The VIRB XE supports video recording at 1440P/30fps and 1080P/60fps high-speed capture, as well as 480P/240fps slow-motion and time-lapse recording. Users can choose the appropriate video settings according to different sports activities. While recording videos, users can also take still photos, supporting up to 30 photos per second in burst mode. It allows manual adjustment of settings such as white balance, sharpness, color, noise, and exposure compensation, enabling video effects to be tailored to users’ preferences.
The VIRB XE can wirelessly connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing users to frame shots and view the live recording. If the video angle isn’t ideal, adjustments can be made on the spot. As a result, the VIRB XE does away with the viewfinder found in the first-generation model, replacing it with a screen that can display and modify settings. Of course, videos can also be wirelessly transferred to a smartphone for browsing and direct editing, making sharing possible anytime, anywhere.
Sometimes the sound source is far from where the video is being recorded, making it difficult to capture clear audio. To solve this issue, the VIRB XE offers a Bluetooth audio input function, enabling wireless remote audio recording through compatible Bluetooth audio devices.
To enhance video stability, the VIRB XE comes with a built-in gyroscope that provides electronic image stabilization, significantly improving video quality. Even if you accidentally lose the VIRB XE during activity, don’t worry — it can retrieve its last known coordinates via connection to your phone, helping you locate its exact position and recover it.
The VIRB XE is waterproof up to 50 meters and can be used in water without a case. With a waterproof housing, it’s also suitable for deep diving. Another benefit of the naked waterproof design is that without the interference of a case, the VIRB XE delivers clearer audio recording.
Of course, thanks to the built-in GPS, the VIRB XE offers even richer and more professional features. Want to know how high you climbed, how fast you skied, what your cycling power output was, or the gravitational force during skydiving? All of this can be displayed through the VIRB XE. In short, the VIRB XE is not just a regular video camera — it’s a professional device that provides a wealth of motion data, all of which can be visualized in the video for a more intuitive experience.
In addition, when paired with external sensors, the VIRB XE can capture even more data. For example, during flight, it can provide a series of flight data including tilt, roll, ground speed, altitude, heading, roll rate, track angle, lateral body acceleration, horizontal body acceleration, and GPS coordinates. When used for sailing, the VIRB XE can record data such as water depth, water temperature, deviation, wind speed, wind direction angle, and wind chill. During skiing, it can track airtime, flips, speed, elevation, G-force, and distance. For cycling, it records heart rate, heart rate zones, cadence, power, gradient, elevation profile, pace, and power zones. And in motorsports, it can log track, position, lap count, lap time, fastest lap time, final lap time, average lap time, and top speed per lap, among other metrics.
All of the above data can be displayed in the videos recorded by the VIRB XE. Using the official video software and app provided by Garmin, users can perform post-editing so that viewers can feel as if they were right there. These features are precisely what make the VIRB XE more powerful, fun, and engaging compared to other action cameras.