Other good webcams
Photo: Logitech
Logitech Brio 4K priced at $170: The original BRIO of 2017 was one of the first mainstream webcams to offer 4K resolution at 30 fps. Logitech offers a minor update to updated software and privacy shutters in 2022, but the older models are still a good buy and a bit cheaper. White balance is still accurate, and my complexion is always normal, whether I am in a sunny room, limited light or using artificial light. When refocusing, autofocus is fast and subtle, and the image is razor-like. Plus, you can choose from 90-degree selections in the 65, 78 and super ranges, giving you some frame options. If you are using a Windows machine, you can set it up to use with Windows Hello to log in to Face Authentication.
Dell Ultrasharp webcam costs $200: The UltrAsharp webcam feels incredible and is solid enough to carry around. Everything from the webcam body to the bracket to the included tripod adapter is made of brushed aluminum. The bracket and tripod adapter connects the security bracket to the webcam body through a magnetic post. The privacy cover is magnetically connected and maintains satisfactory solid fixing, but not difficult to remove. The inside of the lid is filled with soft fabric to prevent it from scratching the lens. Even soft rubber, even the front part of the shelf, can prevent you from scratching the back of the laptop cover if you’re a little reckless when setting up your Zoom Call. You can adjust the viewing angle between 65, 78, and 90 degrees and record at 4K resolution at 24 or 30 frames per second, and 720p or 1080p resolution at 24, 30 or 60 frames per second, respectively. However, Dell’s image quality is no better than the Logitech MX Brio. It doesn’t have any microphones.
obsbot tiny 2 webcam, $299: I used obsbot’s first small 4K PTZ webcam for over a year and then switched to the new Tiny 2 and it was great too. The image quality with 4K looks great, and the camera does a great job following my movements. Over the years, the company has also really polished its software, offering a lot of customization. It responds to your gestures, but you can also purchase a remote to control it, making it perfect for presentations and group video calls.
Insta360 Link, $179: This 4K webcam is an impressive beast. Mounted on a powered Wanri with horizontal and vertical rotation, the Insta360 link (8/10, wired recommendation) will then automatically follow, recombined and enlarge (up to 4x zoom) as the screen moves around the screen. It will even amplify the demo board or paper you want to show off on the phone. It provides excellent clarity, color contrast and white balance when selecting recordings in 24, 25 and 30 frames per second at 4K resolution. There is a dual noise microphone and screw mounting at the bottom to attach it to the tripod. The only thing it lacks is a physical privacy shutter, but when the camera is not in use, the camera points downward. Link 2 is a better buy, but the model has a three-axis map, making it more useful than the two-axis jewelry of Link 2.
Logitech C922X, $99: The C922X is a capable webcam with solid specifications. It can stream 1080p video at 30 fps or 720p at 60 fps, which makes the Razer Kiyo X the main competition. But it is more expensive and has a narrower 78-degree field of view. This is a great webcam, but you can get a comparable Kiyo X for less money.
Don’t bother these webcams
Photo: Adorama
Not every webcam upgrades the built-in camera on your laptop. These are the models I tested, from unimpressive to those that make me look like the subject of a sophomore art project.
Microsoft Lifecam Studio costs $100: It says it’s a 1080p webcam, but there’s a capture – for recording video only. Use it for video calls, limiting you to 720p. My colleagues commented on my constant focus. White balance is so that I look more orange than the Oompa Loompa. And this exposure was blown up so much that I never lived like I did in the last scene lighthouse. My movements and bad motion blur also have a lot of lag.
Logitech Brio 500 priced at $130: This webcam has quirky tweaks. Fixed to the base by magnets, translate it downward, usually pulling it out of the base instead of adjusting the angle, and then rotating it to the left or right makes it loose so much that it cannot hold. That means I’ve been having to pull it out of the magnetic stand, screw the mount back and reposition it, and then don’t adjust it during the rest of the zoom. That said, the image quality of its 1080p resolution, white balance and color contrast is pretty good, if not great, and comes with a USB-C connection and a physical privacy shutter. Autofocus may be faster. The others are sure you can get it in black, white or pink, which is two colors than most webcams offer.
Logitech Brio 300 priced at $60: Lack of image quality. Even in a pretty good room, my photos were grainy. It also does strange things with white balance when it is automatically built. The field of view is very narrow at 70 degrees and is not adjustable, so the image on the screen is on your face. You’re going back a lot of steps, so no one else will look up. Like the Brio 500, it comes with black, white and pink, connects via USB-C, and has a physical privacy shutter. Without these strange image quality prices, there are better options.
Razer Kiyo X costs $45: The Kiyo X cancels the integrated ring light from the original Kiyo, but does have automatic white balance and color saturation. Video image settings can also be adjusted in the Razer Synapse application. It also shoots 1080p resolution video at 30 frames per second or 720p resolution at 60 frames per second. Its field of view is slightly wider than 82 degrees. There is nothing to say about the built-in microphone, so stick to the microphone in your laptop or grab the USB mic. Sadly, there is no privacy shutter.
Razer Kiyo Pro costs $130: Although it looks similar to its cheap, non-professional siblings, Pro abandons the aura and relies on software to compensate for low-light conditions. I’m upset with downloading the Razer Synapse app to get a nice image from Kiyo Pro. Yes, fine-tuning the settings is a very wired thing, but most people just want to plug in the webcam. Once you get rid of the app settings, the images are sharp and beautiful. However, it has the same autofocus overfocus as the regular kiyo and is a bit overpriced. no Bad Choose, but again, the Logitech Brio can do 4K/30 fps instead of the camera topped with 1080p/60 fps.
Creative lab site! $57 Sync 4K: I was skeptical of the 4K resolution webcam at this price, and my skepticism got a weird white balance which made me and everything light orange. This is probably the only webcam that makes my room look darker than before. The privacy shutter is the rubber hat you put on and take off. The bit that secures it to the webcam when it is turned off is fragile enough that you can tear it off if you are rough or careless, but it is not plastic, which weakens over time. A small problem is that the black hat blends with the black webcam and lens, so it is hard to tell whether the hat is on or off at a glance.
Cisco Desk Camera 1080p Price $121: Don’t be confused with Cisco’s almost named desktop camera 4K. I tried the 1080p, 8-MP version in a variety of natural and artificial lighting, but my Gear Team members and I couldn’t help but notice that the video looks too pixelated no matter how I use it. Unless the webcam can make me look like Axel Angry street, Then, I want a smooth video that looks like 1080p. During Zooms, the Desk Camera 1080p had trouble with focusing and scaling, often refocusing, but never quite right.
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