Smaller and lighter, but just as good? With the new Insta360 X4 Air, the manufacturer offers an interesting alternative to its own top model in the form of the X5 (our test). Both models record in 8K at up to 30 fps and use the same sensors, but the new X4 Air could be the more interesting 360-degree camera for many.
Technical data
| Product: | X4 Air |
| Dimensions: | 46 x 113.8 x 37 mm |
| Weight: | 165g |
| Sensor: | 1/1.8 inch (f/1.95) |
| Video modes: | Video mode: 8K: 7680 x 3840 @ 30/25/24 fps 6K: 6016 x 3008 @ 50/48/30/25/24 fps 4K: 3840 x 1920 @ 50/48/30/25/24 fps InstaFrame mode: 6K: 30/25/24 fps |
| Photo modes: | Approx. 29 MP (7680 x 3840) |
| Format: | Video: INSV; mp4 Photo: INSP; DNG |
| Audio: | 48 kHz; 16 bit, AAC |
| Battery: | Lithium-ion, 2,010 mAh |
| Connectivity: | USB-C 3.0 , WLAN, Bluetooth 5.2, microSD slot |
| Waterproof: | Up to 15m |
| Price: | € 399.00 * |
Insta360 X4 Air Review: design and workmanship
The Insta360 X4 Air is designed for ultimate portability and weighs just 165 grams, making it the manufacturer’s lightest 8K 360 camera. A significant advantage over its predecessor, the X4, but also over the X5, especially if you want to take the cam with you on the go. This weight reduction is the result of an intelligent design with a modular structure that enables interchangeable objective lenses and thus allows adaptation to different usage scenarios.
The dimensions of around 46 x 46 x 38 mm make it handier than a standard action cam and ideal for drone mounts, helmets or selfie sticks, where every gram counts. The practical test shows that this compactness is not at the expense of ergonomics: the camera sits securely in the hand and the matt, non-slip housing made of high-quality plastic prevents slipping even in sweat or rain.
The workmanship is impressive with its robust construction, which despite its low weight offers IPX8 water resistance to a depth of 10 meters, making it ideal for water sports such as surfing or snorkelling. The lenses are coated with an ultra-hard optical coating that resists scratches and abrasion and maximizes durability in harsh outdoor environments.
Modern connectivity rounds off the design: Bluetooth 5.2 and dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4/5 GHz) ensure stable connections to the app, while the USB-C port enables fast charging and data transfer. Another plus point is the vibrating status LED, which provides discreet feedback without creating a visual distraction.
Insta360 X5 vs Insa360 X4 Air: comparison and differences
| Feature | Insta360 X5 | Insta360 X4 Air |
| Sensor size & processing chips | Two 1/1.28″ sensors 2× Pro Imaging Chips 1× 5nm AI chip |
Two 1/1.8″ sensors 1× 5nm AI chip |
| 360 Video Max. Resolution/Frame Rate | 8K 30 fps 5.7K+ 30 fps 5.7K 60 fps |
8K 30 fps 6K 50 fps 4K 50 fps |
| PureVideo mode | ✓ | Ⅹ |
| weight | 200 g | 165 g* |
| Interchangeable lenses | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in windshield | ✓ | ✓ |
| Running time | 208 min. (5.7K 24 fps endurance mode, lab environment) |
88 min. (8K 30 fps, laboratory environment） |
| Waterproof | 15 m | 15 m |
| Stabilization | FlowState stabilization + 360° horizon lock | FlowState stabilization + 360° horizon lock |
| Insta360+ | ✓ | ✓ |
| price | € 589.99 * | € 399.00 * |
Operation of the X4 Air
The Insta360 X4 Air is operated in exactly the same way as the X4 and X5. It is primarily operated via a 1.37-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 326 ppi, which is razor-sharp and responsive despite its compact size. A simple tap of the finger switches between modes such as 360°, single-lens 4K or timelapse, and the visual interface with large icons makes it easy to operate even when wearing gloves. The horizon lock is activated automatically via FlowState stabilization, which guarantees smooth recordings during movement, whether running, cycling or skiing.
In addition to manual settings, the camera shines with AI-supported features: Portrait mode accurately recognizes faces and adjusts exposure and white balance for natural skin tones, ideal for vlogs. Audio options such as wind noise reduction and voice enhancement improve recordings in noisy environments, while PureVideo mode optimizes low-light scenes.
The mode overview is logically structured, with quick access to slow-mo (up to 200 fps in 3K) or hyperlapse, and the quick start button allows you to record in under 2 seconds, which is particularly suitable for capturing spontaneous moments with children or animals.
App and software
The Insta360 app is the heart of the system and transforms raw footage into polished videos with Auto Edit & FlashCut. AI analyzes highlights, adds music, transitions and effects, which is pleasantly fast. Functions such as Shot Lab offer ready-made templates for trends such as Me-Time or Bullet Time, which interact seamlessly with the hardware. Cloud export with 200 GB storage (1 year free) enables editing on the go.
Insta360 Studio for Desktop extends this with professional reframes, keyframe animations and H.265 encoding for smaller files in high quality. Here too, the software has a lot to offer and works flawlessly compared to its counterpart from some other manufacturers. AdaptiveTone dynamically adjusts exposure and colors, while ghosting reduction improves 360° stitching. The app supports AR effects and export in 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1, with a direct upload function to YouTube or TikTok.
Battery life
With 8K 360° recordings, the 1350 mAh battery lasts for around 88 minutes of continuous recording, which in practice is enough for sessions of 1-2 hours. If you want to get more out of it, switch to the energy-saving modes and reduce the resolution to 5.7K, which can then achieve a runtime of around 110 minutes.
If you record with only one lens in 4K, on the other hand, you will achieve a runtime of around 100 minutes. Overall, the battery life is therefore at a good level, but is significantly lower than that of the Insta360 X5 – which also has a larger integrated battery due to its larger dimensions. No wonder then.
PD 30W charging fills the battery fully in 35 minutes, with 80% in 25 minutes – a game changer for action missions. At 4K/60fps, the runtime drops minimally, cold temperatures reduce it by 20%, but the thermal protection reliably prevents overheating-related shutdowns.
Image quality of the Insta360 X4 Air
The key strength of the Insta360 X4 Air is of course the 8K 360-degree video resolution(7,680 x 3,840 pixels at 30/25/24 fps) in this compact format, which is of the utmost importance for the image quality of 360-degree recordings.
The higher resolution in 8K format accordingly creates a much larger buffer for reframing classic videos. This means that the resulting “flat” videos in 4K or 1080p resolution have a significantly higher level of sharpness and detail and the image section can be freely selected.
The camera is equipped with two 1/1.8-inch image sensors and is therefore smaller than the X5. No wonder with the more compact housing. However, anyone expecting a noticeable step backwards in terms of image quality will fortunately be disabused. In terms of image quality, the new Air model even outperforms the X4, which is particularly impressive considering its size.
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In fact, the image quality in good lighting conditions is almost on a par with the X5, with the only clear differences being in night shots or in low light. Even at dusk, image noise and lower contrasts become apparent. If you want to get the maximum out of this, you have to go for the X5.
A noticeable difference to the flagship can be seen in lower reserves for extreme reframing sections or more subtle color and contrast representations, but the general sharpness and detail reproduction is at an equally high level. However, slow-motion recordings are not possible with the X Air. These are reserved for the X5.
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To optimize image quality in difficult lighting conditions, the X4 Air features AdaptiveTone technology and Active HDR. These functions dynamically analyze the scene and automatically adjust exposure, colors and contrasts to noticeably expand the dynamic range and prevent overexposure or underexposure. Although the camera does not have the dedicated “PureVideo” mode of the top model, it delivers pretty good low-light performance.
The improved noise reduction algorithms ensure that shots taken at dusk or at night remain amazingly low-noise and retain more detail, which is a clear improvement over older, smaller models. In addition, the single lens mode offers a high resolution of 4K at 60 fps, which makes the X4 Air also usable as a powerful, conventional action camera.
Insta360 X4 Air Review: Conclusion
Anyone who was afraid that the new Insta360 X4 Air was just a slimmed-down model of the X5 has been proved wrong. The new 360-degree camera is smaller and lighter, although the compromises in image quality are absolutely limited. Surprisingly, the Air even delivers more detail and better videos than the old X4. The image quality in combination with the compact dimensions and low weight make the X4 Air an interesting alternative for anyone who wants to travel as light as possible.
And yet there are still good reasons to perhaps go for the top model in the form of the Insa360 X5. This offers a much better battery life, the option of slow-motion recording and significantly better low-light performance. However, those who can do without these features will undoubtedly enjoy the Insta360 X4 Air.
- Pleasantly light and compact
- 8K video
- Good image quality in daylight
- Strong stabilization
- Attractive price
- No slow-motion recordings
- Mixed low-light performance
- Poor battery life
Insta360 X4 Air
Workmanship
Software & functions
Image quality
Audio quality
Value For Money
91/100
With the X4 Air, Insta36 delivers a surprisingly compact and lightweight 360-degree camera that scores with good image quality and successful operation.
