Insta360 X4 Air Review: Who Is This Camera For?

What’s more important to you when choosing a 360 camera — image quality or price? Most of us would say image quality, but not everyone. And those people are exactly who the Insta360 X4 Air was made for.

This lightweight 360 camera weighs just 165g, making it one of — if not the — lightest 360 cameras on the market right now. At $399 USD, it’s significantly cheaper than its competitors, including Insta360’s own lineup. It also comes with user-replaceable lenses (a must-have these days) and many of the same great features and software Insta360 cameras are known for.

But it’s not all perfect — there are a few red flags you should be aware of.
In this post, I’ll share my honest thoughts on Insta360’s latest camera and do my best to answer the big question: who is this camera actually for?

First Impressions: X4 Air? Why Not X5 Air?

If your first thought was, “Didn’t they just release the X5? Shouldn’t this be the X5 Air?” — you’re not alone. I wondered the same thing.

I actually asked Insta360 about it, and they explained that the X4 Air sits between the X4 and X5 in terms of features and image quality. Personally, I would’ve called it the X5 Air, but hey, each to their own. Essentially, you can think of this camera as a budget-friendly version of the X5.

Price Comparison

At $399 USD, the Insta360 X4 Air is very competitively priced for what it offers.

Here’s how it stacks up against other popular 360 cameras (prices may vary by region):

• Insta360 X5: $549

• Insta360 X4: $499

• GoPro Max 2: $499

• DJI Osmo 360: $549 although it depends where you are. In some regions, like Singapore, the DJI Osmo is closer to $440 USD

This gives the X4 Air a solid edge price-wise — around $40+ cheaper than its closest rivals. Just keep in mind that with the lower price comes a few trade-offs.

Design and Build Quality

At first glance, the X4 Air looks familiar — the classic vertical design, dual lenses, and a large touchscreen. But Insta360 has simplified the button layout to a single main button on the front, alongside the power and quick settings buttons on the side.

Surprisingly, I like this — the single button keeps things clean and simple.

The battery system is the same as before: built-in, ejectable, and gives you access to the SD card slot. There are microphones all around (including a wind guard on the back), and, importantly, replaceable lenses — making this only the third 360 camera with that feature after the X5 and GoPro Max 2.

However, the lenses are smaller and slightly lower quality than the X5’s. It remains to be seen how much of a downgrade this really is, but having replaceable lenses at all is still a big win.

X4 Air vs X5: Design, Screen, and Weight

Side by side, the X4 Air is slightly shorter and about the same thickness as the X5.
However, its screen is noticeably smaller, with a thicker bezel, meaning less swipeable space and slightly trickier navigation.

The weight difference is 35 g — 165 g for the X4 Air vs. 200 g for the X5. It’s not huge, but noticeable in hand, especially if you’re filming action shots or mounting the camera to your helmet or body.

If that’s you, the X4 Air’s lighter weight is a definite plus.

Interestingly, the DJI Osmo 360 sits right in between the two for weight, though it lacks replaceable lenses.

Battery Life and Overheating

I tested the X4 Air’s overheating and battery life on a mixed-light day in Sydney. Results were solid:

• 8K 360 video: 1 hour 26 minutes

• On a sunnier day: 1 hour 28 minutes

The camera never overheated — it simply ran out of battery.

So, expect roughly 1.5 hours of continuous shooting, longer if you power off between shots. That said, in hotter climates, it may overheat sooner.

Build Quality Concerns

One downside: the plastic casing scratches easily. Mine already had marks after regular use — no drops, no rough handling. It just feels a bit cheaper compared to the sturdier X5.

That’s likely where Insta360 cut some costs to make this camera more affordable.

Image Sensor and Specs

To hit that lower price, Insta360 also downsized the sensor — it’s roughly 44% smaller than the X5’s. Naturally, that affects image quality.

With lower specs, the X4 Air loses a few modes available on the X5. There’s no PureVideo and no Bullet Time, since the frame rates don’t go slow enough.

Resolution comparison:

• Both cameras shoot 8K30.

• The X4 Air supports 6K, while the X5 offers 5.7K+ and 5.7K.

• Both record 4K, but the X4 Air maxes out at 50fps, whereas the X5 goes up to 120fps (true slow motion).

The X4 Air also introduces Active HDR in 8K30 mode for the first time in an Insta360 camera. Combined with Adaptive Tone, it gives a noticeably better dynamic range.

Slow Motion and Portrait Mode

While the X4 Air lacks high-frame-rate slow motion, it can record at 6K 50fps, which you can slow down by 50%. It’s not ultra-slow, but still creates a natural slow-motion look that’s great for basic action shots.

There’s also a new Portrait mode that brightens your face slightly to improve exposure. The difference is minor but helpful, and overall, the auto exposure works well — it just takes a few seconds to adjust when moving between bright and dark environments.

Video Quality: Daylight vs Low Light

In bright daylight, the Insta360 X4 Air performs well — clean, stable 8K 360 footage with good detail, especially at wide angles. It also supports Active HDR at 8K30 for better dynamic range, and you can pair it with Adaptive Tone for improved contrast.

However, zoom in too far and you’ll notice noise and artefacts, even in good light.

At night, the story changes — the smaller sensor struggles. Expect grainy, soft, and dark footage, so if you shoot a lot in low light, this isn’t the camera for you.

Audio Test

The built-in mics do a decent job in calm conditions, though wind noise is still noticeable. I compared it to the DJI Osmo 360 and Insta360 X5, and while all three are usable, the X5 had the cleanest sound overall.

Comparison with Osmo 360 and X5

In daylight dynamic range, all three cameras perform fairly well. The Osmo 360 edges out the others slightly, handling highlights better.

In detail tests, the X4 Air is a bit softer, especially in the foreground, even though all three cameras are technically 8K. The X5 tends to over-smooth faces, while the Osmo remains the sharpest.

At night, the difference becomes stark — the X4 Air falls behind with heavy grain and darker footage.

Photo Mode Performance

The X4 Air shoots 29MP photos, compared to the X5’s 72MP, both with HDR and RAW support. Despite the lower resolution, it’s still capable of nice casual 360 shots or virtual tours when used with HDR and PureShot modes.

Workflow and App Experience

One huge plus of any Insta360 camera is the software ecosystem. After a decade of updates, the Insta360 app and desktop studio are fast, intuitive, and well-optimised.

That means your stitching, reframing, and exporting workflow will be smoother than on competitors like the Osmo 360 or GoPro Max 2.

Who Is The X4 Air For?

Simple — Insta360 wanted a budget option for creators who don’t need pro-level specs.

The X4 Air is aimed at people who just want to shoot casual 360 videos for social media without spending $500+. It’s affordable, lightweight, and capable enough for everyday use.

For enthusiasts still waiting on a 1-inch sensor 360 camera with higher than 8K resolution and 10-bit colour — this isn’t it. Maybe we’ll see that with the X6. Time will tell.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for an affordable, lightweight, capable 360 camera for travel, casual use, or social content, the X4 Air is a great option — especially with replaceable lenses and solid battery life.

However, if image quality is your top priority, the Insta360 X5 easily beats it in dynamic range, sharpness, and low-light performance. It’s more expensive, yes, but it’s also a much stronger choice for serious content creators.

At launch, the Insta360 X4 Air isn’t available in the US due to pending FCC approval — reportedly delayed by the government shutdown. That should resolve in a few weeks, so hang tight if you’re stateside. For everyone else, this camera fills an important gap: a budget-friendly entry into the 360 world without giving up too much functionality.

So, what do you think of the Insta360 X4 Air? If you'd like to pick one up, I've included my affiliate link here.