GoPro Hero 11 vs GoPro Hero 7: Should you Upgrade?

Looking for the comparison in between GoPro Hero 11 vs GoPro Hero 7? 

You are at the right spot!

Introduced in 2018, the GoPro Hero 7 Black was a top action camera with excellent image quality and performance. Even now it remains solid in specs, but the GoPro Hero 11 Black has raised the bar with enhanced speed, stabilization, and sensor improvements.

In this post, you’ll learn about all the differences between the GoPro Hero 11 Black and the GoPro Hero 7 Black to understand whether or not to upgrade.

GoPro Hero 11 vs GoPro Hero 7: Specs Comparison

Here’s the full specs comparison of GoPro Hero 11 Black vs GoPro Hero 7 Black:

Check out the current price of the GoPro Hero 11 Black on Amazon:

GoPro HERO11 Black - Waterproof Action Camera with 5.3K60 Ultra HD Video, 27MP Photos, 1/1.9" Image Sensor, Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization

• Capture. Charge. Get a Highlight Video Automatically
• Revolutionary New Image Sensor
• Unbelievable Image Quality

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Check out the current price of the GoPro Hero 7 Black on Amazon:

GoPro Hero7 Black — Waterproof Action Camera with Touch Screen 4K Ultra HD Video 12MP Photos 720p Live Streaming Stabilization

• HyperSmooth: Get gimbal‑like stabilization—without the gimbal. HERO7 Black...
• TimeWarp: Capture super stabilized time lapse videos while you move about a scene....
• Live streaming in 720p: Share while you’re there. Live stream in 720p on social,...

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Key Differences

Here are the key differences between the GoPro Hero 11 Black and the GoPro Hero 7 Black action cameras:

Design

Hero 11 Black is significantly bigger!

Design-wise, the two cameras look very different. The GoPro Hero 11 Black is noticeably bigger as compared to the Hero 7 Black. It features a bigger touchscreen (2.27 inches) as compared to the Hero 7 Black’s 1.95-inch screen size. When it comes to the front screen, the Hero 11 Black features a full-color front screen, while the Hero 7 Black has a monochrome front display.

The GoPro Hero 11 Black is also a little bit heavier (153 grams) than the Hero 11 Black (116 grams). However, in several other aspects, like the battery door, USB port, micro-SD slot, etc., things remain the same.

Have a look at how the two cameras appear when placed alongside each other:

Camera Specs

Hero 11 has a higher resolution for both stills & videos

As compared to the Hero 7 Black which can only deliver up to a maximum of 4K video resolution at 60 frames per second, the GoPro Hero 11 has a lot more to offer. With its all-new 1/1.9 inch sensor, Hero 11 is capable of shooting videos at up to 5.3K resolution with 60fps frame rates. For stills, the Hero 11 Black has a whopping 27-megapixel resolution as compared to the 12-megapixel resolution offered by the Hero 7 Black.

With the introduction of Hyperview and 10-bit color processing on the Hero 11 Black, you can capture greater area in tight spaces, and over 1 billion shades of color for dynamic and vibrant content.

Battery

Hero 11 offers a bigger battery & enhanced performance in cold weather conditions

The GoPro Hero 11 Black features a bigger battery with a 1720mAh capacity, as compared to 1220mAh on the Hero 7 Black. That’s roughly a 30% boost in power. Apart from a bigger battery size, the Hero 11 Black’s Enduro Battery dramatically improves performance in cold weather conditions.

To extend the battery life of your GoPro, you can use these additional batteries

Speed

The new GP-2 processor on Hero 11 doubles the performance of Hero 7

Powered by the ultra-fast GP-2 processor, the GoPro Hero 11 Black is drastically speedier and offers a better, lag-free user experience. It is the fastest processor used by GoPro in its cameras. On the other hand, the older GP-1 processor that the GoPro Hero 7 uses is noticeably slower.

What’s more, the Hero 11’s new interface makes the overall camera performance even faster and smoother.

Stabilization

HyperSmooth 5.0 on Hero 11 offers steadier videos

The Hero 7 Black was the first GoPro camera to offer HyperSmooth stabilization. While it does a great job at reducing the shakes and stabilizing the camera, the upgraded stabilization system offered by Hero 11 – HyperSmooth 5.0 offers noticeably smoother footage in comparison. With Horizon Lock, you can achieve 360-degree rotation while keeping the footage stable.

If you want to learn more about Hypersmooth 5.0 check out this article: GoPro Hero 11 Hypersmooth (Tips for the best stabilization).

When compared to the older version – Hypersmooth on the Hero 7 Black – there is a visible difference when comes to stability, especially in rough activities. So, with Hero 11, you can now shoot carefree without worrying about blurry or shaky videos even on rocky terrains.

Low Light Performance

Hero 11 offers improved low-light performance 

Featuring 10-bit color processing, the Hero 11 Black offers far more vibrant pictures hands down. The Hero 11 Black definitely takes the first spot when compared to the Hero 7 Black.

With impressive new low light modes, namely Light Painting to create brush stroke effects with moving light in a dark environment, Vehicle Light trails useful in moving vehicles, and Star Trails to create some brilliant effects in the night sky, dark shots on Hero 11 feel all the more eye-catching.

Wondering how to set these amazing low light settings? Read this article: GoPro HERO 11: Best Night Settings for Low Light.

Should you Upgrade from Hero 7 to Hero 11?

The GoPro Hero 11 Black, with its awesome new features and high-end specs, is definitely a more attractive option as compared to the four year old Hero 7 Black. The stabilization on Hero 11 is the best you’ll have on any action camera to date. Its UI is incredibly smooth, and the 10-bit color ensures that it captures a billion colors compared to 16 million from the Hero 7. This gives you more contrast and range when editing. Lastly, when it comes to resolution, the Hero 11 Black features 5K video resolution and 27-MP resolution for stills.

Therefore, you should surely consider upgrading from Hero 7 to Hero 11. However, good things come at a price. The Hero 11 Black is much more expensive than the Hero 7 Black.

If you aren’t ready to spend that much on a new action camera and feel that your Hero 7 works good too, then I’d say that staying with the Hero 7 is not too bad also. It is one of the lightest/most compact cameras that can capture 4k/60 or even 1080/240 videos. With Hypersmooth, its stabilization is also pretty good.

Thanks for reading!

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