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I’ll be the first to tell you that I have had a hate-love relationship with robot vacuums. However, over the years, I’ve watched as the technology has improved, resulting in better mapping, improved object avoidance, and exciting features. This is why I was all too glad to test the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum.
Narwal introduced its 2026 flagship robot vacuum in January, which resulted in a lot of buzz. It’s not the first robot vacuum to have dual cameras, but the way they work with the LM OmniVision AI Model feels like a big leap forward.
During testing, I observed the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum recognizing the dirtiness of a floor and adjusting the suction and mopping capabilities. Plus, its ability to 'smart clean', or recognize which areas of your house need deeper cleans, and avoid and identify obstacles is next to none. Although I don’t have pets or babies, the Pet Care Mode and Baby Care Mode are quite cool because they let the Flow 2 find your pet (and play with it), switch to quiet mode near cribs, and avoid crawling zones.
The charging dock can wash and dry the roller mop with hot air, and automatically empties the vacuum's dust bim (Image credit: Future)Overall, I found the Narwal Flow 2 ’s smart capabilities very impressive, and its customization capabilities within the app particularly convenient. Its mopping capabilities are its best feature, and when paired with vacuuming, it does a great job of cleaning all floor types — though it doesn't fare as well with edge or corner cleaning. The suction capability wasn’t strong enough to pull super-fine materials like flour from a thick rug, but it did better than other robot vacuums I’ve tested. I would have also liked it to be half an inch shorter so it could fit under my kitchen cabinets.
The Narwal Flow 2 stands out in other ways too, such as its ability to climb over high thresholds, app and voice controls, and video feeds. The dock automatically empties the dust cup, and washes and dries the roller mop with hot water and hot air. I still think you’ll need a vacuum and a wet-dry vacuum on hand for deeper cleans or to reach spaces the robot vacuum can’t go, but the Flow 2 will do a stand-up job at keeping your home pristine between deep cleans.
The Narwal Flow 2 launched in the US in April 2026, with a premium price tag to match its high-end cleaning features. There are plenty of other great robot vacuums that are more affordable (even ones with cameras), but most don’t have the AI capabilities of this model, which really set it apart from the competition.
Narwal Flow 2: price and availabilityThe Narwal Flow 2 launched in the US on April 13, 2026, with a UK release expected at a later date. Although the list price for the robot vacuum and the base is $1,499, those who buy it during the launch can snag this combo for $1,099. It’s available directly from Narwal and Amazon, but may expand to other third-party retailers later.
The price makes sense considering that the Flow 2 is outfitted with high resolution cameras, a roller mop, and superb AI capabilities that lets it recognize shoes, cords, pets, and toys, and adjust the cleaning settings depending on the type of dirt, debris, or spill. The dock also has hot water and hot air-drying capabilities — something that lesser models lack. We consider the Narwal Flow 2 to be a premium buy since it costs more than $800 / £650 / AU$1,000 .
Our review unit came with one extra dust bag (Image credit: Future)Our review model came with cleaning solution and one extra dust bag. Accessory replacements are available from Narwal.
Now the question remains, is this model worth $1,499? Considering all the features and control users have through the app, I would say yes. I just wish the edge and corner cleaning had matched my expectations. Perhaps an update will improve both settings soon.
The Narwal Flow 2 is a black, circular robot vacuum that’s about 13.5 / 35cm inches in diameter and has the capability to lift over thresholds. At 3.7 inches / 9cm, the robot vacuum is relatively tall, and even though it can fit under my couch and baker’s rack, it doesn’t fit under my cabinets.
The Narwal Flow 2 is relatively tall and can't fit under all items of furniture (Image credit: Future)It has a small rotating brush along the bottom edge that sweeps debris toward the zero-tangling floating brush, where the robot vacuum uses 30,000Pa to suck up debris. The Flow 2 uses a crawler mop for edges; think of it like a roller map that has been flattened so that it’s wide, long, and rotates, using 12N downward pressure to clean floors. The crawler mop can extend 1.8 inches / 5cm from the side.
The robot vacuum comes with a black base that’s 20.5 / 36cm inches tall, 14 inches / 36cm wide, and 17 / 43cm inches deep, and a cord that is 4.8 feet / 1.5m long. Separate clean water and dirty water tanks sit on top of a tank that holds the cleaning solution. Both the robot vacuum and the dock have filters.
The Narwal Flow 2 has a crawler mop that can extend from the side for cleaning close to edges (Image credit: Future)The dock also features a dust bag that can last up to 120 days, and colored ambient lighting, which can indicate different things like when there is problem with the robot (eg flashing red lights).I
n addition to LED lights on the robot vacuum itself, the Narwal Flow 2 has dual 1080p cameras with a 136-degree field of view. The robot vacuum uses cameras and AI to recognize objects or pets and either avoid them or note them on the map, captures video and photographs, and provides deeper cleanings.
I had no issue connecting the Narwal Flow 2 to Wi-Fi or the app. The robot mapped my house in 35 minutes. I had to split and merge a few rooms, but that was simple enough.
As part of my testing, I utilized the robot vacuum like anyone else might – letting it clean my entire house multiple times, directing it to specific rooms (like the kitchen after dinner), or to an area where I’d made a mess (like near my sewing machine). In doing this, I found that the vacuuming and mopping capabilities of the Narwal Flow 2 were solid. The water output was perfect, and by that, I mean my floors weren’t too wet and they dried very quickly.
One of my favorite aspects of this robot vacuum is the roller mop. Some brands opt for circular mop pads that spin, however, I always thought such pads just moved wet dirt and other materials around the floor before the robot had a chance to return to the base to wash the pads.
The Narwal Flow 2 has a roller map that’s wide (almost flattened), and as it rotates, the robot sends clean hot water to the mop so that it’s cleaning the mop as it cleans your floors. A 12N downward pressure of the roller mop also aids in removing stubborn or heavy messes. If the robot vacuum recognizes a significant spill, it will also return to the base to clean the roller before returning to clean the floor again.
The Narwal Flow 2 was able to clear door thresholds easily (Image credit: Future)The robot easily climbed my thresholds – some of which are two inches / 5cm high – and avoided a lot of objects. In fact, I felt like it stayed too far from objects and edges at first, so I adjusted the cleaning to 'meticulous' within the app and was happier with the results.
I also watched it avoid low overhanging areas like my kitchen cabinets. At least the robot vacuum had the ability to extend the roller mop 1.8 inches / 4.6cm under the cabinet. Still, it wasn’t far enough to clean fully under the cabinet, so I had to use a vacuum to reach under there.
The robot vacuum got stuck once on my bath rug, which has fringe, but that was the only object that it ever has any issue with. it avoided cords and shoes, and even noted them on the map.
During testing, the Narwal Flow 2 managed to vacuum up all but one flower petal (Image credit: Future)While I could customize the suction power of the vacuum, I liked to keep it on Smart so that the suction adjusted based on the floor type and whether the robot sensed dirt or a mess. I liked that the robot vacuum used the LED light in low light areas to clean better. The Narwal Flow 2 didn’t do well with suctioning large objects like medium-sized leaves from my poinsettia plants. This isn’t that big of a deal as most robot vacuums (or vacuums) don’t do well with suctioning larger items.
Although I used the app most of the time to direct the robot vacuum, occasionally, I used one of the 34 voice commands. Sometimes I had to use the app because the commands are limited. For instance, I could tell it to clean my living room, but I couldn’t say, “Clean up the living room and the hallway.” Combining commands wasn’t possible.
The robot vacuum took three hours to clean my entire 1,600-square-foot house, dropping to 31 percent in terms of the battery. In fact, the battery was only at 50% at the 2-hour cleaning mark. It took four hours to fully charge the robot vacuum, which is quick in my opinion.
Overall, I was very happy with how well Narwal Flow 2 kept my house clean of dirt, debris, and kitchen scraps. That said, after running some cleaning tests, there are some areas where it could improve.
Cleaning testsTo begin my testing, I placed ground coffee, flour, and dried flower petals on my kitchen laminate floor and on my living room rug and utilized the vacuum-only feature to see how well the robot could suction different materials. I even made sure to sprinkle ground coffee under my kitchen cabinets, along the edges of my kitchen, and in the corners. Here’s what I observed.
In the kitchen, the robot vacuum increased suction automatically when it went over the flour and the dried flowers, but not over the coffee. It suctioned all of the coffee, all but one flower petal, and most of the flour. Unfortunately, the wheels of the robot vacuum moved a thin film of the flour around on the floor. Where it didn’t succeed was suctioning coffee from the corners, edges, and under the kitchen cabinet.
The robot's wheels moved a thin film of flour around the floor (Image credit: Future)To be fair, the robot couldn’t fit under the kitchen cabinet. When it came to corners, the robot vacuum suctioned coffee completely in one corner, but not the other. It failed quite miserably with suctioning coffee grounds along the edges.
As for the suction test on the rug, the robot vacuum automatically increased the suction to 'super powerful' when it recognized the material. On the first pass, the robot vacuum picked up some coffee grounds and flour but all of the dried flower petals. I also placed slightly damp poinsettia leaves on the carpet, and the robot vacuum did not pick them up but unintentionally moved them off the rug.
I was disappointed at first, until the robot vacuum went over the coffee and flour three more times – without me instructing it to do so. By the end, 98 percent of coffee grounds had been suctioned. A lot of the flour had been picked up, minus a small amount that had been pushed into the rug. In the end, I thought the suctioning capability on rugs was better than most robot vacuums.
The robovac automatically switched modes when it detected that it was on a carpet (Image credit: Future)For the final test, I used the vacuum and mop features on my laminate floor. I covered the floor with flour, coffee grounds, a spilled glass of water, chocolate sauce, soy sauce, wing sauce, and creamer. The Narwal Flow 2 cleaned up the wing sauce, soy sauce, water spill, coffee grounds, and flour in a single pass. I was surprised by how smoothly it picked up the chocolate sauce since it’s a tough substance that dries quickly. (I test wet-dry vacuums and even many of them have issues with cleaning slightly dried chocolate sauce in two passes or more.)
When it came to the creamer, the robot vacuum recognized it as a 'spill', which meant it cleaned it up in a single pass then returned to the dock to clean the mop. It then repeated this two more times — cleaning that area and returning to the dock to clean the mop — before it moved on. The floor was not sticky by the time the robot vacuum had finished.
The Flow 2 picked up wet spills with ease, and left no residual stickiness behind (Image credit: Future)I also placed coffee grounds under the cabinet, in the corners, and along the edges to see if the mop and vacuum combo would result in better cleaning capabilities. When the robot vacuum passed near the cabinets, it extended the mop to the side, and while it picked up a bit, unfortunately, the roller mop couldn’t extend far enough to pick up half of the coffee grounds under the cabinet
When it came to corners, the robot vacuum had the same results using the vacuum and mop as it did during the suction only test. It cleaned edges better with the mop than without it, but the results weren’t as good as I’d hoped. One edge was cleaned very well but a lot of coffee grounds were left along another edge.
The robovac's performance was less impressive when it came to edges and corners (Image credit: Future)To sum it all up, I’d advise utilizing the vacuum and mop features on hard flooring to maximize the cleaning process. The Narwal Flow 2 does an average job edge and corner cleaning. When it comes to carpets, it can pick up a lot of debris, though for the finest materials like flour, you’ll probably need a more powerful vacuum.
MaintenanceWhen it comes to the Narwal Flow 2 , there isn’t much maintenance you’ll need to do daily or weekly. It took 16 uses of the robot vacuum before I was informed to refill the water tank and empty the dirty water tank.
I would suggest going through the app when you first start using the Narwal Flow 2 to set up the maintenance how you see fit. Head to the “Dock” section and choose what kind of mop drying intensity you prefer (silent, strong, or smart), as well as how often you want the dust bin to be emptied (every time of execution or when the robot determines it needs to be emptied). You can even choose the noise level of the dust emptying.
The base cleans the roller with 140-degree hot water and dries it completely with hot air. The dust bag holds up to 120 days’ worth of debris. In the future, Narwal may roll out a reusable dust bag. The debris filter is washable and should be cleaned once a month. You’ll need to remove the bottom tray of the base and clean it out once or twice a month as lots of debris and dirt accumulates there.
Within the app, you can keep an eye on which accessories need to be replaced and/or how much longer they will last. For instance, the zero-tangling floating brush on my testing robot is still good for another 144 hours of use.
I had an easy time using the Narwal app to set up the Narwal Flow 2 . Although there is a 3D mapping option, I preferred using the 2D option and had an easy time labeling the rooms and seeing things like rugs on the map. I ran into some issues trying to split my living room and study on the map. The rooms have a wide doorway with pocket doors, so I understand the robot thinking they are the same room, but when trying to split them, the map says in doing so the rooms are “too small.” This is odd considering that my bathroom is about a sixth the size of each of those rooms and it was considered its own room on the map.
I tried to set up my corridor as a no-go zone (the floors are not sealed and can’t be mopped), but unfortunately, when I did this, the robot vacuum wouldn’t pass the corridor to clean the bathroom. Thankfully I was able to go around this with the room customization feature which allows me to customize the type of cleaning I want for each room. Therefore, I designed the corridor to be a vacuum-only space so that the robot vacuum would be able to reach the bathroom where I have it designated to be vacuumed and mopped.
Within the app, I can choose to clean the whole house, certain rooms, or even specific zones within those rooms. I can also customize this further by informing the robot vacuum to vacuum and mop, vacuum then mop, vacuum only, or mop only.
One of my favorite features is the Navo assistant that sits below the map offering insight on the cleaning or information that’s relevant, like if the vacuum has gotten stuck. If you click it, the assistant shows you the voice commands that you can use with the robot vacuum and lets you adjust the language and voice tone.
The app allows you to select whole rooms for cleaning, or just specific zones (Image credit: Future)The Dock button informs users of the dust bag status and touch-on-demand features like dock dust emptying, dust bag dry and disinfecting, mop washing, mop drying, and adjusting the ambient lighting effects.
Users can watch a live video from the cameras on the Narwal Flow 2 . You can record or take videos, control the direction of the robot, and direct the robot to clean. There is also a Cruise feature that takes photos on a specific route through your house and stores them in the app.
On top of scheduling cleanings and monitoring the cleaning history, you can also adjust the cleaning settings, from the suction power to the mopping humidity, coverage precision (smart, standard, and meticulous), and set things like intensive corner cleaning, priority cleaning for carpet, intensive carpet cleaning, intelligent room splitting and rewashing of the mop, high altitude mode, child lock, do not disturb feature, obstacle avoidance strategy, and smart object detection. It’s also here where you can set up your Narwal Flow 2 with Alexa, Google Home, or Matter.
The Pet-friendly Mode section is very extensive. Users choose which pets they have (cats, dogs, or both) and designate either easy cleaning in specific pet areas or enhanced cleaning in areas that were missed because pets were present. It also allows you to find your pet and/or “play” with your pet by attracting the pet to the robot with a specific sound.
Wattage (robot):
65W
Robot diameter:
13.14 inches / 33cm
Robot height:
3.7 inches / 9cm
Cleaning path width:
Not specified
Dock dimensions (H x W x D):
17.7 x 14.1 x 20.8 inches / 45 x 36 x 53cm
Dock cord:
4.8ft / 1.5m
Weight (robot + dock):
33lbs / 15kg
Narwal Flow 2: should you buy it?Narwal Flow 3 score cardAttribute
Notes
Score
Value for money
A premium robot vacuum that is accurately priced for all the features you receive, though I expected better edge cleaning for the price.
3.5/5
Design
A black circular robot vacuum with dual cameras that can mop and vacuum at the same time with a wide roller mop that can extend 1.8 inches. The robot can cross tall thresholds and returns to a base that cleans the mop with hot water and hot air.
4/5
Performance
Automatically adjusts suction and water flow when it detects dirt, debris, and stains, and does a superb job with avoiding obstacles and smart cleaning. Edge and corner cleaning are average. Performs better when vacuuming and mopping hard floors. Suctions better on rugs than expected.
4/5
App
The Narwal app offers a dearth of customization and cleaning options. Plus, you can manage the video features and monitor the dock or accessory life within the app or set up the robot to interact with your pets. There is little this app can’t do.
4.5/5
Buy it ifYou like a hands-free cleaning system that knows when the floor is dirty.
The AI or smart cleaning capabilities of this robot vacuum almost feel like a person in the way it pays attention to detail. It’s ability to increase the suction when it recognizes dirt or dust on the floor, or to go over a wet spill multiple times to prevent the floor from being sticky, is notable.
You want a super high-tech robot vacuum.
Not only does the Narwal Flow 2 have an app that lets you control every feature of this robot vacuum, but it’s outfitted with voice control and an integrated video camera that offers a live stream. Through the video, you can even control where the robot moves or see what your pet is up to when you’re away. Best yet, the dock does all the daily maintenance for you. The AI system offers adaptive cleaning for pet or baby households, adaptive obstacle avoidance, 3D mapping capabilities, and a battery management system that enables fast charging.
You dislike product maintenance.
The dock self-empties the waste bin into a dust bag, adds water and removes dirty water from the robot vacuum, plus cleans and dries the roller with AI Adaptive hot water and hot air.
Don't buy it ifYou’re a stickler for edge or corner cleaning.
Unfortunately, the Narwal Flow 2 had mixed results when it came to cleaning along the edges or in corners. Sometimes it cleaned a corner thoroughly, and other times it didn’t. The same could be said for cleaning along edges, though it seemed to do better cleaning edges when the mop and vacuum features were being employed at the same time. View Deal
You love to use voice commands for everything.
The Narwal Flow 2 has 34 voice commands, but they don’t cover very specific cleaning commands. For instance, you could say “first vacuum, then mop,” or just “Start vacuuming,” but you can’t command the Narwal Flow to “vacuum my bathroom” (though you can say “clean up my bathroom) or “clean my bathroom and then the kitchen.” View Deal
You want a super high-powered vacuum.
The Narwal Flow 2 is a powerhouse when it combines the vacuum and mop features, however, its suction capability is still limited as most robot vacuums are. In our testing, it did a decent job in most areas, though it struggled with items like large leaves from plants or suctioning super fine materials from carpet or hard floors. Thanks to its AI capabilities, the robot vacuum will go over a section of flooring that it recognizes as being “dirty” multiple times and it can suction up quite a lot. I’m not sure if there is a robot vacuum with a better suction capability (there are others with a 30,000 Pa and some that have 35,000 Pa), but if you have a lot of carpets, you’d probably do better with an actual vacuum. View Deal
Narwal Flow 2: also considerIf you're not sure whether the Narwal Flow 2 is the right robot vacuum for you, here are two other options to think about.
Roborock Qrevo Curv
A robot vacuum and mop that delivers superb suction and great wet floor cleaning. It's the best robovac we've tested to date.
See our full Roborock Qrevo Curv review
Eufy X10 Pro Omni
Another two-in-one robovac with excellent cleaning on all floor types, plus strong mapping and navigation.
Read our full Eufy X10 Pro Omni review
How I tested the Narwal Flow 2I tested the Narwal Flow 2 for two weeks on my laminate and historic wood floors and medium-to-large pile rugs. To review all the vacuuming and mopping capabilities, I conducted several tests with various materials (water, chocolate syrup, soy sauce, coffee grounds, and flour) on different types of flooring to see how well the robot suctioned and cleaned the floor. This included testing different features like spot cleaning, video capabilities, mapping, voice commands, and so much more.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed March 2026
I've been around the content creator's block enough times to say that the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is easily the most popular vlogging camera for creators on the go. I've seen the tiny, gimbal-stabilized 4K camera in the hands of so many people, and with good reason — it's a fabulously discreet and powerful pocket video camera.
Ahead of what could be a stampede of new rivals, not least of which could be the rumored Insta360 Luna, DJI now looks to build on the success of its two-and-a-bit-year-old vlogging camera with a new and improved successor, the Osmo Pocket 4.
Considering the time between the two cameras, and how swift DJI has been in bringing genuine improvements to its camera gear in recent years, especially its drones such as the Mini 5 Pro, I expected a little more from the Pocket 4. That being said, there are a few notable upgrades worth knowing about — I've unpacked those in more detail in this Pocket 4 vs Pocket 3 article.
DJI has added two buttons under the screen for direct control to features such as the 2x lossless zoom, plus refined the joystick response. The gimbal arm accepts new magnetic accessories, such as a fill light, too. (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)All the bits I appreciate about the Pocket 3 remain — the compact design, stellar video stabilization performance, crisp 4K video, the easy switch between vertical and horizontal video, and direct connection with wireless mics.
What DJI has done in the Pocket 4 is add some welcome polish. The new features might not leap out on a spec sheet, but in real use they combine for a slicker user experience.
Top upgrades include better slow-motion recording, now up to 240fps in 4K, better-quality 4K video with 10-bit color depth and wider dynamic range now up to 14 stops, slicker subject tracking which is available in more modes, better battery life, 107GB of internal memory, and refined controls, such as a new magnetic gimbal arm which accepts accessories such as a fill light (see the hero image).
It's not a big upgrade per se, but it's enough of an improvement that I would recommend Pocket 3 owners take a look, and it's an easy recommendation for first-time buyers looking for a powerful and small vlogging camera besides their smartphone.
DJI has tightened its stranglehold on this pocket video camera market, but for how long? When Insta360 enters the stage, it might just wrestle the spotlight away from this playing-it-safe Pocket 4 upgrade.
DJI Osmo Pocket 4: price and release dateThe DJI Osmo Pocket 4 was unveiled on April 16 2026 in Essential, Standard and Creator Combo packages. The Essential Combo costs £429 / AU$749, the Standard Combo is £445 / AU$769 and comes with the gimbal clamp and tripod handle, while the Creator Combo, which adds Mic 3 transmitter, wide-angle lens, magnetic fill light, mini tripod, and carry bag accessories, costs £549 / AU$959, and is better value for DJI newcomers.
There's no US pricing or availability at launch through official DJI channels, given DJI's ongoing issues in the US. Like most DJI products, the Osmo Pocket 4 is excellent value considering what it's capable of, and it'll be a tough ask for future rivals to beat it.
Video:
4K and 1080p up to 60fps, plus slow motion up to 240fps
Photo:
Up to 9.4MP in RAW & JPEG, up to 37MP in SuperPhoto mode
Storage:
107GB internal, microSD card slot
Battery:
1,545mAh, up to 4 hours Full HD record time
Charger type:
USB-C / optional fast PD charger
Weight:
6.72oz / 190.5 g
Dimensions:
144.2 x 44.4 x 33.5mm (L x W x H)
DJI Osmo Pocket 4: DesignThe Pocket 4 has a familiar look about it, because it keeps a similar Pocket 3 form factor that has won many admirers, even if it is a tiny bit taller.
I can't stress enough how important its compact dimensions are for vlogging on the go. The Pocket 4 is even more discreet for video than a phone, and in my experience I've never had anyone take issue with me filming in public with an Osmo Pocket. Put simply, you can film freely with one of these.
At first glance you might think there's nothing new in this latest model, but there are in fact some helpful design tweaks. For instance, the speed of the gimbal's movement responds to how firmly you push the joystick, making quick or more precise adjustments possible — whereas before the movement was a single speed.
DJI has also added two new buttons under the screen, which are only visible when the display is flipped horizontal, but which provide shortcuts to useful regularly used controls, including the 2x lossless zoom.
Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanThe gimbal arm has been fitted with a magnetic surface and electronic contacts, which can be used to pair accessories, such as the new magnetic fill light included in the Creator Combo kit (see below).
On connection, the light automatically fires up because it's powered by the camera. Its output is minimal, and of no real help in bright daylight, but it's certainly useful in dimly lit spaces or at night.
Otherwise, the design is mostly as you were. The gimbal is supremely effective for smooth video on the move, the rear screen still rotates 90 degrees to switch between horizontal and vertical recording, and there's still a micro SD card slot (now with a protective cover) and USB-C charging.
There are other additions regarding memory and power, which I'll get onto next.
Despite it effectively being the same size as the Pocket 3 (just a fraction taller), there's a higher-capacity 1,545mAh battery squeezed into the Pocket 4 — that’s 20% more power compared to the older 1,300mAh unit.
This new battery provides up to four hours shooting time, but the small print stipulates that this for recording 1080p video at 24fps, and with wireless connections and the screen turned off. If you're recording 4K video, expect shooting times to be significantly less.
Still, that's quite the feat for such a tiny camera, plus charge times have been reduced, so you can be ready to shoot again quicker. From flat, the Pocket 4's battery can get to 100% charge in 32 minutes, or an 80% charge in just 18 minutes. Again, the small print says those numbers are for using DJI's 65W PD charger (sold separately, or included in the Creator Combo kit). I don't have the numbers for regular USB-C charging.
Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanIn addition to microSD card memory (compatible with cards up to 1TB), DJI has fitted the Pocket 4 with 107GB of built-in storage. which is sufficient for many hours of 4K video files, while the Pocket 3 has none. Both can record onto microSD.
There’s next-gen Wi-Fi 6 and USB 3.1 support in the Pocket 4 too, plus faster wired transfer speeds, making for a speedier workflow on the move.
Subject tracking has seen a boost in performance, with an upgrade to DJI's latest Active Track 7.0 (the Pocket 3 uses Active Track 6.0). A double tap on your subject in the frame initiates tracking, with the ability to track people, animals, vehicles and more.
DJI has let subject tracking loose in that it's available in more shooting modes. It's one of many instances where the Pocket 4 feels like a more polished all-rounder than the Pocket 3, which has many similar features but is hampered by what feel like unnecessary restrictions on which shooting modes you can use them in.
One drawback that does remain, however, is that the Pocket 4 can get a little warm when using its more power-hungry features. I've not had any overheating issues, but you're aware of the camera warming up when you're holding it.
For most people, the outright image quality of the Pocket 4, while impressive for pro vloggers, won't be enough reason to upgrade from the Pocket 3, which was already impressive in this regard. Both cameras are fitted with a 1-inch sensor, but DJI says the Pocket 4's 4K video output is optimized with 14 stops of dynamic range and 10-bit color depth.
One factor contributing to improved tones is the addition of a D Log color profile, which is available in the Pro setting. It's DJI's best flat color profile (also found in the pricey Mavic 4 Pro drone) which gives greater editing scope for color graders. The Pocket 3 offers D Log-M, which is a bit like a light version of D Log.
DJI says that the Low Light mode further boosts dynamic range and overall image quality from its previous Pocket. I haven't directly compared the two, but from the recordings I've made with the Pocket 4, detail in dark scenes looks a little cleaner than I remember.
There are also six new film tones to choose from for stylized baked-in looks, handy for users who would rather not mess around with Log and color grading. I've happily used a couple of these profiles regularly – 'Movie' is nice and punchy.
Slow-motion recording receives a boost, in that the Pocket 4 can shoot up to 240fps — that’s 8x slow-mo — in 4K and 1080p. The Pocket 3 is limited to 120fps for 4K, but can also shoot at 240fps in 1080p.
For stills photography, a SuperPhoto mode ups resolution from 9.4 megapixels to 37 megapixels, for more detailed snaps. That's for 1:1 aspect ratio pics, the resolution drops to 33 megapixels when switching to 16:9.
Even in stills mode, the Pocket 4 is clearly a video-focused camera, in that it doesn't offer 3:2 and 4:3 aspect ratio stills common among photographers.
The 2x lossless zoom is easily selected by pressing the left of the two new buttons under the Pocket 4's display, and again DJI has loosened previous restrictions for this feature — it can now be used in photo mode and when subject tracking is active.
Yes, image quality upgrades are minor in the Pocket 4, but for professional users there's just about enough to merit swapping out their Pocket 3.
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Price
Bang for buck, the Pocket 4 is excellent value, and has no real rival
4.5/5
Design
Welcome design tweaks improve the overall user experience, but it is a fraction bigger than the Pocket 3
4.5/5
Performance
Stellar stabilization, subject tracking and improved battery life
5/5
Image and video quality
Still a single-lens 4K camera, but the quality has been upped through better low-light performance and color profiles
4.5/5
Should I buy the DJI Osmo Pocket 4?Buy it if...You want a discreet and powerful video camera
No other vlogging camera this small produces such crisp, stabilized 4K video, complete with reliable subject tracking.
You need the polish it brings over the Pocket 3
Sure, the headline features such as 4K up to 240fps, D-Log color, built-in memory and exclusive accessories are welcome, but it's just how much more polished the Pocket 4 feels that stands out day to day. There are less restrictions on how you can use many of its features.
You're happy vlogging with your phone
The latest smartphones, especially flagship models from China, can for the most part match the Pocket 4’s quality, if not its discreetness
You're happy with your Pocket 3
The Pocket 4 is a reasonable upgrade when all it's improvements are considered, but the core features are largely the same as the Pocket 3's.
DJI Osmo Pocket 3
In the immediate future, I expect the Pocket 3 to remain on sale, and it can be had for less than the Pocket 4. It's slightly smaller and features all of the same core features, but you'll miss out on 4K 240fps, built-in memory and new accessories, including the fill light. Check out my Pocket 4 vs Pocket 3 deep dive.
Read our in-depth Pocket 3 review
(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)How I tested the DJI Osmo Pocket 4DJI loaned me an Osmo Pocket 4 Creator Combo kit, which comprises the camera, gimbal guard, magnetic fill light, grip handle, battery handle, mini tripod and DJI Mic 3 transmitter. I used all of these accessories throughout my review period ahead of the product launch, which spanned the best part of a month.
I briefly compared how the Pocket 4 differs to the Pocket 3 by holding both products side by side, though I haven't shot like-for-like videos with the two cameras to compare quality.
I've shot video in all resolutions and frame rates — that's 4K and 1080p up to 240fps — utilized subject tracking, and shot comparison clips using the various color profiles, including D-Log and the six presets, and used the SuperPhoto and regular photo modes in RAW and JPEG format.
I've recorded onto the camera's internal memory, and run the camera battery down and checked recharge times using a standard USB-C cable.
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(Image credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson)