Best webcams 2022: Why now could be an enjoyable experience to get one

Hayden Dingman/IDG
The deals that made webcams an excellent stocking stuffer in 2021 have continued into 2022. In the last couple of years, webcams were extremely difficult to get, as thousands of people gearing around work or study from your home tried to boost upon the 720p models included in most laptops. Now 1080p webcams are plentiful again, rendering it time for you to pick up several on your own or for family members.
Most laptops ship with a 720p webcam, so a 1080p webcam is a step upyoull stick out from the pack on your own next Teams call. You can find even premium models with high refresh rates and integrated ring lights for some dollars more. This doesnt mean you cant pick from models with 4K resolution or perhaps a higher refresh rate. Weve included a 4K recommendation and a 60fps option for precisely this reason.
We havent tested most of these webcams, but weve pored on the available models to choose the very best buys predicated on specs and bundled extras, including our very own reviews. You may also make reference to our separate story on Windows Hello webcams to get a webcam for videoconferencing also to log you directly into your personal computer. Weve taken two recommendations from that list, however, and added them here: reduced and budget webcam with Windows Hello.
To assist you choose, have a look at our buying advice below our recommendations.
Best webcams: What things to buy
Logitech C920e Business Webcam Best overall webcam
Pros
- Three-year warranty
- Exposure and color controls
- 78.5-degree viewing angle
The Logitech C920e may be the latest version of the venerable Logitech C920, essentially the most iconic webcam of the previous few years. Confused about whether you should purchase the C920e or the C920s? Logitech describes the C920e as a small business camera, and the C920s because the consumer versiontheyre otherwise identical, save that the C920e includes a three-year warranty pitched against a two-year warranty, while costing exactly the same. The C920e reportedly offers lighting and color controls that the C920s will not, aswell.
Both cameras work with a narrower 78.5-degree viewing angle, which targets your face much better than other webcams that work with a 90-degree viewing angle. Its also an autofocus camera, which helps justify its higher price. Apart from too little 60fps support, that is still an excellent webcam.
Logitech offers terrific hardware and support, however the fact remains a amount of the cheaper Asian companies also have begun offering lots of what the C920 family offers, at the very least in writing. What may set it apart, though, is its video quality. It is possible to make reference to our Logitech C920 review to learn more.
Razer Kiyo Pro Best premium webcam
Pros
- Terrific image quality in every lighting
- HDR
- 60fps
Cons
- High price
- Razer Synapse software is essential to regulate some functions
The Razer Kiyo Pro can be an improvement on the original Kiyo in nearly every way. Its an excellent, autofocusing 1080p webcam that captures at 60 fps, as opposed to the default 30fps of its competitors. The effect is a noticeable visual improvement weighed against the others on your own video call. It can struggle a little with autofocus, however the image performance is otherwise top-notch.
The Kiyo Pro webcam ships with a 1.5-meter braided USB cable, and carries a USB-A connection. Our review below carries a video shot under natural lighting, so that you can observe how well the Kiyo shines.
Read our full Razer Kiyo Pro review
Anker B600 Video Bar Best premium webcam for convenience
Pros
- 65, 78, and 95 degree viewing angles
- Built-in speaker, microphone, and light bar
- Adjustable settings for brightness, contrast, and much more
- Privacy shutter
- Swivel mount
Cons
- 30fps
- Overweight for use with a laptop screen
The high cost on Ankers premium B600 video bar could cause double-takes. But this webcam packs in the features. Inside is really a 2K resolution camera, four-microphone array, speaker, and built-in light that also serves as a privacy guardand you obtain a high degree of control total the hardware.
Capacitive buttons on these devices enable you to mute the mic, adjust the intensity of the light, and turn the light on / off. Though a little fiddly, they work and solidly cover the fundamentals. Theres a LED light that indicates the mics status, too.
The companion AnkerWork app expands your settings. Choosing between viewing angles of 65, 78, and 95 degrees is fast, as is downscaling the default resolution from 2K to 1080p, 720p, or 360p. You can even tune the brightness, sharpness, saturation, and contrast of one’s video feed, alter the light bars color temperature, and set the lights brightness to auto adjust predicated on ambient conditions.
This webcam can be an extremely nice all-in-one solution, as long as youre parked at a desk. (This video bar and its own swiveling mount need a monitor for proper support.) The camera is clear and crisp, the speaker gets plenty loud, the mic holds its against many laptops and earbuds, and the light is handy in dark rooms or for balancing out harsh backlighting. You may use the B600 as a speakerphone, too, eliminating issues with other callers hearing themselves because they speak.
Dell UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) Best premium 4K webcam
Pros
- 4K and HDR
- AI framing crops the image to help keep you centered
- Configurable field of view
Cons
- Privacy shutter is really a separate piece you could lose
- No mic
If you need to pay extra for a 4K webcamto show yourself off at an ultra-high-resolutionwe recommend this Dell UltraSharp webcam. Save for a ring light, this webcam ships challenging great features. The 3.5-inch-long webcam mounts either on a laptop/display or with a tripod; Dell includes both. Theres a 2-meter (over 6 feet) cable, terminating in a USB Type A interface together with your PC.
Theres an intriguing mixture of features: HDR, auto-focusing, digital zoom (around 5X), framing, brightness, saturation, and much more. Unusually, the WB7022 is neither fixed-focus nor does it provide a fixed field-of-view (FOV). Dells AI framing crops the image to help keep that person centered, and you also have the choice of configuring the field of view from 90 degrees, to 78 degrees, and right down to a narrow 65 degrees. Dell applies HDR, temporal, and spatial noise reduction to assist you look your very best. Theres even Windows Hello.
There are some oddities: The privacy shutter doesnt flip down; its another piece that magnetically connects to leading of the lens. Theres no mic, either, so youll need to work with a headset or simply your laptops mic. Youre also trading high res for an otherwise standard 30fps frame rate.
eMeet C960 Webcam Best budget webcam
Pros
- Dual mics
- Noise cancellation
Cons
- Fixed focal length
- No privacy shutter, though it appears like there’s
This 1080p webcam also offers a wide-angle 90-degree viewing angle, that will be just a little wide for an individual. It perches on the trunk of a laptop or flat-panel display. Dont be fooled by the image; theres no privacy shutter, if you drape a cloth on the webcam you should definitely used.
Reviews of the camera appear to be almost universally good, though youll must make sure that youre well lit. If you want extra light, eMeet also sells a version of the webcam with a ring light for $59.99.
Nexigo N60 Best budget webcam runner-up
Pros
- Privacy shutter
- Noise-cancelling stereo mic
Cons
- Fixed focus
- 110-degree viewing angle
This 30fps 1080 webcam is optimized more for group calls, as its 110-degree viewing angle will grab more of the scene than rival webcams.
This webcam also clips onto a laptop or monitor. Among the nicer touches is really a small LED alerting you once the camera is powered on and connected.
I purchased this webcam for my son through the pandemic, and he used it everyday for connecting to his classes via Zoom. He didnt have any complaints about display quality, and we havent seen any from other buyers, either. NexiGo provides some basic software controls to greatly help adjust color and contrast, too. The mics appear to do a significant good job picking right up your voice and filtering out any ambient noise.
NexiGo N980P Best webcam for wide-angle
Pros
- 60fps
- 120-degree viewing angle
- Privacy shutter
Cons
- Insufficient fine adjustments
This fixed-focus 1080p webcam captures frames at a smooth 60 fps, instead of the more standard 30fps. Youll look smoother and much more lifelike consequently. The camera also captures at a 120-degree angle, which can not be perfect for a house user but could work quite nicely in a full time income room or conference room. This webcam is quite highly reviewed on Amazon, with reviewers praising it because of its color balance but criticizing it because of its inability to be finely adjusted.
Its still a fixed-focus camera though, and when you need an autofocusing model wed recommend you pay about $100 for the upgraded NexiGo N680p instead.
Logitech Brio 4K Ultra HD Webcam Best premium webcam for Windows Hello
Pros
- Sharply detailed resolution with vibrant colors
- Wide-angle field of view
- Infrared-based facial recognition
If were being honest (and price is not any object) the Dell UltraSharp webcam above will be our top pick for a Windows Hello webcam. But Logitechs also feeling heat, and contains lowered the cost of its Brio 4K because of this. We cant help but recommend it.
It still ranks highly among premium webcams, primarily because its mostly of the autofocusing webcams that captures in 4K resolution. The Brio carries a ton of features to cause you to look great, and its own Windows Hello support will log you in in simple.
Read our full Logitech Brio 4K Ultra HD Webcam review
MouseComputer Facial Recognition Webcam Best budget webcam for Windows Hello
Pros
- Inexpensive, but decent quality
Cons
- 720p resolution
- You may want to disable your PC’s own webcam
Our separate story on Windows Hello webcams offers cheaper options compared to the MouseComputer webcam, however the image quality of the webcam itself is apparently betteror, conversely, your competition is fudging on if they offer true 1080p resolution. The point is, this $65 roughly webcam appears to offer what youll need, plus Windows Hello functionality.
Users have complained that youll must make sure Windows is currentandyour webcam is directly connected to your laptop. Theres no privacy shutter, unfortunately.
1080p webcam buying guide
A standalone 1080p webcam cant add Windows Hello to one’s body, nonetheless it can greatly improve the method that you look on your own next Zoom call. Heres what things to search for. Youll probably consider: MUST I prioritize a 60fps webcam over an autofocusing webcam? Wed say that should you need to choose one, pick the former. Unless youll be moving in regards to a lot, a fixed-focus webcam can do just fine.
Adjustable or fixed focus: Dont be worried about fixed-focus, as its been pre-configured at a focal length thats concerning the distance in the middle of your face as well as your laptop or monitor. Youll have to take into account this with tripods, however, or pay a bit more for an autofocusing webcam. Autofocus webcams are handy for situations where you might be moving concerning the room, but beware distracting webcams that frequently refocus.
Higher frame rates: A typical webcam captures video at 30 fps, and can look normal. Youll spot the smoothness of a 60fps camera though, therefore will people youre on a video call with.
Field of view (FOV):The cameras field of view may differ. A 90-degree FOV helps people concentrate on you (as well as perhaps not the clutter youve hidden off aside). A 110-degree or more FOV increases results for group shots, although distortion may become an issue the wider your FOV gets.Think about a 90-degree FOV as you that could show two different people seated side-by-side at what you will look at a standard distance from the webcam, or perhaps a foot or two. A 110-degree FOV can show three people, squeezed a little close together.
Privacy shutter: The unit aren’t a privacy threat, for the easy reason they can be unplugged easily. Most have a flip-down privacy shutter, nevertheless, you could always tape on the camera or drape it with a dark cloth.
Ring lights: Yes, integrated ring lights are actually something on premium webcams, and worth the amount of money if lighting is really a challenge for you personally. Theyll certainly help with lighting, although a large bright display before you’ll help too. You can even buy a separate ring light, or simply let a large bright display light that person, too.
Windows Hello: You might have used Windows Hello with a fingerprint reader or another laptop. The camera simply recognizes you, logging you in. Its exceptionally convenient.
Tripod bundle: With so many webcams available, manufacturers try hard to differentiate their products. The brand new trend is really a small tripod, gives you more choices for mounting the camera.
Updated on July 27, 2022 with additional pricing, advice, and recommendations.