Insta360 X6 Review: What’s New & Is It Worth the Upgrade?

I genuinely did not expect to be this obsessed with the Insta360 X6.

Right now, I don't have one of those massive underwater camera setups with a big housing, strobes and video lights. It's something I'd love to build eventually, but underwater camera gear gets expensive FAST.

So when I'm diving, I need something small enough to actually bring everywhere, capable enough to get footage I'm excited to use, and ideally something that isn't going to cost me thousands of dollars before I even get it underwater.

Lately, the Insta360 X6 has become my go-to. So, what's actually new with the Insta360 X6, what difference does it make in the real world, and is it worth upgrading?

Why Shoot in 360 in the First Place?

If you've never owned a 360 camera before, this is probably the part that's hardest to understand until you actually start playing with one.

Because you're recording everything around the camera all at once, the number of shots you can create from a single clip is kind of ridiculous. As someone who creates a lot of content alone, that's HUGE. I can get shots of myself diving, while capturing wildlife that would normally require another person behind the camera.

Instead of spending an entire wildlife encounter staring at a little screen, I can hit record and trust that I'm capturing everything around me. I can take one clip and completely change where the camera is looking, follow an animal, turn around to my reaction, or create several totally different shots from the same moment.

It does mean there's a little more work to do afterward, but Insta360's app makes reframing surprisingly easy. And if editing isn't your thing, the X6 has a new AI Director that can actually find highlights, choose angles and automatically create an edited video for you while the camera is charging.

Personally, I love having the control to play with my footage afterward. I'd much rather spend time editing at home than spend an incredible dive staring at my camera screen.

The Upgrade I Care About Most: Low-Light Performance

If you shoot underwater, you already know that light and color disappear quickly as you descend.

Even on a beautiful sunny day, colors are absorbed at different depths, shadows get darker, and conditions that looked bright to your eyes can suddenly look a whole lot less impressive through a camera.

This is one of the biggest reasons I've been so impressed with the X6.

The X6 has new 1/1.1-inch sensors with 33% more sensor area, plus a new triple AI chip system with 500% more computing power. Add improved noise reduction, up to 14.5 stops of dynamic range and PureVideo for low-light shooting.

The low-light upgrades aren't just useful underwater. I tested the new Star Trails mode during the full lunar eclipse in my backyard and the result was shockingly good by what it created basically at the touch of a button.

Now I'm already imagining star trails camping over Baja cactus, the Milky Way from a liveaboard, or setting it up on some completely deserted beach. I bought this camera primarily for diving, but I love when a piece of gear immediately starts giving me ideas for things I wasn't even planning to shoot.

8K at 50fps Opens Up So Many Creative Possibilities

This might actually be my favorite upgrade.

The X6 can now shoot 360 video in 8K at 50fps.

And if you're wondering why I'm so excited about 50fps specifically, it's because it gives you the ability to slow footage down while still keeping movement beautifully smooth.

Underwater, that can look incredible.

Now We Have 10-Bit Color

This is probably one of the upgrades I'm most excited about as a photographer and creator.

The X6 now shoots 10-bit color with I-Log, which gives you much more information to work with when color grading. That's especially helpful underwater, where we're constantly fighting the loss of reds, oranges and yellows as we descend.

Shooting in I-Log gives me a much better starting point for creating an intentional, cinematic look without sacrificing as much image quality in the process. I can play with mood, contrast, tones and color instead of being locked into the look the camera created for me.

That's something I've really wanted from a 360 action camera like this and previously one of the biggest complaints I heard about the line of 360 cameras.

The New Pro Dive Case Is SO Much Better

If you're actually planning to scuba dive with the X6, the new Pro Dive Case might be one of my favorite upgrades.

The biggest difference is the size. The X6 Pro Dive Case is dramatically smaller and weighs just 225.8g compared to 420g for the previous X5 Pro case. When you're already trying to cram a BCD, regulators, fins and camera gear into a suitcase, that difference matters.

But my favorite detail might actually be the hard protective case it comes in.

The domes on a 360 dive case are basically giant scratch magnets, and scratching one can show up in your footage. Having a proper case to throw it into between dives and while traveling is such a simple, well-thought-out addition.

It's also rated to 60m / 197ft, while the X6 itself is waterproof to 20m / 65.6ft.

It just feels like Insta360 thought a lot more about how divers actually use their camera and how they are going to protect and travel with this thing.

The Underwater Stitching Is Better Than Ever

One of the challenges with any 360 camera underwater is stitching. Water refracts light differently than air, which can make the line where the two lenses meet much more noticeable.

That's exactly why the shape of the dive case matters. The new Pro Dive Case is specifically designed to improve underwater stitching, and honestly, this is some of the best underwater 360 footage I've gotten. Stitching has always been one of my biggest frustrations with 360 cameras underwater, and for the first time I feel like that frustration is finally gone.

I can swim alongside a shark, hold the camera out in front of me, or turn it back toward myself and get that crazy third-person perspective where the selfie stick basically disappears.

You can still confuse a 360 camera if something gets extremely close to the stitch line, but for the way I'm actually using it while diving, the stitching has gotten incredibly good.

Will the Battery Last Through a Dive?

The X6 is rated for up to 140 minutes of recording at 8K/30fps, compared to 93 minutes on the X5. And in real life, I can absolutely feel the difference.

With my X5, I always felt like I was watching the battery and trying to conserve it. By dive two, I was often bringing another camera because I wasn't confident the X5 would make it through the day.

With the X6, I can finally relax. I can take it out for a full day of diving, film when I want to film, and still come back with battery to spare.

And honestly, that's exactly the kind of upgrade I care about. I don't want to spend my dive thinking about my camera battery. I want to think about the dive.

Insta360 X6 vs X5 vs DJI Osmo 360 vs GoPro MAX2

After actually using the X6, the difference feels pretty significant to me. But if you're trying to decide whether it's worth upgrading from the X5, or choosing between the X6 and GoPro MAX2, here's how they stack up on paper.

So, Is the Insta360 X6 Actually Worth the Upgrade?

For me? Absolutely.

If you already own an X5 and only pull it out occasionally on vacation, you probably don't need to replace it. The X5 is still a capable 360 camera.

But after actually using both, the X6 feels like a massive upgrade to me.

I'm seeing a noticeable difference in the quality of the footage I'm bringing home. The low-light performance is better, 8K/50fps gives me more freedom with slow motion, 10-bit I-Log gives me so much more control over the final look, the underwater stitching has finally stopped frustrating me, and the battery lasts long enough that I'm not constantly thinking about whether my camera is going to die before dive two. The entire experience of shooting with it feels better.

Someday, I'll probably have that giant underwater camera rig I've been dreaming about. But even then, I think there will always be a place in my dive bag for a 360 camera.

Because I never want getting the shot to become more important than actually being there for it.

And right now, the X6 is giving me the best footage I've gotten from a 360 camera this small, without making me feel like I spent the entire dive trying to capture it.

So yes, if you're asking me whether the X6 is worth the upgrade, my answer is a very enthusiastic yes.

Ready to Try the Insta360 X6?

If you're thinking about picking one up, you can shop the Insta360 X6 HERE through my link and use code ANGELADIVES at checkout.

If you're planning to take it scuba diving, I definitely recommend grabbing the Invisible Dive Case Pro too.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my adventures and helping me keep creating reviews like this!