DJI just launched the Lito series, a new range of camera drones pitched at the beginner market. With all the usual safety and flight tech we've come to expect from DJI drones, plus well-specced 4K cameras, the Lito 1 and Lito X1 are very assured entry-level models for the price.

But they aren't DJI's cheapest quadcopters. The DJI Mini 4K has been around since 2024, and has been our pick for best beginner camera drone up to now (while the Neo 2 is even cheaper, but that's a type of selfie drone with propellor guards). The Mini 4K remains on sale as part of DJI's line-up (for now at least), available for significantly less than the Lito X1, plus it can be picked up in the US where Lito models aren't available yet.

So, should you stick with the cheaper, slightly older drone or opt for the shiny new release? Here's how the DJI Mini 4K stacks up next to its spiritual successor the DJI Lito X1*, starting with specs and then moving onto seven key differences.

*I've tested the pricier Lito X1 which is my top pick of the two new Lito models. The cheaper Lito 1 is closer in quality and price to the Mini 4K.

DJI Lito X1 vs DJI Mini 4K: spec compared

If you want a little more data on how the two drones compare, check out the spec comparison table below.

1. Video and photo quality

Both drones shoot 4K video, but the Lito X1 shoots a much better variety of it. Its 1/1.3-inch sensor can capture footage at up to 4K resolution and 60fps, and supports a 10-bit D-log M color profile — features that will come in highly useful for anyone happy to color grade and correct their footage in post-production. It can also take 48MP photos.

The Mini 4K employs a much smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor, recording 4K at 8-bit quality and up to 30fps. It's fine in good lighting conditions, but lacks the detail, color depth and dynamic range of the Lito X1's setup. Its maximum resolution for photos is 12MP.

2. Storage space

The Lito X1 comes with 42GB of built-in storage as well as a microSD card slot, while the Mini 4K (and Lito 1) has no internal storage – just the card slot.

3. Weight and design

Both drones weigh approximately 249g, putting them in a highly desirable low-restriction category in most countries. In the US, for instance, you won't need to register either drone before flying (assuming the Lito X1 ever makes it to the US), while in the UK you can fly them close to and over uninvolved people and in residential, commercial and recreational locations like towns, beaches and parks.

Design-wise, both drones use a familiar folding quadcopter shape that's easy to store and transport.

4. Battery life

There's not a lot of daylight between the drones here. In ideal conditions, a fully charged battery on the Mini 4K offers up to 31 minutes of flight time. On the Lito X1, it's 36 minutes. In real-world conditions, you'll get a bit less time in the air, but I'd call both pretty respectable.

The Lito X1 is compatible with an Intelligent Flight Battery Plus that DJI says provides up to 52 minutes of flight time. It will, however, increase the drone's weight above 249g – which may in turn restrict where it can be flown.

5. Safety features

The Lito X1 soars above and beyond here, boasting an omnidirectional vision sensor setup plus forward-facing LiDAR and a downward-facing infrared sensor. This helps it spot and avoid hazards no matter which direction it's travelling in, and the LiDAR works even in low light conditions.

The Mini 4K can't compare, really, It only uses a single downward-facing vision sensor (mainly for landing), so users need to be careful when flying – the drone won't help them out by braking or swerving around a tree, fence or lamppost.

Such advanced safety features offered by the Lito X1 are usually found in much pricier and heavier models. It's understandable that you don't usually get an omnidirectional vision sensor in a cheap beginner model, but the irony is that it's beginners who will, arguably, benefit from the feature the most.

6. Special flight modes

The Lito X1 comes with a host of automated flight modes, including ActiveTrack (where the drone will autonomously follow a selected human or vehicle, avoiding obstacles while it does so), SpotLight (similar, but with manual flight controls while the camera keeps the subject centred), MasterShots (a series of interesting camera moves on a selected subject or location) and QuickShots (similar, but one move at a time), plus one-button return-to-home.

The Mini 4K offers only QuickShots and return-to-home, making it feel rather barebones on the Intelligent Flight front.

7. Price

Here's the one area where the Mini 4K gets to shine, as it starts from just £242 (with an RC-N1C remote controller). The Lito X1 costs £369 (with the similar, but newer, RC-N3 controller), making it quite a bit pricier than its predecessor.

However, I do think that the extra camera, safety and Intelligent Flight Mode capabilities offered by the Lito X1 make it very good value. Not only will your footage and photos look sharper and richer, but you're far less likely to crash it – and you can set it to automatically follow you while you ride your bike through a forest, run along a beach or even drive down a desert highway! The Mini 4K remains a decent beginner drone, but if your budget can stretch a little further, the Lito X1 has plenty that'll appeal to intermediate users too.

Hit me with any questions you have about the new DJI Lito X1 and the best beginner drones in the comments below.

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Sam has been writing about tech and digital culture for over 20 years, starting off in video games journalism before branching out into the wonderful worlds of consumer electronics, streaming entertainment and photography. Over the years he has written for Wired, Stuff, GQ, T3, Trusted Reviews and PC Zone, and now lives on the Kent coast in the UK – the ideal place for a camera reviewer to ply their trade.