GoPro Max 2 Unboxing: First Look at GoPro’s New 360 Camera After 6 Years

Good day folks, Shawn here from Air Photography. In this video, I’m unboxing the brand new GoPro Max 2, and I’m going to share my initial thoughts on this long-awaited release.

This isn’t a full review—we’re just taking a look at the new equipment and I’ll give you my first impressions. A complete review with demonstrations and comparisons will be coming over the next week or so. But I have to say, I’m extremely excited that GoPro has finally released another 360 camera. The more competition we have in the market, the better. Consumers win with lower prices and more innovation.

The GoPro Max 2 brings some really interesting upgrades, especially when you compare it against the original Max, which is about 6 years old now. They’ve really updated that camera. However, there are some disappointments that I need to address upfront before we dig into the unboxing.

The Good and the Disappointing

First, the batteries still don’t support quick charging. That’s not a dealbreaker for everybody, but I do prefer my batteries to be able to quick charge. They did upgrade to Enduro batteries now, but unfortunately, quick charging is not supported.

The bigger disappointment is that it’s still using the GP2 processor. The GP2 has been around for quite some time—I’m not sure exactly when the first GoPro with it was released, but it’s a dated chip. That’s why we haven’t seen some of the newer GoPros match the capabilities of more modern action cameras.

It’s especially disappointing given that GoPro doesn’t release a new 360 camera every year. If this is going to be their 360 action camera for the next three or four years, it would have been nice to have a more modern chip.

On the positive side, the Max 2 has user-replaceable lenses. Even compared to something like the Insta360 X5, which also has user-replaceable lenses, the Max 2 process seems much easier. But let’s get into the unboxing and take a closer look.

What’s in the Box

I’m a big fan of 360 cameras—I’ve been using them for a long time. I really like the unique viewpoints and perspectives you can capture with them. Opening up the box, we get the standard literature first.

There’s a notice that the camera must be updated before we can use it. That seems to be a common thing with cameras nowadays. The last few GoPros have all required updates before first use. Inside we get some basic information, a GoPro cleaning cloth, GoPro stickers, and other product information.

You get a USB-C to USB-C charging and data cable. Here’s the Enduro battery. One thing I kind of wish they had done with the batteries is make them compatible with the Hero series as well, so you could use the same batteries in your 360 camera as you can in the action camera—similar to what DJI has done with their ecosystem.

We get a buckle mount receiver and a standard thumb screw for the mount. Then, of course, here’s the camera itself. It looks a little dusty, but that’s just from the packaging. There’s another sticker on the back reminding you it must be updated before use.

Three Mounting Options and User-Replaceable Lenses

The new GoPro Max 2 has three different ways it can be mounted, which is a significant upgrade. It has a 1/4-20 thread, so if you want to connect it to an extension pole, you can just screw it in directly. It also has the fold-out finger mounts, so you can connect it to traditional GoPro mounts.

It’s also fully compatible with the GoPro magnetic mounts. If you have these from your Hero 13 Black, they’re fully compatible with the Max 2.

The camera comes with two lens covers, which is nice. As mentioned, these lenses are user-replaceable—you just twist them and they come right off. That’s actually a really nice feature. You can literally have those changed out in the field if you happen to damage them, and it takes just seconds.

Screen and Performance Upgrades

I don’t have my original Max anymore—I sold it a couple years ago because I wasn’t using it. But the screen on this one is a little bit larger, and it now supports 4K single lens mode.

If you’re going to be using this like a more traditional action camera, you can film in 4K at 60 frames per second using either the front or the back lens. Plus, while filming in single lens mode, you can utilize that Max HyperView field of view, which is going to be really nice for action shots.

Size Comparisons

For those who are curious about sizing, I did quick comparisons against the competition. The Max 2 is comparable in size to the Insta360 X5, and here’s how it stacks up against the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.

Opening up the side panel, you can access the battery compartment, USB-C port, and the memory card slot. Everything is easily accessible for quick changes in the field.

Next Steps and Full Review Coming

At this point, I need to get the battery charged up and get the firmware updated. I’m actually pretty excited to start digging in and testing it out properly. If this is a camera you’re interested in, make sure you’re subscribed because I’ll be covering it fully over the coming weeks and months.

That’s a quick look and unboxing of the new GoPro Max 2. Competition in the 360 camera market is heating up, and that’s great news for all of us. Stay tuned for the full review with real-world tests, comparisons against the Insta360 X5 and DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, and detailed performance analysis.