GoPro Hero 3 White Overpriced, Choose TCL SVC 200 Instead

I really don't get what the big deal is about GoPro action cameras. Action cameras have been popular since 2009. So it's not something new and exciting. As a dropshipper I've been selling electronics since 2007 from early companies like Chinavasion.com and Dealextreme.com as well as Lightinthebox.com. That was before the latter two became huge.




Anyway back to action cameras. When you take a look at a GoPro action camera, the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s way overpriced.

How can I say that?

One, I’ve been in this industry for a while. Two, I say that based on analysis of the competition. There are much better deals out there. Albeit, GoPro has done a fine job marketing their mini action camera, but at the end of the day, your dollar goes farther elsewhere.

Don’t believe me?

Take a look at this TCL action camera.

It’s made by a company called TCL. TCL is one of the biggest consumer electronics companies in the world. Here’s the Wikipedia entry on them.

Just a summary: 60,000 employees worldwide. Listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Around 10 Billion USD in sales for 2012.

Ok so if you take a look at the specs of this action camera one thing becomes apparent. That internally it’s basically the same as the GoPro Hero 3 White Edition.

Externally, well I’m glad you asked.

The TCL SVC 200 comes with a built-in viewscreen.

The Hero 3 White does not. 

Why is this important? Picture this scenario. You’re out in the wild, trying to capture some incredible live action footage with your Hero 3 White. After hours of setting up the shot as well as incredible luck in pulling off the extreme action stunt, you return home to find that the shot was too dim and blurred. What’s more, you were off-center.

All that time and effort wasted. But more than that, the thought of having to travel out there to set everything up again, the thought of it is too daunting.

But this wouldn’t have been a problem if you had the TCL SVC 200. It comes with a 1.5 inch monitor built-in to the side of the camera chassis. After you film some video, you can immediately play it back. Shot didn’t turn out right? Do it again at the scene. Still not right, do it again.

Now let’s be fair to GoPro.

For another 80 bucks you could order the optional viewscreen which attaches to the stock GoPro camera. The only problem is that as an attachment, what was once a small and compact action camera is suddenly a lot heavier and chunkier.

So that’s one of the many reasons I feel the TCL SVC 200 beats the Go Pro Hero 3 White.

But there’s more.

Next I’d like to talk about mounts and accessories.

When you’re into action videos, mounts mean everything. Whether you’re mounting your camera on your bike handle bars, your skateboarding helmet, on the back of an eagle (yes one avid GoPro fan mounted his camera on the back of an eagle in flight, ingenious. Just search Youtube for the vid), etc.

But the problem with the stock GoPro camera is that it comes with almost no mounts and very little accessories.

This doesn’t mean that GoPro mounts and accessories don’t exist. They do it, but it means you have to pay extra for them. One can in fact, surmise that much of GoPro’s business is from selling mounts and accessories to be used with their cameras. And this business possibly generates more income than from the camera itself. Kind of like how buying a videogame console is peanuts compared to all the game titles you buy over the life course of owning the console.

But when you take a look at the TCL SVC 200, you’ll notice that it comes with a lot of mounts. It even comes with a remote control (which GoPro will charge you another 80 bucks for).

Don’t believe me? Take a look at the GoPro website. It says that each camera purchase comes with:

• HERO3: White Edition Camera
• 197’/ 60m Waterproof Housing
• Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
• QR Buckle
• 1 Curved Adhesive Mount
• 1 Flat Adhesive Mount
• Assorted Mounts and Hardware
• USB Charging Cable

My beef is with that line about “Assorted Mounts and Hardware”. There seems to be NO extra assorted mounts and hardware. Want to see what came in the package?

Here you go.

 HERO3: White Edition Camera, check!

 197’/ 60m Waterproof Housing, check!

 USB Charging Cabl, check!

 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery, check!

 Is this the QR Buckle or the assorted mounts and accessories or both?

 1 Curved Adhesive Mount,1 Flat Adhesive Mount, check and check!

So really, this line about assorted GoPro mounts and accessories...um I don't see it and I checked the box it came in really carefully too. Maybe I'm mistaken. But hey, want to see what came with my TCL SVC 200?

Let me bring your attention to the extra remote control, helmet mount, handle bar mount, dashboard windshield mount, and power adapter.



If you go with GoPro these will add another couple of hundred bucks to your overall price.

So let's do the math here.

TCL SVC 200 with viewscreen, remote control, lots of mounts and accessories cost around 165 USD.

GoPro Hero 3 White Edition with the equivalent functionality, close to 500 USD.

Yeah, like I said up top, GoPro is overpriced. TCL is the way to go.

Helmet Mount

Handle Bar Mount

Straight Bar Mount

Dashboard Mount

- See more at: http://www.eachbuyer.com/TCL-SVC-200-Action-Camera-Mini-Camcorder-60fps-Waterproof-DVR-HD-1080p-Sports-DV-currency-USD_p178205.html#sthash.B52Ogv05.dpuf