Insta360 has just fired a serious shot across the bow of the action camera market, revealing the Insta360 GO Ultra, the latest and most powerful evolution in its line of ultra-compact, hands-free cameras. Still impossibly tiny and designed to be worn anywhere, the GO Ultra packs serious professional-grade power, creating a worthy option for your cinematic experience when pocket-sized shooting.
For anyone who loves capturing life’s moments without having a bulky camera constantly in their hands, the new model is an essential piece of wearable technology, balancing minimalist design with heavyweight processing. I took the camera camping and found it to be an easy accessory to shoot the incredible wildlife in the area. Thanks to the combination of the detachable camera section and the magnetic pendant, I mangaged to have it on me when this Kangaroo hopped past me in the water, a beautiful memory captured, hands free, care free and organically.
Big Sensor, Tiny Body: 4K Is the New Standard
The biggest headline for the GO Ultra is the dramatic step-up in imaging quality. The camera boasts a 1/1.28″ sensor, which is a whopping 221% larger than its predecessor, paired with a brand-new 5nm AI chip. This hardware combination delivers imaging previously unimaginable in a camera of this size.
The new benchmark for the series is ultra-smooth, ultra-crisp 4K60fps video. This isn’t just about higher resolution; the new hardware enables advanced features like Active HDR and the impressive PureVideo mode. PureVideo uses cutting-edge AI algorithms to drastically reduce visual noise and enhance brightness, ensuring that quality doesn’t drop when the sun goes down, from the beach to the bonfire, your low-light footage should still pack a cinematic edge.
Wear It Anywhere, Go Everywhere
Portability has always been the GO series’ secret weapon, and the Ultra doubles down on this. Weighing just 53g, about the size of a smartwatch or, as Insta360 cheekily puts it, an Oreo, the Standalone Camera is built to disappear into your life. Its built-in magnetic base allows for instant, hands-free mounting on any metallic surface, or you can clip it onto the upgraded Magnet Pendant as I mentioned above for effortless POV shots.
To activate it unattached to the hub, its a simple single press for video or double tap for a photo on the camera units front button. This works well, but I learn’t when I got back to the hub that you need to use that second it gives you to get your fingers out of the way of the shot.
The accessory ecosystem opens up a world of creative angles. From the simple peel-and-use Sticky Tabs to the wholly original Toddler Titan Hat Clip, the GO Ultra is designed to capture the world from unique and organic perspectives, making your content stand out from the crowd.
The Action Pod, which hosts a convenient 2.5″ flip touchscreen (seriously everyone should copy this feature), connects via Bluetooth to broadcast a real-time feed from the Standalone Camera, making it easy to monitor and frame shots, even when the main unit is attached somewhere out of reach. The screen is super clear even with the sun out and is the gateway to the umbundance of features the device has to offer.
The GO Ultra is still at it’s core built for action. With IPX8 waterproofing, the Standalone Camera is ready for a raw dive down to 33ft (10m) underwater. This was why I was so care free on the Stand-Up Paddle Board as I knew that even if I fell in I’d get some great shots of my stack and maybe some fish.
Say Goodbye to Storage Woes and Hello to AI Editing
Insta360 has addressed a long-standing request from its users to provide storage flexibility. So, unlike the GO 3S, the GO Ultra ditches fixed internal storage in favour of removable microSD cards, supporting up to 2TB. This allows users to simply pop up the slide cover on the side of the camera, get out a full card and replace it with a new one in seconds, instantly solving storage.
Battery life also sees a welcome boost, with the Standalone Camera offering 70 minutes of run time, extended to a generous 200 minutes when paired with the Action Pod. When the power finally hits zero, the fast-charging system can get the Standalone Camera back to 80% in only 12 minutes, essential when you’re out living in the moment, but also a tad frustrating if you are too far from a power unit. I usually only shoot in small sections, so the battery can last me a whole day if I stay vigilant with the power button, but an external power bank might be a handy addition to your kit if you prefer longer hikes.
This is the first time I’ve used the accompanying Insta360 app and it feels like an intuitive experience. It leverages powerful AI to streamline the editing process. You can instantly turn hours of footage into shareable content with Auto Edit, or use the new AI Family Moments feature to collate all your loved ones’ magic milestones into a virtual album. For athletes, real-time data overlays from Strava or third-party devices (GPS, heart rate, speed) can be synced straight to the footage, perfect for sharing that personal best (PR).
As an editor, I prefer to do my own work, but I found the seemless transfer from the device to the app to be extremely reliable and high speed. There’s nothing worse than waiting for your footage to switch across and the Insta360 does a stellar job of it.
Viewers Won’t Forgive Poor Audio
For a camera this small, audio quality is often the biggest compromise. The Insta360 GO Ultra delivers surprisingly robust audio for its size, leveraging a sophisticated internal setup to capture clear vocals, making it highly usable for hands-free POV shooting. Its audio specs are strong, recording at 48 kHz, 32 bits, AAC, and while the built-in mic captures sound in Mono, the camera’s processing modes are key. You can select Voice Enhancement to focus on clear speech for vlogging or use Auto Wind Noise Reduction (with multiple strength settings) when you’re out cycling or running in breezy conditions. Crucially for serious creators, the Action Pod includes a USB-C port that supports external microphones (like the DJI Mic series or AirPods Pro 2), allowing you to bypass the built-in limitations and record true stereo audio for professional-grade sound quality. I’d actually recommend the seemless integration with the Insta360 Mic Air, which is designed to be as compact as a coin and is the perfect upgrade from the GO Ultra’s built-in mic.
The main reason I like the Mic Air though is it functions as a remote control as well, allowing you to start and stop recordings, toggle the noise cancellation, or mute the mic directly from the transmitter, which is exceptionally useful when the GO Ultra camera is out of reach.
Insta360 GO Ultra’s blend of heavyweight power, lightweight portability, and ease of use makes it a compelling choice for vloggers with active lifestyles or families wanting to capture those memorable moments. The beauty of the device is it pretty much comes with everything you need straight out of the box, but I would be looking for the Mic Air and the Mini 2-in-1 Tripod 2.0 Remote Kit as a nice little add on to complete the package. I keep thinking back to that moment with the Kangaroo and how I can now relive that memory over and over under that stunning sky, highlighted by the impressive visuals thanks to this device.
Check out the multiple bundles to suit your lifestyle here.
