90
Scott Gilbertson
Wired
“you have a compelling reason to upgrade if you haven't done so in a few years.”
Critical Assessment
What Critics Praise
- Front LCD screen for easier framing
- Larger rear display for better live‑view feedback
- Higher‑capacity battery with 30% longer runtime
- Supports Max Lens Mod for nearly hemispherical field of view
- TimeWarp 3.0 with real‑time and half‑speed slow motion
- Crisp 5K footage
Points of Contention
- Bulkier and heavier than Hero8
- Higher price
- No backward compatibility
- Limited 5K frame rate
- No mobile preview
- RAW color fringing
Professional Reviews
5 reviews from 5 critics89
RTINGS.com
RTINGS
“The GoPro HERO9 Black is the 2020 flagship action camera from GoPro.”
85
Becca Farsace
The Verge
“The GoPro Hero 9 is more robust in almost every way: bigger battery, bigger body, bigger video and photo resolutions.”
80
Daven Mathies
Digital Trends
“The Hero9 Black is as good as it gets, but its major improvements hold little real‑world benefit over the Hero8.”
80
Mark Wilson
TechRadar
“The GoPro Hero 9 Black is the most powerful and versatile action camera you can buy, but for most people its predecessor offers better value.”
