid 10 metre/33ft depth, and some person the aforesaid artillery doorway plan connected the 1 broadside and h2o transmission connected the other. Plus, they some person the built-in mounting arms connected the underside, meaning you don't request immoderate further cases to equine it to GoPro accessories. What's more, the Hero 10 is compatible with each Hero 9 Black Mods similar the further lights, microphones and display. 

Video and photograph capture

• Hero 10: 5.3K/60fps, 4K/120fps, 2.7K/240fps
• Hero 9: 5.3K/30fps, 4K/60fps, 2.7K/120fps
• Hero 10: 23MP photos and up to 19.6MP framework grabs
• Hero 9: 20MP photos and up to 14.7MP framework grabs

When it comes to video capture, GoPro's latest camera boasts doubly the show of its predecessor. What that means is that - acknowledgment successful portion to the caller GP2 processor - it tin sprout astatine doubly the framework rate. 

While the Hero 9 could grounds 5.3K video up to 30fps, the Hero 10 tin sprout that solution astatine 60fps. What's much utile is that it tin sprout 4K astatine up to 120fps, versus 60fps connected the Hero 9. The larger sensor and processor besides alteration higher solution inactive framework grabs. 

For instance, if you sprout astatine 5K successful 4:3 ratio you tin export a inactive 19.6-megapixel frame. Compare that to the 12-megapixel 4:3 framework drawback from 4K connected the Hero 9 and you get a batch much detail. In 16:9 astatine 5.3K solution it tin framework drawback 15.8-megapixels versus 14.7-megapixels connected the Hero 9 shooting 5K. 

GoPro says it's besides improved the debased airy show truthful that sound levels are a batch little connected the Hero 10 too. 

Stabilisation, features and battery 

• Hero 10: HyperSmooth 4.0
• Hero 9: HyperSmooth 3.0
• Both: 1720mAh battery
• Hero 10: Horizon level tilt bounds 45-degress
• Hero 9: Horizon level tilt bounds 27-degrees

As mentioned, the Hero 10 has been equipped with a caller encephalon which GoPro calls the GP2. Hero 9 features the GP1. It's enabled a fewer improvements, including a faster refresh complaint show connected the beforehand of the camera for smoother real-time framing. As for the rear display, that's got improved interaction sensitivity, to marque it much responsive. 

It besides means GoPro has been capable to present what it calls HyperSmooth 4.0. This is the awesome electronic/algorithm based stabilisation which makes footage smooth. HyperSmooth 4.0 is disposable successful its "high-performance setting" erstwhile shooting 5.3K/30, 4K/60 and 2.7K/120 footage. It's besides enabled a overmuch much susceptible skyline levelling feature, which tin tolerate being tilted up to 45-degrees, compared to conscionable 27-degrees connected the Hero 9. 

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Both cameras diagnostic stabilised time-lapse video and velocity ramping, conscionable similar the Hero 9, and besides features the quality to livestream and usage it arsenic a webcam. Both cameras besides diagnostic the aforesaid battery. 

GoPro has said that wireless transfers to your telephone are quicker present though, and the Hero 10 tin automatically upload to your GoPro Cloud. 

Price

• Hero 10: £379 with a subscription, £479 without
• Hero 9: £349 with a subscription, £449 without

The Hero 9 heralded a caller mode of buying a GoPro. If you purchased it alongside a GoPro subscription, you could prevention wealth connected the archetypal outlay. Hero 10 is disposable the aforesaid way, but it is much costly than the erstwhile camera. 

In the UK, the Hero 10 costs astir £30 much to bargain than the camera that came earlier it, truthful that spec boost comes astatine a cost. 

Conclusion 

It's wide the Hero 10 Black has a batch much nether the hood than the Hero 9 Black that came earlier it. With faster framework rates disposable astatine higher resolution, there's a batch of flexibility to what you tin bash with it. Plus, with a hydrophobic lens and improved debased airy performance, there's a batch to emotion astir it. 

The Hero 9 Black is inactive a precise susceptible enactment camera though and not to beryllium overlooked. Especially present that it's much than a twelvemonth old, due to the fact that that usually means you tin find it cheaper than erstwhile it archetypal launched. And with the caller camera costing much than the Hero 9 did astatine launch, that could inactive beryllium a sensible option. 

Writing by Cam Bunton. Originally published connected 16 September 2021.