Insta360 upgrades its flagship 360-degree action camera with higher effective bit rates, a bigger battery and a colour touchscreen

If you already own the Insta360 One X or One R, the One X2 is probably too minor an upgrade to warrant the cost. The image quality isn’t any great leap forward and while the battery life, waterproofing and onboard screen are all welcome improvements, none of them are transformational to the tune of £400-odd extra being shelled out. For new buyers, though, the One X2’s tweaks make it the 360 cam to beat. If you can learn to live with the mobile app’s frustrating crashes and quirks (which will hopefully be ironed out by an update very soon), it works well and is fun to use – and the camera hardware itself is lightweight, pocket-sized and tough. For creating quick, eye-catching clips for social media, the One X2 has all the angles covered.

Waterproof, compact build; Excellent camera tricks and stabilisation; Solid desktop editing app;

Shonky mobile app; Not a huge leap above original One X;

The One X2 is a promising 360-degree camera that addresses most of our criticisms of its predecessor. It's now waterproof to 10 meters, has a new display and houses a larger battery. The huge range of shooting modes and effects also make it fun, versatile and ideal for social media video. If Insta360 manages to iron out the pre-release bugs, the One X2 could be one of the best options in its relatively niche field.

Now fully waterproof; Excellent stabilization; More video tricks than ever;

Some pre-release bugs to iron out; Non-360 action cams offer superior quality;

Amazing Camera!

Waterproof, compact build; Excellent camera tricks and stabilisation; Solid desktop editing app;

Shonky mobile app; Not a huge leap above original One X;

Waterproof, compact build; Excellent camera tricks and stabilisation; Solid desktop editing app;

Shonky mobile app; Not a huge leap above original One X;

The Insta360 One X2 is a seriously impressive 360-degree camera that will exceed the expectations of anyone trying to do something new and expansive-looking without the need for drones and a camera crew.

+ Extensive editing suite, Special effects modes, Waterproof design, 18.4 megapixel photos, InstaPano photos

Time-consuming editing, Learning curve, Requires recent phones

I know it’s easy for me to fall in love with a £400 gadget that was offered to me as a part of my cooperation with Banggood. In my defence, knowing what I know now about the camera, I’d set money aside and buy the camera anyway. Insta360 ONE X2 is a perfect pocket companion for each occasion.