GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Big changes come for the popular action cam

GoPro Hero 13 Black is packed with changes from swappable lenses to a magnetic mount. It's a big year-over-year change, even if it features the same sensors.

Updates to the popular action camera have increased to a near-yearly basis. Like the iPhone, that means some years are more impactful than others.

Throughout its storied history, there have been notable advancements in GoPro technology. Some have included water resistance without requiring additional housing, integrating mounts into the body, and transitioning to 4K capability.

The same sensors may be inside, but other changes may make the lucky Hero 13 one of those big steps forward.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Design

They're calling this an "all-new" design, but it's still just a GoPro. It looks like a GoPro, and the design changes are minimal.

You've got the small color LCD on the front, which is beneficial for selfie content, and the larger touchscreen around the back for controlling the camera.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: The GoPro Hero 13 Black isn't that different from before, but has small improvements

The shutter button is on the top and the mode/power button is on the side. The bottom has various mounting options, and the remaining side has a door to access the battery, charging port, and microSD card.

It still powers over USB-C, though it now boasts a new magnetic power system that looks great. We didn't get to test it, but it's essentially MagSafe for GoPros.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: The new Contacto charger looks great

You swap the door for a new magnetic one that has several contact points. Then, snap on the Contacto power cable, which any USB-C power source can power.

You could run this off a large external power station or plug it into the wall. This will be fantastic for any professional setting, overnight shoot, or situation where swapping batteries is inconvenient.

It even works without the internal battery installed. It would have been nice to include this in the box, though.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: New mounting option

The Hero 8 was the first model to add the collapsable mounting fingers to the bottom, and it was a game changer. You didn't need any sort of housing or bracket to mount the camera.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: The new magnetic mount is a step up

Just pivot out the mounts and connect it to any standard GoPro clip going back to the original. They later added a threaded 1/4-inch hole in the middle, compatible with any tripod.

This time, they've embedded magnets for a new, easier experience. You use the magnetic plate to connect to the typical clips or mounts; then, the camera snaps to that.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: It is easy to move the camera thanks to the magnetic mounts

You just pinch the sides to release the camera. We set up several different mounting points on a kid's Jeep, and it kept moving the GoPro around to each one with ease.

We love this and will have to pick up more magnetic plates to outfit our various accessories.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Swappable lenses

Aside from the magnetic charging and mounting changes, there's also a new series of interchangeable lenses that you can outfit your camera with.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Almost the whole lineup of lenses for the new camera

At launch, there's a new ultra-wide, anamorphic, macro, and a set of ND filters. We tested them all except the anamorphic, which wasn't yet available.

The camera will automatically detect the lenses, show which one is connected, optimize the video, and write that to the metadata.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: The new anamorphic shots look fantastic

The anamorphic is the one we're maybe most excited about because it, combined with the camera's new 21:9 support, creates amazing cinematic shots.

They have the expected soft edges and horizontal lens flares. The sample shots we saw were incredible.

Plus, the GoPro will automatically de-squeeze the video in-camera, so no post-processing is required to stretch it out.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: The macro lens is one of our favorites

The macro lens is unique as it is the first official lens to come with variable focus. There's a ring around the edge to prioritize close-up or far-away subjects.

It can focus four times closer than the standard lens, as close as 11mm. It even provides at least a little bit of bokeh.

When it's connected, you can turn on focus peaking in settings to aid with the lens. You can choose the color of the focus peaks, or it will be selected based on the shot and what will most stand out.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Just twist to remove any of the lenses

We'd have liked it to focus a bit closer than it does, but this is a first step, and maybe a future lens could be released to solve this.

For now, it was very cool to set the focus on a wheel or other small object while in motion.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: This POV shot looks awesome with the ultra-wide lens

The wide lens is fairly standard and provides an awesome POV experience. This is essentially a version of the Lens Mod Max they had before.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: The new ND lenses for GoPro

Finally, the ND filters. They come in their own box with ND 4, 8, 16, and 32 strengths. ND filters are used to essentially darken the shot, which can adjust the shutter speed and result in lovely motion blur.

It's often a trial-and-error situation where you apply a filter, shoot some footage, and then adjust up or down as needed. GoPro takes out that guesswork.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: You'll get an alert if the wrong ND filter is applied

Applying the filter will tell you to step up or down depending on the available light for the perfect shot. It gives you a little up or down arrow on the screen.

This will make ND filters more approachable and help users get shooting faster.

The downside with the ND filters is that you can't use them with any other lenses. All the lenses just twist on and off, so you must choose a filter or a practical lens.

There are third-party ones you can use, but they won't have automatic identification like GoPro's.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Internals and settings

Internally, GoPro has upped the battery capacity. A longstanding gripe about the cameras.

They've moved from a 1720mAh battery to a 1900mAh one. This, combined with the new thermal design, has boosted the battery life.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: The battery life has improved across the board

With airflow, the battery has improved just a little. For example, 4K60 went from 81 minutes of recording to 87.9 minutes.

If you are in a restricted environment — like inside of a car — numbers get much better. The same 4K60 with no airflow improved by 28% from 41 to 52 minutes.

Other resolutions saw similar gains, some as much as 58% as with 2.7K. Shooting 2.7K at 100 FPS jumped from 38 to 60.2 minutes of recording time on a full charge.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: GPS data can be overlaid in the Quik app

The GoPro Hero 13 Black has GPS data again, which can overlay cool graphics when you sync it with the Quik app. We always like adding GPS metadata to photos, so this is very welcomed.

Wi-Fi technology evolved from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6, resulting in faster automatic uploads. This is a good choice as Wi-Fi 6e was a minimal change, and Wi-Fi 7 is just starting to be released.

We always appreciated how the camera would automatically upload its footage to the cloud, and we'd get an awesome summary video of what we captured from the Quik app.

Video footage can now be shot in HLG HDR. This unlocks more adjustments for pros who need that log footage for better color grading.

A bunch of other system improvements were made, too, such as the ability to name your custom presets. This is way easier to move between as needed.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Settings for the new burst Slow-mo feature

The last software change we saw that we're in love with is burst slow-mo. This new setting will record incredibly high-frame-rate videos for just a few seconds.

It can record at 5.3K at 120 frames per second, 900P at 360 frames per second, or 720P at 400 frames per second. Just press shoot, and it will record this abbreviated video for between five and 12 seconds.

We took our tot swimming and got these amazing shots of him jumping into the pool or being thrown into the air. Obviously, the video quality is reduced at 720P, but that frame rate is amazing.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: An example of a still image from a burst slow-mo shot

This is probably our most-used new feature on this camera because it's so fun. Even saving stills from these videos look outstanding.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Compared to iPhone Action Mode

Using a GoPro has unique advantages over shooting with your iPhone. First - it's much more rugged, and no case is required.

It also has much higher resolutions available. iPhone 15 Pro can do 240 frames per second at 1080, but GoPro Hero 13 Black can do that at 2.7K, or 400 at 720p as we discussed.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Star trails captured by the new camera

GoPro can also shoot at a whopping 5.3K. Let alone the various modes, such as star trails or night shots.

The action cam also has its HyperSmooth 6 stabilization feature. Apple's iPhone does have Action mode, but it's capped at 2.8K resolution.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: We use our custom rig to compare the two cameras

GoPro is the better choice if you're shooting moving footage or have the camera mounted on something like a bike or car. We found Action Mode very good, but HyperSmooth on boost won out.

In reality, the iPhone is a great alternative people can use already without any added purchases, but it can also be a great second angle when paired with a GoPro.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: We compared Action Mode to HyperSmooth

GoPro has a slightly wider angle than the iPhone's main lens, and they both have their place. But it's hard to beat the technology GoPro has packed into this dedicated camera.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Should you buy the latest action camera?

Last year's GoPro Hero 12 was a solid camera but had relatively minor changes. The Hero 13 Black is much more than that.

We wouldn't suggest users of the last-gen model upgrade, though. A lot of the benefits come from additional purchases, which can really add up.

If you have a model a few years old, the Hero 13 Black is a solid upgrade— especially as it builds on the ecosystem with the new mounts, charger, and lenses.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: This is going to be a fun camera to use

What we love so much about this camera is its versatility. It can be an awesome tool for a parent to capture their family, an affordable tool for content creators, or part of a professional kit on the latest TV show.

Our only complaint is that there was no upgraded sensor, but what's here is more than sufficient for most users.

If you need something more affordable, there's the new GoPro Hero, which also has a new design at a more affordable price tag.

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Pros

• Upgraded design to help with cooling
• Multiple interchangeable lenses
• Lens and filter auto detection takes the guesswork out of your shots
• Easy and pro modes make shooting quicker and more customizable
• Magnetic mount system is awesome for shoots
• Love the new burst slow-mo mode

GoPro Hero 13 Black review: Cons

• Contact charger isn't included in the box
• Same sensors from last year

GoPro Hero 13 Black rating: 4.5 out of 5

Where to buy GoPro Hero 13 Black

You can find the GoPro Hero 13 Black on Amazon or B&H for $399 for the base kit. A creator kit bundled with additional accessories is also available.