If you’re in the market for a discounted action camera, there’s a good chance you’re wondering which GoPro to buy during Black Friday deals season. And that’s a very fair question because, judging by previous Black Friday sales, the best deals won’t be limited to the latest GoPro models.
In fact, when the discounts start rolling in around Friday November 25 (the official date of Black Friday in 2022), we’d expect to see savings offered across GoPro’s current range of action cameras, including the top-spec Hero 11 Black, as well as the 360 Max and previous generations of its flagship Hero models.
To help direct your Black Friday bargain hunting, we’ve picked out the GoPro models we think will offer the best value this year's sales. In the midst of multiple discounts, it can be difficult to decide which option genuinely represents the best deal for your budget. That’s why we’ve set out the key factors to consider for each GoPro model, based on our reviews of each camera, as well as our experience of Black Friday GoPro discounts from previous years.
We think the best GoPro deals this Black Friday are likely to be found either by shopping at Amazon or buying direct with a GoPro Subscription. That said, we wouldn’t rule out finding bargains elsewhere. If you’re not sure what to expect or where to look for GoPro discounts, we’ve also put together a dedicated feature, packed with tips to help you find the best Black Friday GoPro deals.
Which GoPro cameras are available right now?
There are currently six GoPro cameras in the official line-up. Top of the range is the GoPro Hero 11 Black, GoPro’s most advanced action camera to date. GoPro also stocks the two previous generations of its flagship model, the GoPro Hero 10 Black and the GoPro Hero 9 Black.
New for 2022 is the GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini (below), a pared-back version of the main edition, with compact proportions that make for easier mounting. That's due to go on sale from November 18. GoPro also ships the Hero 11 Black in a Creator Edition bundle, which includes a battery grip, directional microphone and LED light, among other accessories.
Completing the range are the GoPro Hero 10 Black Bones, a lightweight, US-only model that's designed for drone videography, and the GoPro Max, which can capture immersive 360 video.
Older models are no longer officially available directly from GoPro. But there are still many to be found from reputable retailers online, including the GoPro Hero 8 Black and GoPro Hero 7 Black. In fact, those models could well be the sweet spot for value in this year's sales. Here are our top pick to target during this year’s GoPro Black Friday deals.
Which GoPro should you buy during Black Friday?
1. GoPro Hero 8 Black
- 4K/60p video
- Built-in mounting fingers
- HyperSmooth 2.0 stabilization
We reckon the GoPro Hero 8 Black is likely to represent the best outright value during Black Friday. Historically, retailers have offered big bundle discounts on cameras which have recently left GoPro’s official line-up. This year, that camera is the Hero 8 Black – and we think the former flagship still represents a whole lot of action camera, even three years after its release.
It doesn’t haven’t a front display and can’t record 5K video, but it is the model which introduced Mods and built-in mounting fingers. Its 4K/60p footage is as impressive as the video produced by the newer Hero 9 Black, plus it offers near-identical HyperSmooth stabilization across all frame rates.
Paired with the GoPro app, it remains a fantastic all-rounder for capturing adventurous video. We think it hits the real sweet spot between price and performance, especially if a Black Friday deal brings its standalone price below $250 / £250.
2. GoPro Hero 9 Black
- 5K/30p video
- Handy front display
- HyperSmooth 3.0 stabilization
The GoPro Hero 9 Black is the oldest model that's still officially sold by GoPro. At $300 / £300 with a year’s free GoPro Subscription, it’s also the joint cheapest together with the Hero 11 Black Mini. Unveiled in 2020, we’d expect it to become the most affordable model offered during GoPro’s Black Friday sale when bought with all the benefits of that GoPro Subscription. Which, it’s worth noting, can be canceled before it renews.
The Hero 9 Black wasn’t without its niggles at launch, as issues with auto exposure and an unresponsive touchscreen interface were apparent during our first review. Subsequent updates alleviated the worst of those snags, leaving the GoPro Hero 9 Black a versatile, pocket-friendly action camera.
Physically identical to the Hero 10 Black, it lacks that camera’s polished GP2 processor but ticks the boxes in most core respects. It has the same sensor as its successor, shoots sharp 5K/30p footage and offers impressive HyperSmooth Boost stabilization in all shooting modes. You also get a suite of software tricks and useful front display. If you can do without 5K/60p and 4K/120p options, Black Friday discounts should make it an even better value alternative to the Hero 10 Black.
3. GoPro Hero 10 Black
- 5.3K/60p and 4K/120p video
- Powerful GP2 processor
- HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization
Despite its updated sensor, the GoPro Hero 11 Black represents only an incremental upgrade from the GoPro Hero 10 Black. If you don’t need the option of 10-bit video or exporting from footage shot at an 8:7 aspect ratio, there’s every chance that the Hero 10 Black will offer better value for you when discounted during the Black Friday sales.
The GoPro Hero 11 Black does introduce a handful of features not found on its predecessor, including new Timelapse tricks, ‘Easy’ and ‘Pro’ menu modes, and 360-degree Horizon Lock without a Max Lens Mod. But the Hero 10 Black remains a very capable action camera in 2022. For starters, it maxes out at exactly the same resolution and frame rates as the Hero 11 Black: 5K/60p and 4K/120p.
If you’re shooting at those settings, both the 11 and 10 Black will apply the same Horizon Levelling smarts to keep footage level. And while you get HyperSmooth 5.0 on the 11 Black, our recent testing found that HyperSmooth 4.0 is still “some of the best action camera video stabilization tech around.”
In short, if you don’t need the absolute latest GoPro, but still want one that can shoot sharp, stable footage in all kinds of conditions, the Hero 10 Black is definitely one to watch during Black Friday. Intriguingly, it currently costs exactly the same as the Hero 11 Black on the GoPro website ($350 / £350). We would expect that to change as part of the Black Friday GoPro sales.
4. GoPro Max
- 5.6K 360-degree video
- Max HyperSmooth
- Only waterproof to 5m
As the only 360 camera in the GoPro line-up, the GoPro Max is the one to watch if you’re looking for a capable action camera that can record 5.6K footage in 360 degrees. Released in 2019, subsequent software updates have introduced new shooting abilities, including 360-degree Time Lapse functionality, to complement a feature set that was already comprehensive.
After three years, a sequel is certainly overdue, especially when compared to more recent rivals. Even GoPro’s own Hero models embarrass the Max when it comes to 2D shooting. But if you want a GoPro that can shoot 360 video for cropping and editing after the fact, the Max still gets plenty right.
During Black Friday last year, GoPro dropped the price of the Max to $400 / £380 with a GoPro Subscription. That’s now the standard cost of the model if you buy it directly from GoPro with a Subscription. We would expect it to be discounted further during Black Friday, especially with Insta360’s rival X2 and newer X3 offering sterling 360 competition at competitive prices.
5. GoPro Hero 11 Black
- New 1/1.9-inch sensor (5.3K/60p video)
- 10-bit color depth
- HyperSmooth 5.0 and Horizon Lock
As the current head of the GoPro family, there are good reasons why the GoPro Hero 11 Black could be top of your shopping list ahead of Black Friday this year. Our review found the Hero 11 Black to be an ideal action cam for shooting social footage, courtesy of a versatile new sensor which allows you to export a range of video formats from its 8:7 aspect ratio. It also introduces 10-bit video support for color grading, and bundles the beefier Enduro battery as standard. In short, it’s GoPro’s most complete action cam package to date.
Besides low-light performance, one of the biggest drawbacks we highlighted after testing the Hero 11 Black was its price. Even with various improvements, we felt that more affordable rivals offered better value. But that could change with the right Black Friday deal.
Ahead of Black Friday, GoPro has already reduced the price of the Hero 11 Black to $350 / £350 with a year’s free GoPro Subscription. At that price, it’s cheaper than the Hero 10 Black was last year, making it a very tempting proposition, especially with all the benefits of a Subscription included.
Last year, GoPro reduced the price of its then flagship Hero 10 Black with a Subscription by an additional $50 / £49 for Black Friday. If GoPro offers a similar reduction this year, that would price the Hero 11 Black at a very competitive $300 / £300. If you’re shopping for the very best action camera on the market right now, that would be a difficult deal to beat.
Should you wait for the GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini?
At $50 / £50 cheaper than the full version, the GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini objectively represents better value. But while it’s lighter and tougher than the standard edition, it sacrifices both the front and rear screens, in favor of a small readout. Unless it’s discounted by a larger margin than the Hero 11 Black on Black Friday, we’d focus our attention on the full-size version.
As for the Creator Edition, it already represents decent value for those who would make use of the included accessories, transforming the shooting experience for an additional outlay of $230 / £230. GoPro has historically offered generous discounts on its bundles for Black Friday, especially when bought with a GoPro Subscription, and we’d expect to see similar savings this Black Friday.
That said, it’s still worth considering whether your style of shooting will benefit from all of the peripherals included in the kit. If not, you’re likely to find better value by buying a standalone GoPro during Black Friday, then purchasing only the individual add-ons that you actually need.
Should you buy a GoPro Hero 7 Black during Black Friday?
Released in 2018, the GoPro Hero 7 Black requires some digging to find online. Yet if you want to bag a genuine GoPro bargain during Black Friday, it could be your best chance. Officially discontinued, we think some retailers could cut its price to clear the last of their stock.
Pick one up and you won’t be getting a cut-price action camera. Smaller than GoPro’s latest models, it’s waterproof without a case and sports a 1.95-inch touchscreen. Admittedly, it doesn’t sport the mod cons associated with newer editions. There’s no front display, no Mod support and the interface isn’t the slickest.
But if you want a cheap, rugged GoPro that shoots great 4K video, stabilized effectively by the first version of HyperSmooth, it’s arguably the best value GoPro you can buy today. If online stores do dig out their last remaining units for a Black Friday deal, we’d pay attention.
