Why You Can Trust CNET GoPro's Hero 11 Black Mini 5.3K Action Camera Now Available for $400
After a small delay, GoPro's littlest camera with the video performance of the full-size Hero 11 Black is now shipping.
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The Hero 11 Black Mini has most of the capabilities of the 11 Black.
Alongside the release of GoPro's Hero 11 Black in September, the company announced the Hero 11 Black Mini, a compact cube camera that's 13% smaller in volume and weight than the full-size version but with the same video performance. That means it captures 5.3K-resolution clips at 60 frames per second, 4K at 120fps and 2.7K at 240fps.
The $400 (£400, AU$650) Mini has mounting fingers on the back and bottom, making it more versatile for putting it on a helmet or in tight spaces. Also, the camera is explicitly for action 100% of the time. If you're looking for a camera to shoot stationary video and in motion, you'll want the regular Hero 11 Black. The entire rear of the Mini is a heat sink and needs motion to help keep it cool enough to capture its high resolutions and frame rates.
Although there's a minuscule display on top to see your settings, there are no displays for previewing or reviewing shots. You'll need to connect to the Quik app for those, and you'll probably want to use the app for a majority of setting changes, too. With the exception of a small door covering the USB-C port and microSD card slot, the Mini is a sealed unit.
The battery is built in, which is a drawback, but you can expect continuous recording times of a little more than 60 minutes at its highest resolution and frame rates (5.3K, 8:7) to almost two hours at 1080p at 30fps. That's not bad given its size. Plus, since it is sealed and there's no big display, the Mini can handle more abuse than the regular Hero 11 Black. It's waterproof to 10 meters (33 feet) and the lens cover is removable.
We just got our hands on the GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini, so we'll have a full review soon. But if you've always wanted a smaller option for your helmet or unique shots not possible with the larger Hero 11 Black body, the Mini should be perfect.