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The SJ8 Pro is a premium level action camera from Chinese maker SJCam. Featuring 4K at 60FPS and stabilized 4K30, this camera has all the features a budget pro level camera should offer. The Akaso V50x is from a brand that primarily trades on Amazon and is some of the more popular budget action cams. Offering stabilized 4K30, this camera has decent video quality for the price. So is it worth spending twice as much on the SJ8 Pro?
The Xiaomi Mi A3 is the latest smartphone from Xiaomi running Android One – the version of Android that is supposed to be as close to “Stock” as possible. This phone is pretty flashy given its budget price, but a few issues keep it from being an easy recommend, most notably the low resolution screen and the exceptionally slow and inaccurate fingerprint scanner.
The Minix Neo storage is an all-metal USB-C hub with a useful extra feature: a built in SSD for file storage. The hub has either a 120 or 240 GB storage capacity, two USB-3 ports, a USB-C PD port and an HDMI out port. It is fast, functional and feels well made.
At the $70 price point there are a ton of options for Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones, and even if not class-leading, the Mixcder E9s offer a well-rounded package with decent performance overall.
SJCam makes several excellent cameras, and the SJ8 Pro and SJ8 Plus are no exception. But I only think you should buy one of them, and completely skip the other. Straight to the point, the Pro is the camera to get. Skip the Plus. Let’s talk about why.
The HyphenX M80 is an Amazon Special of a generic action cam. All of these cams share similar hardware, so this review also applies to all of them. While some “brands” may have minor improvements over others or different included accessories, do not buy them. The results are universally disappointing and far worse than other cameras at this price point.
The V50 Elite is one of Akaso’s best camera. It has quite a lot going for it: decent 4K with stabilisation, acceptable audio quality and a touch screen UI, so how does it stack up compared to other cams in its price range? Well, on Amazon, there are few other cams at this price that hold up to it in terms of video quality so let’s take a closer look at it.
Xiaomi Mijia is a renown brand for budget, high quality electronics. So how does the Mijia stabilizer hold up? Well, turns out it does a pretty decent job, despite the app being a little simplistic. If you’re the kind of individual who films a lot of handheld footage with a smartphone, then a handheld smartphone gimbal is for you, and there’s honestly little reason to spend more money.
It’s hard to appreciate just how small this tiny 2-in-1 is; and that’s what makes it one of the coolest devices we have reviewed to date. This niche laptop will not be for everyone as it does have some flaws, but those who are interested in this type of device will not be disappointed if they buy it knowing its limitations. Relatively snappy performance, full Windows 10 and a folding pen/touch design are its highlights!
This is a head-to-head with two great action cams from 2018. They’re both great values but with the video side by side it can help you decide which one will work best for you! Either way you are going to get an excellent camera – just that one will be better for some people based on how they use it. Planning to film in 1080p only? Save some money with the Firefly 8SE. 4K? SJ8 all the way.