 Let's go! Last year GoPro did a complete overhaul of the Hero lineup with the GoPro Hero 9. They added a front-facing screen, 5K filming, and more battery life. So this year's GoPro, the Hero 10, it feels a bit more iterative. It builds on the foundations laid by the 9. But while the $500 GoPro Hero 10 looks almost identical to the Hero 9, there is one big change inside that sets the stage for much bigger things to come. Although GoPro claims the Hero 10 is 3% lighter than the Hero 9, 153 grams versus 158 grams, it feels identical in my hands. There is one distinguishing feature between the two models though. It's the blue labeling on the Hero 10 as opposed to the silver decals on the Hero 9. There is that grippy rubber finish, stowable mounting prongs, two physical rubber buttons for power, mode switching, cording, two screens, and a latching battery, USB-C port, and microSD card slot compartment. GoPro claims the removable lens covers are more scratch resistant and water repellent, while at the same time producing less ghosting this year. I didn't have any trouble with my Hero 9's lens covers, but more protection is always welcomed. Now the GoPro Hero 10 uses the same batteries as the Hero 9, but because it can shoot at higher resolutions such as 5.3K 60 frames per second, you're going to see a lot more battery drain. And personally, I was using about two batteries a day in just casual use. Let's talk about that GP2 processor, baby. This is the first processor change to the Hero lineup since the Hero 6 that came out in 2017, and it provides a much needed speed update. First, GoPro claims that the Hero 10 can upload footage to your phone or the cloud 30% faster over Wi-Fi. And for the first time in the Hero lineup, you can now directly plug your device into your phone for 50% faster uploads. Second, the front screen now has a higher frame rate, even though it's exactly the same hardware as the Hero 9. In most modes, you will now see a 30 frames per second image on that front screen. And I also noticed there's a lot less lag on the front screen when actively recording. But most importantly, the third speed boost, and the most obvious one, is that the Hero 10 can capture content quicker. In photo mode, the Hero 10 both takes and saves a photo much faster than the Hero 9. I was able to take three HDR photos on the Hero 10 before a single photo was done processing on the Hero 9. That speed is also noticeable when stopping a video recording, where the Hero 10 is able to save the recorded video faster so you can get back to the live view and menus. I didn't notice a huge change in scrolling through the menus, but I found the menus to be pretty snappy on the Hero 9 anyway. The system is far from perfect for taking quick photos. But with the higher resolution video, you can take higher resolution screen grabs, which kind of eliminates the need to take single photos at all. Although this is the same 23.6 megapixel sensor that was used in the Hero 9, GoPro claims that the GP2 processor can get more out of it. The Hero 10 takes 23 megapixel photos in four modes, live burst, burst, night, and standard photo. Across the board, the photos are punchy and perfect lighting, but they do take on a lot of grain in lower light, even in night mode. I've never really viewed the GoPro as a photo first tool, so let's talk about video. The Hero 10 can shoot 5.3K video at 60 frames per second, 4K at 120, and 2.7K at 240. This is a frame rate boost at every resolution compared to the Hero 9. And that 5.3K 60 frames per second? You love to see it. GoPro is also releasing HyperSmooth 4.0, which is GoPro's in-body stabilization software with the Hero 10. Long gone are the days of needing a gimbal with a GoPro. Now there are three levels of stabilization, boost, standard, and off. Boost crops in the most, but it provides the most stabilization. With HyperSmooth 4.0 also comes an extended tilt limit of its horizon leveling feature, from 27 degrees to 45 degrees at 4K 60, 2.7K 120, and 1080 120, letting you get more sideways while still maintaining a level shot. If GoPro continues to improve this feature, I could really see a day where you could mount your GoPro at any angle and still get a level shot. I mean, you could like mount it any way. Can you imagine that? It'd be sick. Kind of like a 360 cam. Footage from the Hero 9 and the Hero 10 is almost indistinguishable once exported. With the Hero 10's 5.3K footage, there is a teeny bit more room to punch in, but unless you are a 60 frames per second superfan, I think most Hero 9 users won't need to upgrade this year. GoPro claims that the GP2 processor also allows for local tone mapping and 3D noise reduction in its video algorithms, not just in photos, which should provide for better low light performance and better detail, especially in small objects such as blades of grass. But while I found the Hero 10 to have slightly better low light performance, there is still a lot of smoothing and noise happening to the image, and there is still a graininess to the image when lighting conditions are not perfect. The other difference in image is in the color differences between the two cameras. This year, GoPro is natively setting the Hero 10's color preset to natural, as opposed to vivid or GoPro color on the Hero 9, although again, you really have to pixel peep to see a difference between the two settings. Now there are a few features that I didn't get to test out in my time with the Hero 10 that are all rolling out as part of a large software update coming to the cameras November 16th. It includes Max Lens Mod support, Superview at 5.3K, 30 and 24, and then also 24 frames per second at all resolutions. The Hero 10 remains a great action camera because of its size, durability, and 5.3K 60 frames per second abilities. There's simply no other camera this size that is this powerful. And if you're currently an owner of a Hero 8 or older, the Hero 10 will feel like a huge upgrade. But I don't think it's a big enough leap forward for Hero 9 users unless you've just gotta have that buttery 5.3K 60 frames per second or have to have the latest and greatest. The Hero 10 is also very expensive at $500 for non-subscribers and $400 for GoPro subscribers. And for $100 less, the Hero 9 is plenty capable. But with all that being said, the GP2 sends a very clear message that GoPro is not done pushing the limits of this tiny action camera. When they put the GP1 processor into the Hero 6, GoPro was facing an incredibly rocky future after their failed attempt to launch the Karma Drone and the Karma Gimbal. Instead of going big in many directions, GoPro decided to scale down and focus really hard on a select few products that both had enough features for the pros but were easy enough to pick up for a hobbyist too. The result is a balanced camera that provides plenty of resolutions for any task, an easy to use UI, and a subscription service that's actually worth its price. Now if the GP1 is any indicator of how far GoPro can push its systems, well then the next few years look very promising for the Hero lineup. Wowie buds, the fall is here, things are about to get wild, buckle your seatbelts, we got a lot coming your way. I hope that you and everyone you love as well and we will be seeing you very soon. That's a wrap.