When it comes to judging any device, it is important to know the details of its battery life as this is an indication of how great the device’s craftsmanship and design is. That is why we are going to explore the battery life of the acclaimed GoPro Black and Silver, as we try and establish the overall quality of these cameras.
Below is all the information you need to know about the GoPro Hero batteries.
- Battery Life
When it comes to battery life, the Hero 4 cameras have poorer battery performance and longevity than their predecessors. Previous generations like the Hero 3 series averaged around 90 minutes at the highest video recording settings, but the Hero 4 Black unit only runs for around 65 minutes at similar settings.
Let’s look at this situation in greater depth, and at more minimal settings with the Wi-Fi off. At 2.7K 30fps, the Hero 4 Silver clocks around 110 minutes, while the Hero 4 Black only averages around 70 minutes. This poor battery life can be attributed to the powerful Hero 4 Black processor, which has been designed to handle the 4K resolution and will therefore consume a lot of battery power regardless of the frame rate.
You will therefore benefit from between 65 and 70 minutes of battery life if using the Hero 4 Black, however this time can be extended to 110 minutes if you are making use of 720p 120fps.
As I mentioned above, these timing are made assuming the Wi-Fi is off. If the Wi-Fi and GoPro app is on, then you can expect to average 50 minutes for the HERO 4 Black at 4K 30fps. Additionally, the battery life is not improved even when standby is in play.
When it comes to the battery life of the Hero 4 Silver, there is an auto-off function that can be set at 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, or always on. You can also adjust the brightness of the LCD screen, to low, medium or high.
- Charging
When it comes to charging the battery of the GoPro Hero 4 Black and Silver, you are equipped with a standard mini-USB cable which can work with any USB outlet. This cable works well with a 2amp USB port (found on iPads and tablets), and if used with regular amperage USB ports it is likely to be slow to charge.
An orange light will indicate that the battery is charging, while a green light will be an indication that charging is complete. Owners of the Hero 4 Black are advised to have a spare battery, as it consumes power quickly and might need to be recharged frequently.
- Battery BacPac
The new battery BacPac associated with the Hero 4 cameras advertises 15% increased battery life. You will definitely witness improved battery life, with 3 hours of battery on the Hero 4 Silver after recording at 2.7K 30fps- as you can see. This is way more than 15%. This battery life is 2 hours 15 minutes on the Hero 4 Black, at the same rate and resolution of recording.
You should also be aware that the GoPro Hero camera batteries cannot be alternated with old GoPro batteries, and you will therefore need to buy new spares for these cameras.
