With the proliferation of new action cameras from the biggest consumer electronics companies in the world and very capable knock-offs from China, GoPro is trying to fend off the competition to make sure it maintains its leadership in the action camera market. For 2018, it decided to come out with an entry level camera that is the most affordable in the GoPro lineup and still got some of the features of its high-end siblings.

It’s called the Hero, with no number after it, and it is priced at US$199.00.

It is not the same as the GoPro Session as it looks the same as the flagship action cams of GoPro such as the Hero6 and Hero5. For the budget conscious airsoft players wanting to won a GoPro action camera, the Hero can be easily mistaken for the expensive versions, and it comes with an LCD screen at the rear just like the Hero5 and 6. The Session does not have an LCD screen.

So at a price of US$199, what does the Hero have to offer? The camera does video capture at a resolution of 1440 at 60 frames per second and 1080 and 60 frames per second. As for still photos, it captures them at 10MP. Other features are voice control, electronic video stabilization, 2-inch display and it is waterproof up to 10 meters or 30 feet. As for mounting, it is compatible with all GoPro HERO mounting accessories available on the market right now.

Too bad it does not do 4K which is available in the higher end GoPros, but if you mainly upload 1080p HD videos on YouTube for your audience to appreciate your gameplay footages, then the GoPro Hero will do the job adequately for you.

The GoPro Hero is now available at retailers. Press release below:

$199 HERO Joins $299 HERO5 and $399 HERO6, Making GoPro Accessible to All

GoPro, Inc. has added a new HERO camera to the family. On sale now, HERO is a $199, go-anywhere, capture-anything camera that makes it easy to share experiences that would be difficult to capture with a phone.

HERO features a 2-inch touch display, is waterproof to 30 feet and is extremely durable, making it the perfect GoPro for kids, adventurous social sharers and travelers.

“HERO is a great first GoPro for people looking to share experiences beyond what a phone can capture,” says Meghan Laffey, GoPro’s SVP of Product. “HERO makes it easy to share ‘wow’ moments at a price that’s perfect for first-time users.”

Sharing cool experiences with HERO is simple. It offloads your photos and videos to the GoPro app which creates fun, shareable videos for you, automatically. No more fumbling with your SD card or plugging your camera into a computer. HERO makes it simple.

Those looking for the ultimate GoPro-experience can subscribe to GoPro’s PLUS subscription service. Cloud backup, damaged camera replacement, 20-percent off accessory discounts and more are included with a PLUS subscription for just $4.99 a month, cancellable anytime.

HERO is available today at retailers around the world and on GoPro.com. Key features include:

• Award-Winning Image Quality: HD Video (1440p60 and 1080p60) and 10MP photo performance
• 2-Inch Touch Display: Using HERO is as easy as using your phone thanks to its touch display
• Voice Control: Tell HERO to start and stop recording, take a photo, turn off and more
• Waterproof + Extremely Durable: Waterproof up to 30’ (10M) and designed go everywhere your smartphone can’t
• Video Stabilization: HERO features video stabilization that helps smooth out the shakes
• Smartphone Compatible: HERO offloads your photos and videos to the GoPro app which creates fun, shareable videos for you, automatically
• Body and Gear Mountable: compatible with 30+ GoPro mounting accessories