Insta360 X4: Battery Life, Charging and Overheating!

An in-depth view of battery life and charging for the new Insta360 X4, Includes performance testing under different filming conditions (with some interruptions!) and comparison to published specifications, as well as review and testing of the new fast-charge hub and combination with the power selfie-stick.
Check out the channel for additional videos focused on Insta360 and other cameras and accessories.
Keywords:
Insta360 X4 360 action camera, 8K, 5.7K, 4K, fps, overheating, battery life, charging, mAh, power selfie stick, power bank, bitrate, vlogging, content creation, KZbin, instagram, stabilization
Chapters:
00:00 - 01:50 Introduction
01:50 - 03:00 Recording Test: 5.7K/30
03:00 - 06:00 Recording Test: 8K/30
06:00 - 08:40 In-Camera Charge Test
08:40 - 11:25 Fast Charge Hub Test
11:25 - 13:05 Fast Charge Hub (2 Batteries)
13:05 - 16:00 Power Selfie Stick Test
16:00 - 16:35 Final Thoughts
Product Links (I may earn a commission):
Insta360 X4: amzn.to/447fNTo
Insta360 X3: amzn.to/3xLFGfy
Insta360 Fast Charge Hub (X4): amzn.to/3JzQKyT
Insta360 Power Selfie Stick: amzn.to/3UvtMiK
Insta360 2290mAH battery for X4: amzn.to/3U6xKwM
USB-C Cable for connecting Power Selfie Stick with X4: www.xmount360.com/buy/p/usb-c...
Other Recording Equipment
Sony ZV-1: amzn.to/3UVWCr0
Rode Videomic Go II: amzn.to/3UoxdHZ

[@Jonasegway]

I appreciate you taking the time to make this video. I know how much time it takes to organize and setup such a video. Now....if we could only get insta360 to make a power selfie stick with a ¼" thread base that can stretch to at least 5ft so us motovloggers could use it without worrying about battery life 🤔

[@user-he1tp8td6z]

Thanks for taking your time to do all these tests, you covered so many areas I didn't even think of. Keep up the good work!

[@gwebster65]

Thank you!

[@64x2ful]

Useful information!! Thank you. Keep up the good work 💪🏻👏🏻

[@gwebster65]

Glad it was helpful! I'm just putting together a new video focused on the overheating issue. Should be posted early next week.

[@BioAcad]

Thank you very much. It is so useful.

[@gwebster65]

You are welcome!

[@GingerT8]

Great video on a subject I'm very much interested in. Although I've not conducted any bench the testing on the X4 my perception is that the battery life is worse on the X4 than any model since the One X - to the point where I've now got range anxiety! Just switching on, fiddling with the settings, doing the 1st round of updates and formatting a sd card seemed to drop the battery indicator down more than expected. An as for overheating, I've noticed the body of the camera getting exceptionally hot when not filming but in file transfer mode. I wonder if anyone else has experienced the same, or am I special!

[@DFWMoose]

I’ve used the X4 twice now with no overheating issues with loop and HDR but it’s on my slingshot moving. There is a warning that overheating is possible if static movement and inside so I think they are spot on

[@gwebster65]

Yes, I would think that as long as you have good air flow (and the ambient temp is not too high) that you should be okay.

[@DFWMoose]

Well it goes over 100 F° here in Texas we will find out. 😊

[@kcnwea]

Thanks for the info, I would be interested to see a runtime test with external power only (battery removed) as I plan on using mine for 8k recording in looping mode.

[@WakundaMa]

I just tested your scenario. Using external power only with battery removed does make a big difference, especially if you are willing to operate at 8k 24 fps. With battery I tested Insta360 X4 to overheat after 1 hour and 25 minutes as long as you limit it to 8K 24 fps. With battery removed and using only external power I was able to go over 2.5 hours and could probably have gone longer if my 128 GB SD card didn't fill up.

[@nicklover9565]

Great video!

[@gwebster65]

Glad you enjoyed it - thanks.

[@AndrewEverson]

Thanks for the video. Does the camera save the recording in the instances when the battery dies or do you loose that footage.

[@gwebster65]

The camera stops recording and saves the file a few seconds before shutting down.

[@andreb.1378]

Nice work! thank you! For me, the hub, an extra battery and a powerbank will be enough

[@gwebster65]

That's pretty much my standard travel kit.

[@devilanty4430]

I bought it 2h ago as my motorbike camera. I hope i won't have any overheating issues, i would say there is fair amount of air moving around camera at 70 miles per hour

[@hamradioop5777]

Do bear in mind that wind-chill is a biological condition and not a physical condition. If the surrounding ambient temperature is for instance 30C, then the lowest temperature for cooling is 30C. Whether you are doing 10 miles per hour or 100 miles per hour, the lowest temperature you can cool the camera to would still be 30C.

[@hamradioop5777]

I'm grateful for your time and effort in making these videos, please keep-up the good work 🏁 Insta360 should be sending you some free batteries as a courtesy to you, after you giving your own such a significant bashing! I've just had an answer to a question I raised with Insta360 Technical Support. The Thermo Grip Cover should only be used whilst you are holding the camera in your hand.... so I guess that cooling of the camera when its not being handheld may be better without it? Do you know what the ambient temperature was when you did these experiments please?

[@gwebster65]

It was about 65F in those tests. I just posted a video specifically covering the topic of overheating: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4CamoiOp81-b7s

[@kleenpix]

Great job and very informative. I recently switched from a One RS to the X4. One thing i would like to know is what the battery life is on the lower settings. Specifically single lens 1080. I record pickleball games with a total recording time of about 3 hrs. Will one battery last that long at the lower setting?

[@gwebster65]

I have not tested that mode, but I would certainly think so. You could also add a power bank and record all day!

[@kleenpix]

@@gwebster65 I have used it to record games and it is around 1hr 50 minutes on single lens mode. I am debating on what to buy depending on convenience...an extra battery or a power bank. Power banks are bulkier and heavy so maybe will go with two batteries which should last over three hours but will have to switch out before a new game starts.

[@YSSH0601]

Thank you. Same comparison to x3, x4. Please.

[@gwebster65]

I actually did some similar tests on the X3 in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGSthaZtrcllgM0

[@aussieexpat]

What does the thermal cage setting do to overheat times? On the dji action 2 it doubled the recording time

[@gwebster65]

I have it set to auto, but may be worth investigating further

[@aussieexpat]

@@gwebster65 I'm betting turning it "on" will likely allow the camera to keep running beyond touch safety levels. Worth a try.

[@LojikSupreme]

Did you do a temp shutdown tests with the 5.7K+ resolution?

[@gwebster65]

Not yet, but planning a dedicated "overheating" video.

[@syuamirul3684]

hello, do you think its necessary to get spare batteries? And I am thinking about using the camera while connecting it to the power socket while riding my motorcycle, what do you think? Will it affect battery life? thanks in advance

[@gwebster65]

Personally I would have at least one spare battery. Running off a power bank should be fine but keep in mind that with the USB port exposed, the camera is no longer waterproof (and maybe not even water resistant).

[@iamnotapoet]

One more quick question. We have the Insta360 Ulanzi p-20 cold shoe adapter but the audio cable is now too short. What is the perfect length ? And do you have an amazon affiliate link to recommend a best cable to replace the too short one ? - Eric ZORK Alan & Sweetie [ 🤣Professional🤣Poets & Bed 🛏️ & Beer🍺 Vloggers ]

[@Jonasegway]

I am assuming you have one of those wireless mic systems? If so, use one of the TRS to TRS cables and wrap the cable right around the base of the selfie stick you screw your camera onto. This will keep it out of frame. Leave just enough slack to plug into your mic adapter

[@iamnotapoet]

@@Jonasegway ah, excellent idea. Yes, we have RWG2 and RWG PRO and also original DJI MIC 1 and 3 stand alone DJI MIC 2s (no receiver for the v2 mics… they are Bluetoothconnect to pocket 3 and Action4). As we know, the MOST important part if video is AUDIO. My hope for x5 is they do a DJI MIC 2 like solution with PERMANENT PAIRING and 32bit float recording that AUTO STARTS like the magic that DJI MIC2 and Action have. And like the Action 3 to STILL record the ambient internal camera audio as a separate file on camera . EVERYONE can learn a LOT from all the things DJI is doing with mics and their pocket 3. Thanks again. CHEERS 🍻! - Eric ZORK Alan & Sweetie [ 🤣Professional🤣Poets & Bed 🛏️ & Beer🍺 Vloggers ]

[@marcelvlieger]

Hey, great how to.. But i do have a question.. How can i charge my x4, i have the cable. But can i buy a plug, or do i put it in a computer to charge??

[@gwebster65]

Just connect a USB charger (or powerbank) to the USB port on the camera.

[@kevinjay808]

Ive been facing some issues with the x4 such as very slow transferring speeds when transferring footage to my s24 ultra. And my phone overheats while using the insta360 app too while transferring footage

[@gwebster65]

Interesting - are you transferring by WiFi? What speed are you getting?

[@kevinjay808]

@gwebster65 I am transferring via wifi not sure how much speed but a 5 min clip recoreded in 5.7k+ takes about 40 minutes to transfer

[@Reddogmr57]

My question is, is the powered selfie stick the same as a portable battery power bank? Can you record video while charging from either the selfie stick, like you showed, or from a portable battery power bank also? I have content I'd like to record that will be about 2 ½ hours to 3 hours long and would probably need a portable battery power bank to continue after the initial 135 minutes is drained from the built in camera battery.

[@gwebster65]

Yes, the power selfie stick is the same as a power bank. With a large power bank (or AC adapter) you can record for hours...until you fill up your memory card. However, if you try that at 8K, you will overheat first! I'm currently testing this - should be posting a video on this topic in the next day or two.

[@jasonpascoe6989]

Most frustrating part is you cannot get parts for it yet! I have pro lenses, a spare battery and screen protectors all on pre order! The battery has been delayed twice and today had an email to say they are not expecting stock until 31st of May! Forever charging the same battery over an over sucks. If you want one maybe wait a few months

[@gwebster65]

Wow! Just checked Amazon and I see that most accessories are back-ordered. Glad I got mine early! Good luck!

[@iamnotapoet]

Thanks, as usual , for the fantastic video. With the 8k/30 overheat test what bit rate were you at? I got mine yesterday and 1st indoor test got about 33 minutes. I had set it to the higher quality bit rate. Does it get a bunch better if I set that back to the default ? And how much do you think that affects quality? The x2 used to be our A camera for our 1st 50 Beer 🍺 Vlogs last year. Most of them take 45 minutes to shoot. Pocket 3 is our new A camera . But we hope to use X4 as 8k B camera. What are your worlds of wisdom on 8k bit rate for quality and overheating ? Thanks for words of wisdom. - Eric ZORK Alan & Sweetie [ 🤣Professional🤣Poets & Bed 🛏️ & Beer🍺 Vloggers ]

[@Jonasegway]

Have you updated your camera? You should now have 5.7k+ mode. This might be a great compromise to the 8k. Gives you great quality for your events

[@iamnotapoet]

@@Jonasegway yes, and I saw video somewhere on 5.7k, but at the time I think 8k seemed to be better. But, then I was hoping to get more like 50 minutes. We should a beer vlog every Saturday (we just shot #104 on my 60th birthday on Saturday), so as a B cam, I will be testing. If the camera does at the tail end it won’t ruin the vlog. I was mostly curious what bit rate you had your set to in test. The normal default or the better one. Once again , thanks so much goood THIS and ALL your videos. - Eric ZORK Alan & Sweetie [ 🤣Professional🤣Poets & Bed 🛏️ & Beer🍺 Vloggers ]

[@Jonasegway]

@@iamnotapoet I am not sure you got me so I'll say it this way. - there is a 5.7k mode - 5.7k + mode - And then 8k. The 5.7+ might be the perfect compromise if 8k doesn't record long enough for what you are trying to do. If your event is indoors, 8k might not take in enough light for your video so you may have to entertain 5.7k+ 24fps mode and then export at the highest bitrate you could (might be 100mbps) I am still testing my X4 as well and it's doing very well. I haven't done a 8k standing still test though

[@iamnotapoet]

@@Jonasegway I did understand the 5.7+ mode. I just have been dreaming of 8k 360 for many years. And I am sure I will mostly shoot in it as long as I know it can shut down in under 30 minutes. I’m already waiting for the X5 with a larger sensor and greater low light sensitivity. That said, of all my cameras (including Pocket 3) and SONY a7s III, insta360 x2 was my favorite. But pocket 3 will stay A camera for next 100 Beer Vlogs. But I am SUPER DELIGHTED we have entered 8k era. And I am very grateful for ALL your videos and hard work testing. I know making a beer 🍺 vlog is hard work. But at least Sweetie and I get to drink while doing it (except for FCPX part) - Eric ZORK Alan & Sweetie [ 🤣Professional🤣Poets & Bed 🛏️ & Beer🍺 Vloggers ]

[@Jonasegway]

@@iamnotapoet ahhhh ok ok I got you. I think over time the 8k in this X4 would get better simply because of that AI chip inside. In my opinion that was a better move at this stage then a bigger sensor. The X5 will probably have the AcePro 's sensor in them while they make a One RS 1" VERSION 2. That model will have the 1" sensor but with the AI chip but a 2nd generation AI chip with even more processing power. Now that would be a powerhouse. Btw, this isn't my video lol.

[@advaleksa]

Does the battery have a "ghost battery" effect? to empty itself from standing. ( like X2)

[@gwebster65]

Hard to say - with all the testing, mine has been in use constantly. I don't find the X2 particularly bad here though, even with BT wake enabled.

[@WarbirdShooter]

Can you run the x4 with an external battery?

[@gwebster65]

Yes, both with and without the battery installed.

[@Blazerfan11]

Does the thermal cage help at all?

[@gwebster65]

Testing as we speak - stay tuned.

[@asthinatan8123]

have you tried before just exploring the camera for less than 10 min and 20% of the battery depleted ?

[@gwebster65]

Not specifically, but now plan to. Will let you know.

[@mwa8385]

5.7k 30fps were running on 360 camera or single lens? My x4 is not lasting more than 30 mins for 360 camera , anyone help? Is it faulty ?

[@gwebster65]

My tests were using full 360. If you are only getting 30 mins, there would seem to be an issue with your X4 or the battery.

[@roninr8199]

Temperature too matters. If you shot at outdoors with 40c then might be you will get low battery. Not sure exactly

[@GremHopkins]

was riding bike today shooting hiperlapse in 8k and camera turned off after 1 h saying battery is over, despite was fully charged

[@gwebster65]

A hyperlapse should run for hours. Sounds like a battery or camera issue.

[@jellevanthuyne1984]

Wait. Its an action cam. Why didn’t you record some action in the bedroom

[@gwebster65]

lol