GoPro’s first processor in 5 years ‘will debut in new GoPro cameras’ for 2026 – and we could get surprise new models beyond a new Hero Black

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GP3 image processor comes with a host of major improvements – and will be seen on at least one new action camera this spring

GoPro Max 2 and Insta360 X5 360 cameras
The GoPro Max 2 used the GP2 image processing chip – but its successor should run on something much more powerful (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
  • Next-gen GP3 chip has twice the pixel processing power of GP2
  • Features AI Neural Processor to boost low-light performance
  • GP3-powered cameras are expected from Q2 2026

GoPro has just announced the GP3, a new custom imaging processor for its cameras. The GP3 is a 5-nanometer System-on-Chip (SoC) that the company claims delivers 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 back 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 image performance. Alongside that, the GP3 features dedicated cores for scene recognition and subject detection, enabling cameras to analyze their surroundings and automatically adjust settings in real time accordingly. Think of it as the camera becoming considerably smarter about recognizing what it's looking at – whether that's a dimly lit street, a fast-moving subject or a wide open landscape.

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GoPro GP3 chip sample images
Sample images captured using the GoPro GP3 chip(Image credit: GoPro)

Low-light performance appears to be a major focus area. In the press release accompanying the announcement, GoPro repeatedly highlights it as one of GP3's headline improvements, and it's easy to see why – it's an area where GoPro cameras powered by the GP2 have historically struggled against cameras from DJI and Insta360. In our review of the GoPro Max 2 360 camera, for instance, we found it to be far 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 power-efficient design are expected to deliver better battery life and thermal performance. That's promising news for anyone who's watched a GoPro choke and shut down in the heat of a long recording session.

We do need another Hero

GoPro Hero 13 Black on wooden bench

The GoPro Hero 13 Black, the company's last flagship action camera, was released in 2024 (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

And there’s one more exciting detail mentioned at the end of the press release: GP3-powered cameras are set to debut in Q2. 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 didn't see a new Hero Black model released in a decade, but Rick Loughery, GoPro's SVP 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 this might well be it.

One might speculate that GoPro chose 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 surrounding GoPro's next camera or cameras very soon.

A new Hero 14 Black feels like a fairly safe bet, but the GoPro announcement also says the next gen processor is positioned to 'usher in a new era of professional-level 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, compact cinema-grade cameras.'

GoPro has already covered the action camera and 360 camera markets, but that statement suggests it's exploring new vlogging and cinema-grade pocket cameras too, 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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GoPro Hero 13 Black action camera on a white background
The best action camera

➡️ Read our full best action camera guide
1. Best overall
GoPro Hero 13 Black
2. Best budget
Akaso Brave 8 Lite
3. Best 8K
Insta360 Ace Pro 2
4. Best underwater
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

Sam Kieldsen
Sam Kieldsen

Sam has been writing about tech and digital culture for over 20 years, starting off in video games journalism before branching out into the wonderful worlds of consumer electronics, streaming entertainment and photography. Over the years he has written for Wired, Stuff, GQ, T3, Trusted Reviews and PC Zone, and now lives on the Kent coast in the UK – the ideal place for a camera reviewer to ply their trade.


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