Why this made the list

The 360 camera category has been stuck in the same place for a while: solid image quality, but the same day-to-day friction of heat, app hiccups, and storage limits. The X6 pushes image quality up a real step with larger dual sensors, at the cost of some of that same friction that's dogged the category for years.

What it actually does

Two 1/1.1-inch square sensors shoot up to 8K 360 video at 50fps, or flat video up to 4K at 120fps when the full sphere isn't needed. A 2,600mAh battery is rated for about 140 minutes of 8K/30fps recording, and a 30W charger gets it to 80 percent in roughly 24 minutes. It's rated waterproof to 20 meters on its own, 60 meters with the optional dive case, and holds 64GB of built-in storage (47GB usable) plus a microSD slot for more.

Who this is actually for

Creators who care about 360 image quality above everything else and mostly shoot outdoors or in motion, where airflow keeps the camera clear of its heat limits. Less of a fit for long static indoor sessions at the highest resolution settings, or for anyone whose phone is more than a couple of years old.

What to weigh before buying

The verdict

The best image quality in a small 360 camera right now, if you can work around the heat limits and keep a recent phone in your pocket for editing. Buy it for outdoor, in-motion shooting rather than long static sessions.