AKASO is a Chinese company that has carved out a solid niche making some of the best budget GoPro alternatives. I’ve previously covered the AKASO EK7000 series, which are ultra-budget options.
They copy some of the core features of GoPros but at a much more affordable price. Indeed, there are a bunch of GoPro copycats — a sure sign that GoPro is onto something with this whole action camera thing — but AKASO has risen above the pack with consistent quality at a very affordable price.
The AKASO Brave 7 LE was originally launched to compete with the GoPro HERO8 and the original DJI Osmo Action. While those cameras are now several generations old, the Brave 7 LE remains relevant because it offers that dual-screen “vlogging” setup for a fraction of the cost of a modern HERO13 Black or DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.
The LE, in this case, stands for Launch Edition. It is worth noting that AKASO later released a standard “Brave 7” (no LE), which has a different body style and is waterproof without a case. The Brave 7 LE discussed here requires a case to be waterproof (it comes with that case!).
If you’re trying to decide between the two, the differences go beyond just the body style. The standard Brave 7 drops the front selfie screen that the LE has, but gains IPX8 waterproofing down to 33 ft (10 m) without any housing at all — a real advantage if you don’t want to deal with a case for everyday use. The LE’s dual-screen setup is the better pick for vlogging and selfies; the standard Brave 7 is the simpler, more rugged option if you mainly want to dunk it and go.
Design & build of the AKASO Brave 7 LE
The overall shape and size of the AKASO Brave 7 LE are very much in keeping with what we expect of an action camera. It’s small and compact with very few knobs or buttons.
But since it’s natural to compare this with the GoPro and DJI cameras, it’s worth pointing out a big area of difference in the design and build. Especially one so fundamental to an action camera.
The AKASO Brave 7 LE is IPX7 water-resistant (splashproof), but it is only waterproof when you use it in the waterproof housing that comes with it.
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If you’re familiar with the older GoPros around the HERO4 series, it’s like those in this respect. Modern GoPros (HERO5 through HERO13) have the waterproofing built into the body. With the Brave 7 LE, you’ll need to use the clear plastic housing for surfing, swimming, or diving. It’s rated for pressures equivalent to a depth of 131 feet / 40 meters. It’s worth noting that you can’t use the camera’s touch screen through the housing’s back door. You can still see the screen — it just won’t respond to touch.
It’s, in many ways, a simpler and cheaper design choice. Making the camera’s body reliably waterproof is hard and expensive to develop. There are even some positives to it; namely, that the housing provides extra protection to the camera. If you end up knocking or banging it, the housing will break first, which is much easier and cheaper to replace than replacing the whole camera.
Mounts
Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, AKASO has decided to stick with GoPro’s three-pronged attachment point. It keeps things simpler for them, but much more importantly, it means you can use this camera with the universe of GoPro mounting accessories.
Battery & charging
The AKASO Brave 7 LE uses a small Li-ion battery that’s rated at 1350mAh. It is model number PG 1350.
There are two ways to charge the battery. You can charge it with the battery in the camera by connecting the camera to a power source using either a micro-USB or USB-C cable (newer manufacturing batches have moved to USB-C, though some older stock may still have micro-USB) or by using the external USB charging cradle that’s included.
In a nice touch, it comes with a spare battery (so there’s a total of two batteries included in the box) and a USB dual charging cradle. This is something GoPro charges extra for.
If you want replacement or spares, this is the one to look for:
AKASO Brave 7 LE on-camera controls
There are three buttons on the camera. On the side is the power button. When the camera is powered on, you use that button to enable the wifi connection (normal press to turn on wifi; hold down to power off).
On top of the camera are two buttons. The one with the circle is the shutter button. In photo mode, it takes a photo. In video mode, it’s the start/stop recording button.
The button with the M does double-duty too. If you press it once normally, it gives you quick access to a shortcut menu system that gives you a way of rapidly changing the shooting mode. If you press and hold the M button, it switches the display to the front screen.
Front screen of the AKASO Brave 7 LE
The front screen is primarily useful for taking selfies and vlogging, when the camera is pointed at you, and you want to see what’s in the frame. So it’s a live view/preview screen. It is not a touchscreen, and you can’t control the menu system with it.
It’s also worth mentioning that the front screen is a square, and the preview fills the entire frame. This means it is a “cropped” center view; you won’t see the far edges of your 16:9 video frame.
Touch screen
The back screen is a touch screen, and you can use it for changing modes or working with the settings menu. I’m impressed with how simple and intuitive the menu system is — I haven’t come across too many head-scratching quirks that slow things down.
Remote controls
A simple remote control is included with the camera. It’s a wrist-watch style remote with two buttons. One starts and stops video recording. The other is a still photo shutter button. It’s water-resistant (splash-proof), but the remote itself is not waterproof and cannot be used underwater.
There’s also a mobile app called AKASO GO (Android / iOS).
I’ve found the app to be serviceable. The biggest hurdle is remembering to turn on the camera’s wifi every time you want to connect (it defaults to off to save battery). The app allows you to download photos/videos and update firmware, but it lacks the polish of the DJI or GoPro apps.
Shooting video with the AKASO Brave 7 LE
The Brave 7 LE encodes its videos with the H.264 AVC encoder. Files are saved with a .MOV or .MP4 file extension.
Resolution/framerate/bitrate combinations
These are the resolution/framerate combinations available on the Brave 7 LE:
| Resolution | Dimensions | Framerates |
|---|---|---|
| 4K | 3840 x 2160 | 30 |
| 2.7K | 2704 x 1520 | 60 / 30 |
| 1080p | 1920 x 1080 | 120 / 60 / 30 |
| 720p | 1280 x 720 | 240 / 120 / 60 |
4K30 gives you the highest resolution. 720p240 gives you a much lower resolution but at a very high framerate of 240 frames per second, which is best suited to shooting slow-motion footage.
The maximum video bitrate is around 50 – 60 Mb/s. This is on the lower end compared to the latest GoPros (which hit 120 Mb/s+) or DJI cameras, but it is acceptable for casual sharing on YouTube or Instagram.
Video stabilization
The BRAVE 7 LE has EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization). This is a 6-axis software approach that offsets shaky video at the time of capture.
By comparison to GoPro’s “HyperSmooth” or DJI’s “RockSteady,” AKASO’s stabilization is basic. It will smooth out walking vibrations, but it won’t handle aggressive mountain biking trails nearly as well as the big-name competitors.
Shooting photos
The Brave 7 LE has a 20-megapixel sensor. It shoots standard JPG images; there is no RAW photo support on this model (you need to step up to the Brave 8 for that).
Sample photos
The images generally come out sharp in good lighting, though they often have a slight green/cool tint that is characteristic of AKASO’s color science. This is easily fixed in editing apps.
What’s in the box?
This is where AKASO really shines. They include a mountain of accessories that would cost over $100 if bought separately from GoPro.
- AKASO Brave 7 LE Camera
- Waterproof housing (Required for swimming/diving)
- 2 x Batteries (1350mAh)
- Dual battery USB charger
- Remote control wrist strap
- A wide variety of mounts (helmet, bicycle, clip, etc.), all compatible with the GoPro ecosystem.
Memory card recommendations
The camera does not come with a memory card. The manual can be confusing regarding compatibility, referencing older standards like “Class 10.”
For the Brave 7 LE, you should use a card between 64GB and 256GB. Look for the rating V30 or U3.
Here are the memory cards I recommend lookin at first first for this camera:
- SanDisk Extreme V30 (The gold standard)
- Lexar Blue V30
- Samsung EVO Select V30 (Great budget option)
Verdict: AKASO Brave 7 LE vs GoPro
The reason to choose the AKASO Brave 7 LE over a modern GoPro (like the HERO13) or DJI Action 5 is purely price.
The big-name cameras have better stabilization, higher resolution (5.3K vs 4K), and better apps. They outperform this camera in just about every spec. But they typically cost $350 – $400. So it’s not really an apples-to-apples comparison.
The AKASO Brave 7 LE typically sells for under $140. For that price, you get a dual-screen camera, 4K video, two batteries, and a full accessory kit. If you are looking for a reliable “beater camera,” a dashcam, or a starter camera for a child — and you don’t want to risk breaking a $400 device — the Brave 7 LE is still among the best budget options.
Current price & availability
Check the current price and availability of the AKASO Brave 7 LE at:
