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Yi Technology's next action camera promises to capture 4K at 60fps
Action cameras get more impressive with each generation, but 4K support has always been a bit shaky. So far, the best cameras on the market have only been able to shoot in UHD footage at 15-30 fps, forcing users to step down to 2.7K resolutions for a smoother experience. Next month, that could change: Xiaomi-backed GoPro competitor Yi has just announced that it will reveal a new action cam at CES 2017 that can shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second.
Xiaomi's affordable Yi action camera versus the GoPro Hero
The first thing my Spanish mother-in-law asked me when she saw the Xiaomi Yi was, "Is that a toy camera?" With its lime-and-aqua-marine color scheme, it's not hard to see why she might think that. But no, it is not. In fact, Xiaomi's Yi camera raised a few eyebrows when it was announced recently. Here was yet another action camera that looked suspiciously like a GoPro -- but, at the equivalent of about $65, it was almost half the price of the market-leader's cheapest offering (the $130 Hero edition), with a spec-sheet that bested it on many key features. Importantly (perhaps more so for GoPro), the Yi camera has the backing of Xiaomi, a brand that's gaining traction in China. A market everyone wants a slice of. But does it really best a GoPro?
Xiaomi's action cam bests a GoPro Hero for half the price
Xiaomi has unleashed a 399 CNY ($64) action cam onto unsuspecting cats in China, but will it join the Mi band in the US? The Yi Camera actually trumps the specs of GoPro's entry-level camera with 1080P, 60fps video and up to 64GB of memory at about half the price (the $130 Hero has 1080/30p video and 32GB max storage). It also weighs significantly less at 72g, has a bigger battery and can go the same 40m (130 feet. Update: separate case required) underwater. To be fair, unlike the Hero, it doesn't come with a housing, mounts or the impeccable rep. But Xiaomi is offering a bunch of extra accessories, including a helmet mount and, yes, a cat harness.
