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HERO12 Black vs GO 3S
Quick take: The HERO12 Black has the highest resolution at 27MP; the GO 3S is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·5 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
HERO12 Black — Adventure, Sports & Travel Video: GoPro's best all-round action camera — better battery, 10-bit colour, and HyperSmooth 6.0 make it a genuine step forward.
Who should buy what
HERO12 Black (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
- Action and sports photographers who want the best stabilisation available
- Travellers who need a rugged waterproof camera for any conditions
- Cyclists, surfers, and skiers wanting helmet or handlebar footage
- Hero 11 owners considering an upgrade — notably better battery life
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | HERO12 BlackGoPro · 2023 | GO 3SInsta360 · 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £269Best |
| Sensor | 1/1.9" CMOS | 1/2.3" CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MPBest | 12.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K 60fps, 4K 120fps, 10-bit GP-Log | 4K 30fps |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | — |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (EIS) | FlowState (EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | — |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery)Best | 38 min camera / 140 min with Action Pod (Insta360) |
| Weight | 154g (with battery) | 39g (camera)Best |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | — |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | — |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | — |
| Mount | Fixed lens (12–39 mm-eq f/2.5) | Fixed lens (16 mm-eq f/2.8) |
| Memory Cards | 1× microSD (A2 V30) | No card slot: 64 or 128 GB built in |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | — |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
HERO12 Black
GO 3S
Sports & Action
9.0/10
—
Vlogging & Video
9.0/10
—
Travel
9.0/10
—
Underwater
9.0/10
—
Casual
9.0/10
—
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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