Best GoPro 2025: Tried and tested models for you
Picking the right GoPro for your needs can be a challenge. Here's our guide to the best GoPro action cameras we’ve tested and reviewed
While the best GoPro action cameras are particularly popular with extreme sports enthusiasts, they’re just as useful for vloggers, commuters and holidaymakers. Offering high-quality video and audio along with numerous creative modes, it’s easy to see why these action cameras are so beloved.
However, the breadth of the GoPro range means that working out which model is right for you isn’t always straightforward. That’s why we’ve curated a list documenting the best GoPro action cameras we’ve tested. Each action camera featured in the roundup below has undergone our rigorous testing process, which involves experts using photo, video and usability tests to assess various factors including image stabilisation, connectivity, audio quality, battery life and durability.
You can find out more information about our testing procedure in the “How we test” section of this page, while our buying guide details the key things to consider before splashing out on a new GoPro. Seasoned action camera veterans, meanwhile, may wish to jump straight into our roundup of the best GoPro action cameras on the market.
Best GoPro: At a glance
| Best GoPro action camera | GoPro Hero 13 Black (£399) | Check price at Amazon |
| Best mid-range GoPro | GoPro Hero 12 Black (~£350) | Check price at GoPro |
| Best entry-level GoPro | GoPro Hero 10 Black (~£250) | Check price at Amazon |
How we test GoPros
In order to ensure we always provide you with the best advice, we extensively test every GoPro we recommend, putting each camera through its paces across a range of photo, video, and general usability tests.
To assess image quality, we capture video and still photographs in various lighting and environmental conditions. We take cameras off the beaten track to check out their image stabilisation efficacy. We also test their ability to record clear and usable audio. We perform battery tests to ensure the cameras can keep up with our demands, and we take care to look out for any potential overheating concerns, or practical limitations.
We also pit the latest GoPros against both their predecessors and their closest rivals, with these side-by-side comparisons available in our full reviews.
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The best GoPro cameras you can buy in 2025
1. GoPro Hero 13 Black: Best GoPro action camera
Price: £400 | Buy now from Amazon | GoPro
- Great for… Horizontal/vertical video versatility
- Not so great for… lilije
The number 13 might be unlucky for some, but not GoPro as its Hero 13 Black proves to be the best camera the company has ever made. It’s an iterative upgrade – GoPro hasn’t improved the resolution, changed the sensor or overhauled the image processor – but the upgrades it has made have made the camera better.
Top of the list is a series of new smart “HB Series” lens attachments, which includes a pack of neutral density filters and an exotic Macro lens with adjustable manual focus (NB: they’re optional extras). There’s also improved battery life, more effective cooling, and better slow motion recording, and GoPro has also added a magnetic latching system to the tried and tested, two-pronged folding leg system of old.
It must be said that rival action camera manufacturers such as DJI camera and Insta360 are catching up with GoPro in some areas, but the GoPro Hero 13 Black’s flexibility and upgrades means it’s still the best GoPro around.
Read our full GoPro Hero 13 Black review for full details
Specs – Sensor: 1/1.9in CMOS; Sensor pixels: 27 megapixels; Max recording resolution: 5K (60fps); Size (WDH): 71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm (WDH); Weight: 159g with battery; Waterproof: 10m; Warranty: One-year RTB
2. GoPro Hero 12 Black: Best mid-priced GoPro action camera
Price when reviewed: £290 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… image stabilisation, excellent video quality
- Not so great for… those on a budget
The GoPro Hero 12 Black isn’t the best GoPro any longer but it’s very close and it’s considerably cheaper than it was before the GoPro Hero 13 Black came out. It offers superb image stabilisation, stellar photo and video quality and a streamlined, easy-to-use user interface.
Spec-wise the Hero 12 supports 5.3K video recording at up to 60fps, 4K at up to 120fps and both 2.7K and Full HD clips can be recorded at up to 240fps. Like its predecessor, the Hero 12 Black features a near-square 8:7 native aspect ratio, giving you the ability to crop landscape and portrait orientation clips from the same take. GoPro’s latest stabilisation tech, HyperSmooth 6.0, is the most capable we’ve seen and 360-degree Horizon Lock ensures your recordings are always perfectly level.
Setting the Hero 12 apart from the flagship cameras that preceded it, GoPro has implemented some impressive efficiency improvements. During our testing, the Hero 12 Black managed to record continuously for nearly twice as long as the Hero 11 before the overheating warning kicked in. It also recorded for almost 50% longer before exhausting its battery.
The Hero 12 Black supports GoPro’s new Max Lens Mod 2.0 accessory, enabling an incredibly wide 177-degree recording mode and it’s also the first GoPro to support Bluetooth audio recording.
Read our full GoPro Hero 12 Black review
Key specs – Sensor: 1/1.9in CMOS; Sensor pixels: 27 megapixels; Max recording resolution: 5.3K (60fps); Size (WDH): 71.0 x 33.6 x 51.0mm; Weight: 155g; Warranty: One-year RTB
3. GoPro Hero 11 Black: Best mid-range GoPro (if you can’t get a 12)
Price when reviewed: £350 | Check price at GoPro
- Great for… appealing pricing, full 360-degree horizon lock
- Not so great for… Bluetooth support, heat and power management efficiency
When it comes to recording specifications, there’s little to separate the Hero 11 Black from the Hero 12 which means if you can get it for less, it’s worth choosing.
Both feature 8:7 aspect ratio image sensors, maximising cropping options during video editing. Both offer 5.3K60 and 4K120 video recording. And, while the Hero 11’s video stabilisation is a generation older, packing HyperSmooth 5.0, it still supports full 360-degree Horizon Lock.
The Hero 11 Black misses out on GoPro’s latest heat and power management efficiency upgrades, lacks Bluetooth support and Max Lens Mod 2.0 compatibility. But, unlike its successor, it retains GPS support and comes in notably cheaper.
If you can find it for less than the 12, the Hero 11 Black is a great way to score top-flight specs on a budget. Otherwise, buy the Hero 12 Black instead.
Read our full GoPro Hero 11 Black review
Key specs – Sensor: 1/1.9in CMOS; Sensor pixels: 27 megapixels; Max recording resolution: 5.3K (60fps); Size (WDH): 71.0 x 33.6 x 51.0mm; Weight: 155g; Warranty: One-year RTB
4. GoPro Hero 10 Black: Best entry-level GoPro
Price when reviewed: £250 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… action camera novices
- Not so great for… advanced features, battery life
It may a bit old now, but the Hero 10 Black is still one of the most capable action cameras on the market today.
Utilising GoPro’s GP2 processor, the Hero 10 is able to offer double the frame rates of the older Hero 9 Black, supports 5.3K video recording at up to 60fps and 4K video at up to 120fps. GoPro’s HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilisation tech is on-hand to keep your recordings exceptionally stable and there’s 45-degrees of horizon levelling available too.
The camera comes with both front and rear-facing colour LCD displays, is waterproof to 10m without the need for an additional housing and is compatible with GoPro’s latest Mod accessories, including the Max Lens Mod.
Read our full GoPro Hero 10 Black review
Key specs – Sensor: 1/2.3in CMOS; Sensor pixels: 23.6 megapixels; Max recording resolution: 5.3K (60fps); Size (WDH): 71.0 x 33.6 x 51.0mm; Weight: 153g; Warranty: One-year RTB
5. GoPro Max: Best GoPro 360 action camera
Price when reviewed: £479 | Check price at Currys
- Great for… versatility, image quality
- Not so great for… true 4K video
The GoPro Max is an action camera but not as you know it. With fisheye lenses mounted on the front and the back, it can shoot in all directions at once, including up and down.
The Max makes capturing superb-quality video and nd sharing the footage a breeze. 360 videos are stitched automatically in-camera, you can then opt to upload the files to YouTube as interactive videos that users can pan and zoom around in, or “reframe” the footage using GoPro’s smartphone or desktop app. Reframing allows you to take your favourite angles from within the 360 clip and export them as standard video files – essentially, it’s like filming with multiple cameras at once.
For more traditional videos, you also have the option of using a single lens and engaging GoPro’s incredible Max HyperSmooth stabilisation. Max HyperSmooth is not only capable of keeping your footage incredibly stable but it also offers a full 360 degrees of Horizon Leveling correction, ensuring your videos remain perfectly level too.
With six onboard microphones and a large built-in touch screen, the GoPro Max is one of the and most flexible action cameras we’ve tested. Originally released back in 2019, the GoPro Max is, however, getting a little long in the tooth now. While still a solid camera, unless you’re already deeply invested in the GoPro ecosystem, the more recent Insta360 X3 may represent better value for most users.
Read our full GoPro Max review
Key specs – Sensor pixels: 18 megapixels; Max recording resolution: 5.6K (30fps) 360-degree video; Size (WDH): 64 x 24 x 69mm; Weight: 163g; Warranty: One-year RTB
How to choose the best GoPro for you
GoPro’s current lineup consists of the flagship Hero 12 Black, mid-range Hero 11 Black, entry-level Hero 10 Black and the dual-lens GoPro Max 360 camera. GoPro also produces a compact, stripped-back Hero 11 Black Mini and, if you shop around, you can find the budget-friendly Hero 9 Black.
When shopping for your ideal camera it can be worth bearing in mind that the best GoPro for you may not be the most expensive model or the one capable of recording at the highest resolutions or frame rates. The ability to film high bit-rate, high refresh-rate 4K and 5K footage might sound appealing but remember you have to have plenty of disk space to store the files and your laptop or PC needs plenty of power to process and edit the footage once you’re back at base.
Indeed, for many, good-quality 1080p or 1440p footage still holds up well for sharing to social media and it’s a lot easier to edit, move around and upload than 4K or 5K. The good news is that even the cheapest GoPro cameras can do that, with even the old budget Hero 7 Silver models capable of recording all the way up to 4K30.
What the more expensive models do offer, however, is GoPro’s impressively effective HyperSmooth stabilisation. While older models still offer basic stabilisation, they’re unable to match the impressively steady results of the HyperSmooth stabilisation found in the newer Hero Black models. The latest flagship models even pack a nifty ‘Horizon Leveling’ feature, ensuring that your footage remains both smooth and level.
These days all of GoPro’s cameras are natively waterproof right out of the box and come with built-in mounting prongs for quick and easy set-up with GoPro’s near endless range of compatible mods, mounts and accessories.
