The GoPro Hero9 Black is here, with a slightly updated design from last year’s Hero8, and, as long as you buy it bundled along with the a year-long subscription to the GoPro cloud service, a lower launch price too, $350.
The video specs and sensor have been upgraded. The Hero9 records video at 5K (at 24 or 30fps) and matches the Hero8’s video capabilities at lesser resolutions—up to 60fps at 4K, 120fps at 2.7K, and 240fps at 1080p.
It’s also capable of snapping stills at 20MP resolution, and can roll time-lapse footage at 4K with HyperSmooth stabilization.
Front-Facing Screen
GoPro action cameras have long featured an LCD on the front panel, next to the lens. But the tiny monochrome screen was only useful to show recording setting and status. The Hero9’s front screen is full color, so you can preview your frame.
Hero8 (left) vs. Hero9 (right)
The camera itself is a little bit bigger all around too, in order to make room for the front color LCD. It’s not a dramatic difference versus the Hero8; the new GoPro is still a very small video camera.
The larger frame houses a bigger battery—I netted longer recording times versus the Hero8 in tests—and the rear display and buttons are a little bit bigger as well.
Waterproof and Tough
The Hero9’s chassis is built to withstand tumbles and falls. It’s also waterproof, without the need for any sort of additional protection, and can go as deep as 33 feet underwater.
Mounting clips are integrated, so you don’t have to fumble with a frame. Add-on accessories, introduced with Hero8, continue as a concept, but you will have to upgrade your accessories for the new camera due to the change in size.
The Media Mod is the most intriguing for vloggers—it adds a higher-quality microphone to the system, as well as a couple of mounting points for the tiny Light Mod, one that adds continuous lighting to brighten a scene.
Despite including a front-facing LCD, you can also get a Display Mod for the Hero9. The hinged LCD ups the size of the front screen, and is 16:9, so you can preview your shot with proper framing.
GoPro Subscription
GoPro is rebranding its GoPro Plus subscription service—it’s now simply a GoPro subscription. If you buy the Hero9 Black the way most people will, you’ll get one year of service along with the camera. GoPro is also offering the Hero9 Black without the bundle, but at a $450 price that means that you’ll pay more and get less.
The GoPro service is beneficial, too. It includes unlimited cloud storage for video and images, two instances of no-questions-asked replacements of damaged hardware, and discounts on mounts.
It’s also useful if you’re a streamer—the Hero9 already works as a USB webcam for Zoom, Google Meet, and other chat apps. The GoPro service expands on the webcam functionality. It adds support for streaming to Facebook, Twitch, or YouTube, without the need to fiddle with OBS or another third-party application.
Review Coming Soon
The Hero9 Black is also available to purchase today, for $349.98 with a one-year GoPro subscription.
I’ve been using the camera for a couple of weeks now, and have generally positive impressions, but have experienced inconsistent response from the touch screen.
There’s often a bit of beta testing involved in review products before their release, though, so we’re holding off on publishing our findings until we’ve had a chance to take a look at a second unit of the camera. It’s set to be delivered today, so check back later for a more extensive look at the Hero9 Black.
