GoPro Hero 4 Review: Specs Are Strong But Price Is Too High for Some

After several leaks and rumors, the GoPro Hero 4 is finally on the market. No more guessing - and now it's time to review what GoPro has in store for us this time.

The Hero 4 Black, which is also the flagship camera, performs significantly better than the previous version. Its features include a 4K30, 2.7K50 and 1080p120 video, 12MP photos up to 30 frames per second, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Protune for photos and video and waterproof capability of up to 131 feet or 40m. It is priced at $499.

The Hero 4 Silver, which is priced at $399, features a pro quality capture and a touch display convenience, according to the GoPro website. Besides that, it has a 1080p60 and 720p120 video capability. It also features12MP photos up to 30 frames per second, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Protune for photos and video, and is waterproof to 131 feet (40m), just like the Hero 4 Black.

Both cameras' video capabilities allow users to shoot HD videos and play them in HD TVs quite smoothly. It beats all other action cameras in the industry and it continues to gain more attention as more and more people discover the magic of using a GoPro.

However, the device is not perfect, and one problem that GoPro Hero users find troubling is the battery life. The new batteries have a power capacity of 1160 mAh, which is not that impressive. Users want a device that can last long even under intensive use, especially for a camera that people want to take out into the elements as an action camera.

Another problem highlighted by some is the price. Fans had hoped that the price for the action cameras, whose specifications are far from top tier cameras, would be lowered to keep them more competitive in the market. On the contrary, the new GoPro Hero 4 is sold at a whopping $500. People earlier expected that the price would go up, but not as much as to how much it costs today.

In comparison, Sony's flagship action camera has very competitive specs and yet sells for only $300.

Our verdict? GoPro is GoPro. The name has become what Kleenex is to facial tissue as far as action cameras are concerned it's the big daddy; but the price is not very reasonable, and makers are really playing off of their brand name now here in a similar way that people expect Apple devices to be more costly than other devices with sometimes superior specs.

Those who want a cheaper version, however, are able to opt for the GoPro Hero 4 Silver, which is a hundred dollars cheaper than the GoPro's flagship camera.