- Next-generation GP3 chip has twice the pixel processing power of GP2
- It features an AI neural processor to improve performance in low light conditions.
- Cameras with GP3 technology are expected from the second quarter of 2026
GoPro has just announced the GP3, a new custom image processor for its cameras. The GP3 is a 5-nanometer system-on-chip (SoC) that the company says offers more than twice the pixel processing power of its predecessor, the GP2, the chip that has been doing the heavy lifting in every GoPro camera since the Hero 10 Black in 2021.
Perhaps the GP3’s most notable feature is a dedicated AI Neural Processor Unit (NPU), built specifically for pixel processing and low-light imaging performance. On top of that, the GP3 features dedicated cores for scene recognition and subject detection, allowing the cameras to analyze their surroundings and automatically adjust real-time settings accordingly. Think of it as the camera becoming considerably smarter at recognizing what it’s looking at, whether it’s a dimly lit street, a fast-moving subject, or an open landscape.
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Low light performance appears to be a major area of focus. In the press release accompanying the announcement, GoPro repeatedly highlights it as one of GP3’s major improvements, and it’s easy to see why: It’s an area where GP2-powered GoPro cameras have historically struggled against cameras from DJI and Insta360. In our review of the GoPro Max 2 360 camera, for example, we found that it’s much less capable after dark than its close competitors, the DJI Osmo 360 and Insta360 X5.
Beyond image quality, the chip’s 5-nanometer architecture and energy-efficient design are expected to deliver better battery life and thermal performance. That’s promising news for anyone who’s seen a GoPro choke and shut down in the middle of a long recording session.
We need another hero
And there’s one more interesting detail mentioned at the end of the press release: GP3-powered cameras will debut in the second quarter. That’s right, this spring. That means at least one new GoPro camera is imminent, and I think it could well be the next flagship action camera, which will presumably be called the GoPro Hero 14 Black.
2025 was the first year that a new Hero Black model wasn’t released in a decade, but Rick Loughery, GoPro’s senior vice president of global marketing and communications, told us that the Hero Black story was definitely not over. So we know a new Hero Black is coming, and it could very well be this one.
One could speculate that GoPro decided not to release a Hero Black in 2025 because they were developing a new model built around the GP3, one that could compete with rival action cameras like the DJI Osmo Action 6 and Insta360 Ace Pro 2 when it comes to low-light capabilities. Either way, you can expect at least a teaser about GoPro’s next camera or cameras very soon.
A new Hero 14 Black seems like a pretty safe bet, but GoPro’s announcement also says the next-generation processor is positioned to “usher in a new era of pro-grade image quality, low-light performance, resolution, and frame rates for small form factor camera markets, including action cameras, 360 cameras, vlogging cameras, and ultra-premium film-grade compact cameras.”
GoPro has already covered the action camera and 360 camera markets, but that statement suggests it’s also exploring new pocket cameras for vlogging and cinema, and could mean 2026 is its active year to date. What new GoPro cameras would you like to see this year? Let me know in the comments below.
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