The long-rumored successor to GoPro’s GP2 processor is here – but GoPro’s teaser for the new GP3 comes with the news that the processor isn’t just made for action cameras – but vlogging cameras and “ultra-premium, compact cinema-grade cameras” too.
On Tuesday, March 3, GoPro unveiled the GP3, a 5-nanometer System-on-a-Chip (SOC) that the company says will support more than twice the pixel processing power, enhanced low-light performance, and AI-driven tools like subject recognition.
But, GoPro says that the GP3 isn’t just for its action cameras and 360 cameras but will also power “vlogging cameras, and ultra-premium, compact cinema-grade cameras.”
GoPro’s CEO Nicohlas Woodman has previously teased that the company expects to expand into a pro-grade low-light camera in 2026. But the CEO offered few hints as to what such a camera would look like. With the launch of the GP3, the company is offering a few hints, specifically naming the vlogging and compact cinema camera form factors.
“GP3's bleeding-edge, cinema-grade performance will enable GoPro to enter the ultra-premium end of the imaging market this year, serving the needs of a new, higher-end market segment that can grow GoPro's business and brand," Woodman said with the GP3 announcement. "We're excited for GP3 to empower GoPro as both an innovator and disruptor as we look to grow our business through market-leading technology and performance."
GP3 will debut in “new GoPro cameras” – yes, that’s cameras plural – sometime in the second quarter of 2026.
While the company hasn’t shared specs or specifics behind the GP3, the company’s announcement seems to focus on four key things. First, twice the pixel processing power compared to GP2, which should translate into higher resolution cameras and faster frame rates.
Second, GoPro describes AI-driven image quality, including scene recognition and subject detection. That will help the camera to adjust settings automatically and in real-time, the company says.
Third, the company mentions low-light performance multiple times. It’s unclear what sort of sensors and lenses the new GP3 processor will be paired with, but the repeated mention of low-light seems to suggest the processor does a better job of handling noise than the predecessor.
Finally, GoPro says that the new processor will help improve runtimes and thermal performance, hinting at longer battery life and longer runtimes.
And, while GoPro says multiple cameras are coming with the new processor, the brand has dropped a few photos taken with “GoPro’s Next Generation Camera System” using the GP3.
GoPro Senior Vice President of Product Management Pablo Lema says the company believes that GP3 will serve as a growth catalyst for the company. “We expect our new, exclusive GP3 processor to lead in every performance area—image quality, resolution, frame rates, low-light performance, and power and thermal efficiency. Launching in our new products in Q2, GP3 provides a scalable, proprietary foundation we can leverage to power GoPro cameras across existing and future product categories.”
The action camera giant has struggled in recent years, with Woodman refusing his own salary last year. Moving into more advanced categories could help the company regain its footing – and it looks like the GP3 is just a teaser for what’s ahead.
Last year was the first time in ten years that GoPro didn't launch a new flagship action camera during its fall launch event, so a Hero14 Black with the new GP3 processor seems a likely guess for one of those upcoming cameras.
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