Insta360 X3 Review
Released on 8 September 2022, the X3 is the 360 camera Insta360 has since followed with four more X-series bodies. In 360 mode it records 5.7K at 30fps, writes H.264 at up to 120 Mbps and stops at ISO 3200. Two lines still go its way against the X4 that replaced it: an IP6X dust rating against IP5X, and a 0.3 m minimum focus distance against 0.6 m.
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The Verdict
The X3 is a two-lens 360 camera: 1/2-inch sensors behind f/1.9 lenses at a 6.7 mm equivalent, in a 114 × 46 × 33.1 mm body of about 180 g. In 360 mode it records 5.7K (5760 × 2880) at 30fps, 4K at 60fps and 3K at 100fps, and there is no 8K video mode — 8K appears only in timelapse. Stills reach 72MP (11968 × 5984) with DNG and a PureShot RAW mode, while the single-lens flat photo row in Insta360's own table reads N/A for this camera.
Read the codec and ISO lines before the resolution line. This camera writes H.264 only at up to 120 Mbps and stops at ISO 3200, where the X4 lists H.264 and H.265 at 200 Mbps and ISO 6400. Take it for wet and dusty work and for close subjects: IPX8 at 10 m bare and 50 m in the Dive Case, IP6X for dust, 0.3 m minimum focus and 81 rated minutes at 5.7K30. Skip it if you need 8K video, H.265, USB 3.0 offloading or flat stills. Checked on 25 September 2026, Insta360's German store still lists it as a live product with no discontinued or previous-generation wording.
- Overall
- 7.4/10
- Image quality
- 7.0
- Video
- 7.4
- Handling and build
- 8.0
| Imaging | |
|---|---|
| Released | 8 September 2022; Demon Slayer Edition 11 July 2023, Docusketch Edition 10 December 2024 (manufacturer hardware table) |
| Sensor | 1/2-inch, two lenses. Insta360 publishes no pixel count; the 48MP figure comes from TechRadar's review, not from the manufacturer |
| Lens | f/1.9, 6.7 mm equivalent in 35mm terms; minimum focus 0.3 m, where the X4, X4 Air and X5 are all 0.6 m |
| 360 stills | 72MP (11968 × 5984) and 18MP (5952 × 2976); INSP and DNG, plus RAW in PureShot Mode, which is editable only in desktop Studio |
| Single-lens stills | None published: the manufacturer's single-lens and flat photo row reads N/A for the X3, and Insta360's launch specification sheet lists no flat photo resolution either |
| Exposure | ISO 100–3200; shutter 1/8000–120s for stills, 1/8000 to the frame-rate ceiling for video; ±4EV; white balance auto or 2000–10000K |
| In-camera filters | Standard, Vivid, LOG (the X4, X4 Air and X5 read Standard, Vivid, Flat) |
| Video | |
| 360 video | 5.7K 5760 × 2880 at 30/25/24fps; 4K 3840 × 1920 at 60/50/30/25/24fps; 3K at 100fps. No 8K video mode |
| Single-lens video | 4K 3840 × 2160 at 30/25/24fps; 3.6K 3584 × 2016, 2.7K 2720 × 1530 and 1080p 1920 × 1088 all to 60fps — 4K is the one that stops at 30fps |
| Bullet Time | 4K at 120fps and 3K at 180fps (Insta360's own X3 launch specification sheet; separate from the 3K 100fps 360 video mode) |
| Timelapse | 8K and 5.7K, both to 30fps, at intervals of 0.2/0.5/1/2/4/10/30/60/120s. Timelapse is this camera's only 8K output |
| Bitrate and codec | Up to 120 Mbps; H.264 only. In the same table the X4 reads 200 Mbps with H.264 and H.265, the older X2 100 Mbps with both, and the X6 H.265 only |
| Shooting modes | 360: Video, Active HDR, Timelapse, TimeShift, Bullet Time, Loop Recording. Single lens: Video, Me Mode, Loop Recording. 360 writes INSV, single lens MP4 |
| Listed as not supported | Four rows in the manufacturer table read "Not supported" for the X3: PureVideo, InstaFrame, FreeFrame Video and single-lens Me Mode resolutions |
| Stabilisation | FlowState with Horizon Lock, on a six-axis gyroscope (hardware specification table). Horizon Lock crops: after rotation the system removes what falls outside the original rectangle |
| Audio | Wind Reduction, Stereo and 360 Direction Focus; 48 kHz, 16-bit, AAC |
| Body | |
| Screen | 2.29-inch LCD, 344 × 476 pixels (the X4 is 2.5 inches at 440 × 696) |
| Water and dust | IPX8: 10 m on its own, 50 m in the Dive Case — identical to the X4. IP6X for dust, where the X4 is IP5X |
| Lens guards | Mode set by hand from Auto, Sticky/Standard Removable, Premium Removable or No Lens Guards; the X5, X6 and X4 Air recognise the fitted guard themselves. The outer lens elements are not user-replaceable (TechRadar) |
| Mounting | 1/4-inch threaded port on the base (TechRadar); Tom's Guide describes a standard tripod screw mount there. The manufacturer table lists no quick-release mount for this camera |
| Size and weight | 114 × 46 × 33.1 mm; about 180 g, against 203 g for the X4 |
| Storage and wireless | No internal storage; microSD, UHS-I V30 or faster. Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; BLE 5.0; USB Type-C at USB 2.0 speed, where the X4, X4 Air and X5 are USB 3.0 |
| Operating range | Rated −20°C to 40°C, the same figure as the X2, X4, X4 Air and X5 |
| Power | |
| Battery | 1800 mAh; rated at approx. 81 minutes at 5.7K30 under Insta360's stated lab conditions — 25°C, 360 mode, powered on with the screen off, Wi-Fi on, standard bitrate and standard colour |
| Charging | Approx. 90 minutes at 5V/3A. The X4 carries 2290 mAh and charges at 9V/2A |
| Reviewer corroboration | TechRadar, after 45 minutes of continuous recording: the 81-minute rating is "not a work of fiction". Trusted Reviews found the same claim accurate in its own tests |
What Stands Out
- IP6X for dust, a step above the IP5X of the X4 that replaced it, with the same IPX8 water rating: 10 m bare and 50 m in the Dive Case
- Minimum focus 0.3 m, half the 0.6 m listed for the X4, X4 Air and X5
- 360 stills at 72MP (11968 × 5984), in INSP and DNG, with a PureShot mode that writes RAW
- 81 rated minutes at 5.7K30 from 1800 mAh, and both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews reported the rating holding in their own runs
- 8K timelapse to 30fps and Bullet Time at 4K 120fps and 3K 180fps, in a 180 g body with a 1/4-inch thread on the base
Trade-offs
- 360 video stops at 5.7K 30fps; 60fps means dropping to 4K and 100fps means 3K. The X4 records 8K at 30fps
- 120 Mbps and H.264 only, against 200 Mbps with H.264 and H.265 on the X4; ISO stops at 3200, where the X4 and X5 reach 6400
- Single-lens 4K is capped at 30fps, and TechRadar's own listed drawbacks are "Single lens 4K videos are soft" and "Detail processing can look more synthetic than GoPro's"
- Four feature rows read "Not supported" — PureVideo, InstaFrame, FreeFrame Video and single-lens Me Mode resolutions — and no flat photo resolution is published at all
- USB 2.0, BLE 5.0 and a 2.29-inch 344 × 476 screen, against USB 3.0 and 2.5 inches at 440 × 696 on the X4; lens guard mode has to be set by hand and the outer lens elements are not user-replaceable
In Depth
5.7K30 is the ceiling, and 8K only appears in timelapse
In 360 mode the X3 records 5.7K at 5760 × 2880 and nothing faster than 30fps. Frame rate costs resolution: 4K 360 (3840 × 1920) reaches 60fps, 3K reaches 100fps. There is no 8K video mode on this camera. The single place 8K appears is timelapse, which runs at 8K and at 5.7K, both to 30fps, with intervals from 0.2 to 120 seconds. Bullet Time sits in Insta360's launch specification at 4K 120fps and 3K 180fps, which is a different mode from 3K 100fps video. Single-lens capture tops out at 4K 3840 × 2160 at 30fps; 60fps starts at 3.6K.
120 Mbps and H.264: this camera's own line, not its age
The bitrate ceiling is 120 Mbps and the codec list has one entry, H.264. Along the same manufacturer row the X4 records 200 Mbps, the X5 and X4 Air 180 Mbps, and the X2 100 Mbps. The codec row is where the tidy generational story breaks: the X2, released in 2020, lists H.264 and H.265, and the X6 lists H.265 only. H.264 at 120 Mbps is this camera's own combination. ISO behaves the same way — it stops at 3200 here, the X4 and X5 reach 6400, and the later, cheaper X4 Air also stops at 3200.
What the 81 minutes covers, and where heat is unsettled
Insta360 rates the 1800 mAh battery at about 81 minutes at 5.7K30 and publishes the conditions: 25°C in a laboratory, 360 mode, powered on with the screen off, Wi-Fi on, standard bitrate and standard colour. That is a standard-bitrate number, not a worst case. Two reviewers checked it and agreed: TechRadar called the rating "not a work of fiction" after 45 minutes of continuous recording, and Trusted Reviews found it accurate in its own tests. Charging takes about 90 minutes at 5V/3A. Heat is the part that is not settled. Insta360's troubleshooting article lists the X3 among the affected models, and Trusted Reviews says the camera can be prone to overheating if a continuous shot runs too long; TechRadar reports the opposite, seeing no overheating messages after filming constantly for 45 minutes at 5.7K.
Two lines where the X3 is ahead of the X4
Dust and close focus. The X3 is rated IP6X where the newer X4 is IP5X, and its minimum focus distance is 0.3 m where the X4, X4 Air and X5 are all 0.6 m. Water sealing is identical on both, IPX8 at 10 m bare and 50 m in the Dive Case, and so is the 1/2-inch sensor size. Most of the rest of that comparison runs the other way: 8K30 against 5.7K30, 2290 mAh and 135 minutes against 1800 mAh and 81, a 2.5-inch 440 × 696 screen against 2.29 inches at 344 × 476, and USB 3.0 against USB 2.0. The X3 is the lighter body, 180 g against 203 g.
Stitching, lens guards and the front element
Insta360 states that the stitching used for in-camera playback and preview has limited capabilities, and recommends viewing and exporting in the app or in Insta360 Studio, which can apply AI Stitching or Optical Flow Stitching. Lens guard mode feeds into that: on the X3 it is chosen by hand from Auto, Sticky/Standard Removable, Premium Removable or No Lens Guards, while the X5, X6 and X4 Air recognise the fitted guard themselves, and selecting a guard mode with no guard fitted is listed as a cause of stitching anomalies. The guards carry the load because the glass behind them is fixed: TechRadar states there are no removable, replaceable outer lens elements here. Horizon Lock costs frame by design, cropping what falls outside the original rectangle after rotation.
How this score is put together
7.4 out of 10
- Image quality Weight 25% 7.0
two Type 1/2 sensors
- Video Weight 20% 7.4
5.7K 360 degrees
- Handling and build Weight 20% 8.0
FlowState, 2.29-inch touchscreen, 10 m waterproof
Scored against action and 360 cameras. The overall figure is the weighted mean of the rows above — it is computed, not set by hand.
How It Compares
| Spec | Insta360 X3 | Insta360 X4 | GoPro MAX 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 1/2" | 1/2" | 1/2.3" x2 |
| Video | 5.7K 360° | 8K30 360° | 8K30 360° |
| AF Points | |||
| IBIS | — | FlowState | — |
| Buy | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon |
Recommended Accessories
Essential gear to maximize your Insta360 X3 experience:
SanDisk Extreme 256GB microSD
There is no internal storage, and Insta360 asks for UHS-I V30 or faster for a camera that writes up to 120 Mbps.
Insta360 Invisible Selfie Stick
The base carries a 1/4-inch thread and the specification table lists no quick-release mount, so a threaded stick is how this body gets held.
Ulanzi MT-79
Timelapse intervals run out to 120 seconds, which means the camera has to stand still for long stretches.
More gear guides: Best TripodsBest Camera BagsBest SD Cards
FAQ
Does the Insta360 X3 shoot 8K?
Not as video. The 360 video ceiling is 5.7K (5760 × 2880) at 30fps, with 4K 360 at 60fps and 3K at 100fps, and the manufacturer's table lists no 8K video mode for this camera. 8K exists in exactly one place: timelapse, which runs at 8K and 5.7K, both to 30fps, with intervals from 0.2 to 120 seconds. Bullet Time is a separate mode at 4K 120fps and 3K 180fps. If 8K video is the requirement, that is the X4 line, not this one.
X3 or X4?
The X4 wins most of the comparison: 8K30 against 5.7K30, 200 Mbps against 120, H.264 and H.265 against H.264 alone, ISO 6400 against 3200, 2290 mAh and 135 rated minutes against 1800 mAh and 81, a 2.5-inch 440 × 696 screen against 2.29 inches at 344 × 476, and USB 3.0 against USB 2.0. Two lines go to the X3: IP6X for dust against IP5X, and 0.3 m minimum focus against 0.6 m. Water sealing and sensor size are the same on both, and the X3 is lighter at 180 g against 203 g.
Does it overheat?
The sources disagree, so treat it as conditional rather than settled. Insta360's own troubleshooting article lists the X3 among the affected models and names ambient heat, recording while charging, high-resolution shooting and external accessories as causes; its remedies are shooting in motion or in ventilated places, dropping the settings, cooling accessories, and breaks of 5 to 10 minutes about every 30 minutes. Trusted Reviews says the X3 can be prone to overheating if a continuous shot runs too long. TechRadar saw no overheating messages after filming constantly for 45 minutes at 5.7K, while noting the body gets warm quickly.
What happens if a lens gets scratched?
The outer lens elements are fixed. TechRadar's review states there are no removable, replaceable outer lens elements on this camera, and Insta360's replacement lens kit instructions exist for the X5, not for the X3. That puts the work on the lens guards, and on the X3 their mode is set by hand from Auto, Sticky/Standard Removable, Premium Removable or No Lens Guards. Getting that setting wrong has a visible cost: choosing a guard mode with no guard fitted is listed as a cause of stitching anomalies.
