In this article, we will be going over our Akaso Brave 4 review and sharing our opinion on this handy, entry-level action camera that is perfect for anyone on a budget. At the time of writing, the GoPro Hero range is without a doubt the undisputed king of action cameras but they have one major drawback, their price.
This has not only led to an increased number of entry-level action cameras being released onto the market but also a massive leap in the actual quality, performance, and capability of the entry-level action cameras out there.
Due to this, we always see people asking for advice on the latest, cheap alternative to a GoPro and this time it was the Akaso Brave 4. After taking a quick look at the camera and its functionality, we were impressed enough to take the time to research and publish our Akaso brave 4 action camera review.
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Table of Contents
What’s In The Box
As with any new toy, everyone always wants to know what you actually get included with your purchase as standard. Thankfully, the AKASO Brave 4 comes with a fair few accessories included as standard that some competing brands would make you shell out extra for offering you Incredible value for money.
- AKASO Brave 4 Camera
- 2.4G Remote Control
- 2x 1050mAh Battery
- Waterproof Hard Case
- Bicycle Mount
- Helmet Mount
- USB Cable
- 7x Mounts, 2x Clips, and 5x Tethers
- Instruction Manual
Akaso Brave 4 Specs
We have broken down the key Akaso brave 4 features and specifications for easy reading below.
- Dimensions: 2.32 x 1.57 x 0.91 inches
- Weight: 5.6oz
- Field of View: 170°, 140°, 110°, and 70°.
- Video resolutions: 4K, 2.7K, and 1080p.
- Photo resolution: 20MP
- Photograph Modes: Single Shot, Time-Lapse, and Burst capture
- Ports: Mini USB, micro HDMI, and a MicroSD memory card slot
- Memory: Class 10 Micro SD
Akaso Brave 4 Extreme Sports Performance
Jumping into the meat and bones of our Akaso brave 4 4k 20mp review, let’s start with the most popular thing people will be using it for, extreme sports. No matter what your extreme sport of choice is, the Akaso Brave 4 has you covered. Its impressive range of functionality will allow you to take sharp photographs with excellent contrast as well as record up to 4K video that is smooth and crisp.
Even without using the included Akaso Brave 4 case that comes as standard when you purchase your camera, it is tough enough to withstand its fair share of bumps and knocks that are expected with extreme sports. That said, we would highly recommend that you use its case as often as possible as this further increases the durability of the camera without hindering its photographic, video or audio performance at all.
In addition to this, there is a wide range of mounts available to easily allow you to attach the camera to various locations to make it even easier to record your sport of choice. In addition to the official Akaso Brave 4 helmet and bicycle mounts that come as standard when you buy the camera you are also able to pick up some additional accessories.
These include a compatible Akaso Brave 4 selfie stick (Click here to check for product prices and availability) or a fourteen piece accessory kit (Click here to check for product prices and availability). These allow you to pretty much capture any image or video that you could imagine. Some additional mounts are included in the box when you purchase the camera and you may be able to use these to your advantage too but they are hard to fit anything that offers meaningful footage.
The wide range of resolutions that you are able to record video in or the massive 20MP photograph capabilities allow you to preserve your experiences in excellent detail. Although we will be covering it in more detail later in the article, the battery life on the camera allows you to keep the camera powered for up to eight hours depending on what you are doing.
The Akaso Brave 4 measures 2.32 x 1.57 x 0.91 inches and weighs only 5.6oz making it easy to wear or mount without any adverse effects on your ability to do your sport of choice.
All of this has helped the Akaso Brave 4 to quickly gain a solid reputation amongst the extreme sports enthusiast community (Click to read some third-party, independent reviews). We are surprised by how much of the action camera market the Akaso Brave 4 has been able to steal from some of the more established brands out there. Over the coming months, we only expect the popularity of the camera to increase exponentially.
The video below is a great example of some Akaso Brave 4 footage. Not only does it do a great job of showing the excellent color capturing abilities of this budget action cam but it also shows off the surprisingly effective image stabilization. As you can imagine with quad biking, there is a large number of vibration generated from the quadbike itself as well as from riding the actual track. Considering this, almost none is displayed in the video due to the Akaso Brave 4s image stabilization technology.
Akaso Brave 4 Underwater Performance
Next up in our Akaso Brave 4 review, we will be taking a look at the Akaso Brave 4’s underwater photography and video recording capabilities. We are happy to say that the camera performs just as well underwater as it does for land-based sports. It offers great picture quality in various light conditions while also being effective at recording sound while underwater.
The cameras underwater capabilities have proven a hit with the water-based sports community with many of them having chosen to leave an independent, third-party review of the camera and their experiences with it involving water.
Even with the standard included Akaso Brave 4 waterproof case you are able to take the camera to a depth of one hundred feet or thirty meters. The case does not affect the camera’s video, photographic or audio capabilities either. Although there are additional third-party waterproof cases available, we see no reason for you to waste any additional cash as the standard one is fine.
Depending on your waterbased sport of choice you may want to pick up a high-quality Akaso Brave 4 compatible floating handle (Click here to check for product prices and availability). This will ensure that your action camera will float on the surface of the water and be easy to spot on the off chance that you accidentally drop it during recording.
The video below offers a good example of the type of Akaso Brave 4 footage you can expect while recording video with it underwater.
Akaso Brave 4 Family Video Performance
Next up on our Akaso Brave 4 camera review we will be taking a look at the cameras ability to fill the ever-increasing role of being used as a regular holiday camera. More and more people out there are starting to use their action camera as their go-to camera for recording their holiday or daily lives. Thankfully, the Akaso Brave 4 actually does a pretty decent job at this.
Although we will be covering it in more detail later in the article, the audio capabilities of the Brave 4 are very good for the price. This ensures that you are able to use it as a vlogging style camera or as a way to record your family holiday if you require while also capturing the sound or conversation at the same time.
The camera’s ability to both photograph and record video in various light conditions makes it a decent choice for various locations and weather conditions around the world. Its ability to stand up to moisture, dust, sand, and dirt further increase the number of places you would be able to use this as your go-to camera too.
Akaso Brave 4 Audio Performance
Considering the price point, the Akaso brave 4 microphone is surprisingly good. It is not muffled when using the camera inside the included camera case allowing you to protect your camera while still getting its full range of audio recording.
That said, one thing that we would like to point out is that the audio can definitely suffer in high wind conditions. You are able to use fluff mufflers to reduce this but this is one of the only real drawbacks of the camera.
Akaso Brave 4 Gyroscope
As you can see in the videos featured above, the image stabilization features of the gyroscope in the camera is very good. In fact, it is the best image stabilization technology of any of the entry level of budget action cameras that we have seen.
This is perfect if you are into extreme sports as vibrations are very common and can cause jittering and shakes in your videos. Simply turn on image stabilization to let the camera quickly and easily minimize the effects of these vibrations on your video.
Akaso Brave 4 Battery Life
Although the battery life on the Brave 4 is good for its price point, it’s duration does vary depending on what you are doing with the camera. If you are just using it to take photos then a fully charged battery can last up to eight hours. If you are using the camera to record video then you can expect up to ninety minutes when recording in 4k or one hundred and twenty minutes when recording in 1080p.
Although you can charge the battery in the camera by using the micro USB port, it is advised that you pick up an Akaso brave 4 charger (Click here to check for product prices and availability). This will provide you with additional batteries while also allowing you to charge two batteries for the camera back up at the same time.
Akaso Brave 4 vs GoPro
Next up we have our Akaso Brave 4 vs GoPro Hero 6 Black (Click here to check for product prices and availability) comparison. Our table above shows the comparable features between the two action cameras and whereas they may look comparable on paper, the GoPro wins out in reality if you are able to afford it.
The GoPro has superior build quality and functionality but all of this comes at a price. That said, the Akaso Brave 4 is around a third of the price of the GoPro while offering decent build quality and functionality for you.
The question that you have to ask yourself is if the GoPro is worth the additional cash for you and your circumstances, only you are able to answer this one. Rest assured that the Akaso Brave 4 is still an excellent entry level or budget option action camera that many people use and are very happy with.
Akaso Brave 4 vs Akaso EK7000
Our comparison table above offers an overview of the capabilities of the Akaso Brave 4 and the Akaso EK7000 (Click here to check for product prices and availability). Although the specifications of both of the cameras are very close to each other, so are their price tags. We feel that the Akaso Brave 4 is definitely worth the extra twenty or so dollars over the Akaso EK7000.
The additional functionality of the Brave 4, as well as the upgraded 20MP camera, are well worth the price in our opinion. You are also able to read our review of the Akaso EK7000 that may give you a better overview of the EK7000 to help you make your decision between the two cameras.
Akaso Brave 4 vs Apeman A80
Things become a little bit trickier when it comes to comparing the Akaso Brave 4 vs the Apeman A80. Although our comparison table above shows the various features of both cameras, the Apeman A80 (Click here to check for product prices and availability) looks like its functionality is a lot closer to the Akaso Brave 4.
Technically, this is correct but the higher build quality of the Brave 4 quickly starts to show. Additionally, the Brave 4s footage is much smoother and crisp than the Apeman A80 making it our choice between the two. You can also read our full Apeman A80 review to get a better understanding of the A80s capabilities too if you like.
Akaso Brave 4 App
The Akaso Brave 4 phone app can also be downloaded onto your smartphone to offer you some functionality on the fly without the need to hook the camera up to your computer. This can be handy if you need to tweak a setting while you are out in the middle of nowhere or wherever your sport of choice ends up taking you.
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