GoPro Hero 11 vs GoPro Hero 8: Worth the Upgrade?

Wondering whether to choose the GoPro Hero 11 vs GoPro Hero 8? You have landed at the right place.

Launched in 2019, the GoPro Hero 8 was a favorite for its image quality and performance. Fast forward to 2022, the GoPro Hero 11 Black has significantly advanced the action camera space with enhanced speed, stabilization, and sensor capabilities.

In this post, you’ll learn about all the differences between the GoPro Hero 11 Black and the GoPro Hero 8 Black to understand whether the upgrade is worth it or not.

GoPro Hero 11 vs GoPro Hero 8: Specs Comparison

Here’s the full specs comparison of GoPro Hero 11 Black vs GoPro Hero 8 Black:

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

SPECIAL SALE

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

−20%

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Check out the current price of the GoPro Hero 8 Black on Amazon:

GoPro HERO8 Black - Waterproof Action Camera with Touch Screen 4K Ultra HD Video 12MP Photos 1080p Live Streaming Stabilization

• HyperSmooth 2.0: HERO8 Black has three levels of stabilization: On, High and Boost....
• Streamlined Design: The re-imagined shape is more pocketable, and folding fingers at...
• Expandable Mods: Vloggers, pro filmmakers and aspiring creators can do more than ever...

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Key Differences

Here are the key differences between the GoPro Hero 11 Black and the GoPro Hero 8 Black action cameras:

Design

Hero 11 Black is around ten percent bigger

The GoPro Hero 11 Black is around ten percent bigger as compared to the Hero 8 Black. As a result, it offers a bigger touchscreen (2.27 inches) as compared to the Hero 8 Black’s touchscreen that’s sized at 1.95 inches. When it comes to the front screen, the Hero 11 Black features a full-color front screen, which also acts as a selfie screen. The Hero 8 Black, however, features a monochrome front display.

The GoPro Hero 11 Black is a little bit heavier than the Hero 11 Black, but the difference is almost negligible. Other than that, a lot of things, including the battery door, USB port, micro-SD slot, etc. remain the same.

Camera Specs

Hero 11 offers a significantly higher resolution

When compared to the Hero 8 Black which can only manage a maximum of 4K resolution at 60fps, the Hero 11 with its all-new 1/1.9 inch sensor is capable of shooting at up to 5.3K/60fps. When it comes to still shots, again the Hero 11 Black can capture pictures at a whopping 27-megapixel resolution as compared to 12 megapixels on the Hero 8.

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

With the Enduro battery, Hero 11 offers improved performance in cold and moderate temperatures

The GoPro Hero 11 Black has an improved battery capacity at 1720mAh, as compared to 1220mAh on the Hero 8 Black. This translates to a roughly 30% boost in power. Apart from a bigger battery size, the Hero 11 Black features a new Enduro Battery which dramatically improves performance in cold and moderate temperatures.

You can significantly extend the battery life of your GoPro with these additional batteries

Speed

Thanks to the GP-2 processor, Hero 11 doubles the performance of that offered in Hero 8

The GoPro Hero 8 features an older and slower GP-1 processor. The Hero 11 Black, on the other hand, is powered by the ultra-fast GP-2 processor by GoPro. It drastically changes the speed and thus offers a better user experience.

In addition, the Hero 11’s new interface makes the overall camera performance faster and smoother.

Stabilization

HyperSmooth is upgraded on Hero 11 for steadier video

The GoPro Hero 11 offers an upgraded stabilization system – HyperSmooth 5.0. It results in noticeably smoother footage. With Horizon Lock, you can achieve 360-degree rotation while keeping the footage stable.

If you want to know more about Hypersmooth 5.0 read this article: GoPro Hero 11 Hypersmooth

When compared to the older version – Hypersmooth 2.0 on the Hero 8 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.

To learn about stabilization for Hero 11 read: 11 Killer GoPro Hero 8 Settings

Low Light Performance

Hero 11 offers improved low-light performance 

With 10-bit color processing, the Hero 11 Black offers far more vibrant pictures hands down. Compared to Hero 8, the Hero 11 Black definitely takes the first spot.

Hero 11 offers 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. All this makes dark shots on Hero 11 all the more eye-catching.

Do you want to learn more about new amazing low light settings? Read this article: GoPro HERO 11: Best Night Settings for Low Light.

 Is it Worth Upgrading from Hero 8 to Hero 11?

The significant feature upgrades on the GoPro Hero 11 Black (as discussed above) definitely make it a more appealing option as compared to the Hero 8 Black. Its stabilization is the best you’ll have on any action camera to date. The UI is incredibly smooth and the camera powers right up to begin shooting. 10-bit color means it is capturing a billion colors compared to 16 million from the Hero 8, so you get more contrast and range when editing. Lastly, if the resolution matters a lot to you, then you can’t go wrong with the Hero 11 Black featuring 5K video resolution and 27-MP resolution for stills.

Of course, good things come at a price. The Hero 11 Black is much pricier than the Hero 8 Black.

So, if you have the budget for it, then I would advise you to definitely upgrade to the new Hero 11 Black. If not, then staying with the Hero 8 is not too bad also. The Hero 8 is still an absolute monster! It is one of the lightest/most compact cameras capable of 4k/60 or even 1080/240. the stabilization is also top-notch even by today’s standards. So, make your decision accordingly.

Thanks for reading!

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