Head-to-head · Best Action Cameras Under $300

AKASO Brave 7 vs Insta360 X3

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Insta360 X3 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.1 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about vloggers and content creators who want drone-like third-person shots without an actual drone, and don't mind 360 post-production — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #5 in Best Action Cameras Under $300

AKASO Brave 7

4.1

$150

The Brave 7 is the budget pick that hits the price floor without giving up the basics. Dual screens, 4K30, EIS 2.0, and IPX8 waterproof rating at $150 is a hard combination to find. The trade-offs are predictable: stabilization is less smooth than GoPro's HyperSmooth 6.0, color science is less natural than DJI or GoPro flagships, and the cadence of firmware updates is slower. For first-time action cam buyers or backup-camera use, it's a reasonable value.

Strengths

— Cheapest pick in this round-up — about half the price of the DJI Osmo Action 4
— Dual screens (front + rear) for selfies — same vlogging-friendly setup as the Osmo
— 4K30fps with EIS 2.0 stabilization and 2x zoom

Watch-outs

— EIS 2.0 stabilization is visibly less refined than GoPro's HyperSmooth 6.0
— Max video tops out at 4K30 — no 5.3K like the Hero 12 Black or 4K120 like the Osmo Action 4
— Color science is less natural than DJI or GoPro flagships

$150 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Action Cameras Under $300

Insta360 X3

4.5

$250

The X3 is the category-different pick. Where the GoPro Hero 12 Black and DJI Osmo Action 4 capture flat video and require you to compose the shot live, the X3 captures the entire sphere and lets you frame the shot in post. The invisible-selfie-stick effect (Insta360's signature trick) creates drone-like third-person shots that nothing else in this round-up can match. The catch: 360 footage is editing-heavy, and the X3 isn't as sharp in single-lens 4K mode.

Strengths

— 360-degree capture — frame the shot in post and reframe after the fact
— Twin 1/2" 48MP sensors for 5.7K 360 video and 72MP 360 photos
— Insta360's invisible-selfie-stick effect creates third-person drone-like shots

Watch-outs

— 360 workflow is editing-heavy — non-flat footage needs reframing in Insta360 Studio
— Single-lens 4K mode is good but not as sharp as the GoPro Hero 12 Black
— Battery life of ~80 min in 5.7K mode is shorter than the GoPro Hero 12 Black or DJI Osmo Action 4

$250 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

AKASO Brave 7

Cheapest pick by a wide margin. Has dual touchscreens (matches the DJI Osmo Action 4, beats the GoPro Hero 12 Black and Hero 11 Black Mini). Stabilization is below the GoPro HyperSmooth 6.0 tier and the Osmo Action 4's RockSteady 3.0. The Insta360 X3 is a totally different category (360 vs flat).

Insta360 X3

The only spherical-capture pick in this lineup — different category from the flat-video GoPro Hero 12 Black, DJI Osmo Action 4, GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini, and AKASO Brave 7. Trade-off is workflow heaviness — sphere footage needs reframing in post. Battery shorter than any flat-video pick here.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	AKASO Brave 7	Insta360 X3
Max Video	4K30fps	5.7K 360 / 4K single-lens
Photo	20 MP	72MP 360 / 48MP single
Stabilization	EIS 2.0	FlowState
Zoom	2x	—
Waterproofing	IPX8 131 ft (40 m) with case	IPX8 33 ft (10 m)
Mic Input	External 3.5 mm	Via USB-C mic adapter
Screen	Front + Rear (touch rear)	2.29" rear touch
Sensor	1/2.3-inch CMOS	Twin 1/2-inch 48 MP
Battery Life	~90 min @ 4K	~80 min @ 5.7K
Weight	—	180 g

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