The Insta360 X5 is the best overall 360 camera you can buy. Larger 1/1.28-inch sensors transform its low-light performance over the X4, it shoots 8K/30p that reframes to 2.7K flat, and it adds tougher waterproofing plus a replaceable-lens system. The trade-offs are the usual 360 ones: visible stitch lines on close subjects and heavy editing demands.
Full review
Real-World Performance
The Insta360 X5 is the camera nearly every reviewer crowns as the best all-rounder, and the consensus is hard to argue with. TechRadar, which gave it a full five stars, summed it up by saying the enhancements make the X5 the best overall 360 camera currently on the market, while noting that it may look virtually identical to the X4 but a number of meaningful improvements make it an all-round superior camera. The headline upgrade is the pair of larger 1/1.28-inch sensors, which improve image quality in all conditions but especially in low light, the one area where the X4 visibly fell short.
Tom's Guide, also awarding five stars, emphasized the practical capture chain: 8K/30p 360 recording allows for 2.7K reframed footage, still the best resolution you can get in 360 degrees. That matters because 360 video is almost always reframed into a flat clip for delivery, and the higher the capture resolution, the sharper your final output. In real use the X5 nails the core 360 workflow, from invisible-selfie-stick third-person shots to reframed action footage, with the slick automation Insta360 is known for.
Image Quality in Detail
The larger sensors are the story here. DC Rainmaker's head-to-head testing put the X5 at or near the top for low-light 360 capture, behind only the larger-sensor DJI Osmo 360 in the darkest conditions and comfortably ahead of the GoPro Max 2 once the light drops. In daylight the X5 produces clean, detailed footage with Insta360's pleasing color profile, and the 8K capture leaves plenty of headroom for punchy 2.7K reframes that look genuinely sharp on a phone or a TV.
Stills reach 72MP for highly detailed spherical photos, and the FlowState stabilization with 360 horizon lock keeps footage glassy-smooth even during running, biking, or mounting on a moving vehicle. The one persistent 360 caveat applies: the stitch line where the two lenses meet can show if a subject gets too close to the body, so you learn to keep the camera an arm's length from faces and foreground objects.
Build Quality and Design
The X5 keeps the familiar candy-bar X-series shape but hardens it in the ways that matter for an action device. It is waterproof to 15m without a housing, which DC Rainmaker and TechRadar both flag as a real advantage over the GoPro Max 2's shallower 5m rating, making the X5 the safer pick for snorkeling, watersports, and rain. The replaceable-lens system uses a simple tool-based twist-off mechanism that reviewers describe as reliable and affordable, and crucially it has not shown the condensation issues that have plagued the Max 2's tool-free lenses.
Insta360 also added a microphone wind guard that captures clean audio free from wind buffeting, addressing a long-standing weakness of 360 cameras used outdoors. The touchscreen, mounting fingers, and battery door are all well executed, and the overall package feels like a refined sixth-generation product rather than a risky redesign. Battery life is improved over the X4, though, as with every 360 camera, the highest-resolution modes still drain it quickly.
Where It Falls Short
No 360 camera escapes the format's inherent compromises, and the X5 is no exception. The visible stitch line on close subjects means you cannot frame tight, and the sheer data load of 8K 360 footage demands a capable phone or a reasonably powerful computer to reframe and edit smoothly; older devices will stutter. Battery endurance in the top modes is short enough that serious shooters carry spares, and the flagship trim sits at a premium price compared with the cheaper DJI Osmo 360.
There is also a learning curve. Getting the most out of the X5 means engaging with reframing, keyframing, and Insta360's editing ecosystem, which is powerful but not instant. Buyers who simply want point-and-shoot daylight clips with minimal editing may find the GoPro Max 2's straight-to-social workflow simpler, and pure photographers may prefer the Ricoh Theta X's no-stick spherical stills. None of this dethrones the X5, but it sets expectations.
How It Compares to Alternatives
Against the GoPro Max 2, the X5 wins on low light, waterproofing, and lens-system reliability, while the Max 2 counters with the best bright-daylight image quality and a tougher, more action-focused build. Against the DJI Osmo 360, the picture is closer than ever: the Osmo 360's bigger square sensor edges the X5 in the darkest scenes and its battery life is exceptional, but TechRadar and DC Rainmaker still give the X5 the nod overall on image quality and audio. The Insta360 X4 is simply a previous-generation version of the same idea, good but clearly bettered by the X5's sensors.
The Ricoh Theta X plays a different game entirely, prioritizing fuss-free spherical stills and virtual-tour work over action video. So within this list the X5's argument is breadth: it is the camera that does the most things well, from underwater to night to high-speed action, which is exactly why it holds the number-one spot across the major outlets.
Who It's Best For
The X5 is the default recommendation for anyone who wants one 360 camera to cover everything. Travelers, vloggers, mountain bikers, divers, and content creators who reframe footage for social all get the most complete package here, with the best blend of image quality, durability, low-light ability, and software. If you are buying your first serious 360 camera and want to be confident you picked the best, this is it.
It is a slightly weaker fit if your budget is tight, where the DJI Osmo 360 delivers most of the experience for less, or if you only shoot bright daylight action and value GoPro's simplicity and ecosystem. Pure photographers chasing spherical stills should look at the Ricoh Theta X. But for the broadest, most reliable 360 experience available today, the Insta360 X5 earns its place at the top.
Value at This Price
At its flagship price the X5 is not cheap, but it is the most complete 360 camera you can buy, and for most buyers that justifies the spend. You get the best blend of low-light image quality, 15m waterproofing, replaceable lenses, wind-guarded audio, and the most mature editing software, all in one device. The replaceable-lens system in particular protects the investment, since a scratched lens on a 360 camera would otherwise be catastrophic, and here it is a cheap twist-out fix rather than a write-off.
The main value challenger is the DJI Osmo 360, which undercuts the X5 and even leads it in the darkest scenes, so genuinely budget-focused buyers should weigh that option. But factoring in the lens replaceability, the deeper accessory and software ecosystem, and the all-round capability, the X5 holds its value well over a long ownership period. For a camera you will rely on across years of travel, action, and creative projects, paying the premium for the best all-rounder is a sound long-term decision.
Strengths
- +Larger 1/1.28-inch dual sensors deliver a dramatic leap in low-light image quality over the X4
- +8K/30p 360 capture reframes to a class-leading 2.7K flat output
- +Best-in-class waterproofing to 15m and a reliable tool-based replaceable-lens system
- +New microphone wind guard captures clean audio free from wind buffeting
- +Mature Insta360 app with the signature invisible selfie stick and deep editing tools
Watch-outs
- −Stitch line is still visible if a subject is too close to the camera
- −Reframing and editing 8K footage demands a powerful phone or computer
- −Battery drains quickly in the highest-resolution modes
- −Premium price for the flagship trim
How it compares
Beats the GoPro Max 2 in low light and waterproofing, and edges the DJI Osmo 360 on overall image quality and audio, though the Osmo 360 undercuts it on price. It is a clear generational step up from the Insta360 X4 thanks to larger sensors, and far more capable for action and video than the photo-focused Ricoh Theta X.
Who this is for
At a glance: Creators and adventurers who want the best all-round 360 camera for action, travel and low-light reframing.
Why you’d buy the Insta360 X5
- Larger 1/1.28-inch dual sensors deliver a dramatic leap in low-light image quality over the X4.
- 8K/30p 360 capture reframes to a class-leading 2.7K flat output.
- Best-in-class waterproofing to 15m and a reliable tool-based replaceable-lens system.
Why you’d skip it
- Stitch line is still visible if a subject is too close to the camera.
- Reframing and editing 8K footage demands a powerful phone or computer.
- Battery drains quickly in the highest-resolution modes.
Rating sources
“The biggest upgrade comes in the form of larger sensors, improving image quality in all conditions but particularly in low-light situations - an area where the X4 felt lacking. These enhancements... make the X5 the best overall 360 camera currently on the market.”
“8K/30p 360 recording allows for 2.7K reframed footage - still the best res you can get in 360 degrees. Thanks to larger sensors, low light performance is much better than ever before.”
“The X5 edges this category thanks to its superior waterproofing, and proven lens replacement system that doesn't seem prone to the condensation issues experienced with the Max 2.”
Our 4.8 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
