A good webcam’s image sensor is much larger than the camera built into your laptop. As such, it will pick up features better, even in lower light. Most webcams also have a higher resolution than most laptops, so you’ll get a lot more detail, too. Thankfully, many of the best webcams are very affordable, and even the top-end models (some of which have built-in lights and can stream in 4K) are usually no more than $200. That means you don’t have to break the proverbial bank when shopping for a webcam. We’ve tested a range of webcams, starting at models less than $40, to bring you as wide a range of options as possible. So regardless of whether you’re using Zoom, Skype, Discord or Microsoft Teams, there’s a webcam here that should meet your needs.
The best webcams you can buy today
The best webcam under $100 is the Anker Powerconf C200. For the price, you get a 2K webcam that delivers excellent video in all sorts of lighting conditions, an adjustable field of view, and an integrated privacy shutter for those times when you don’t want to be seen. In our review, we found its 5MP camera sensor was great at accurately displaying colors, even if the overall image was a bit grainy. Its dual mics were very sensitive — it could head us from 30 feet away — but its AI noise cancellation was great at blocking out extraneous noise. Anker’s software also lets you tweak the image and audio settings very easily, In all, this is a great bargain for an excellent webcam. Read our full Anker Powerconf C200 webcam review. Rare is the product that gets a 5-star rating, but the Logitech Brio makes the cut. It’s simply the best webcam when it comes to video quality. Its 4K camera (2160p/30 fps) produced a crystal-clear image in our tests, but more importantly, its other features — such as face-tracking, High Dynamic Range, and auto light correction — ensured that we looked our best, no matter the conditions. Other features of this premium webcam include 5x HD zoom, three fields of view (65, 78, and 90 degrees), and the ability to add text to your image, via the Logitech Capture software. You can choose font styles, font colors, and even a background color. Of course, all this comes at a price: The Logitech Brio is $199. But for those who need the best, it’s worth the price. Read our full Logitech Brio review. This is the smartest, most innovative webcam we’ve seen in a long time. The Insta360 Link has a 3-axis, gimbal-mounted camera that can track you as you move around the room. But that’s just the beginning: It has a number of AI-enhanced modes, including Whiteboard, in which it will automatically find, and then resize and center, a whiteboard in a room, so that callers on the other end have the clearest view possible. It can also zoom in to just your face, half your body, or show your entire body; you can also have it zoom in and out using hand gestures. But all of its fancy features would mean nothing if the video was poor; fortunately, its 1/2-inch image sensor delivers some of the best image quality we’ve seen, day or night. Even in a dark room, it was able to show us perfectly, using nothing more than the light from our monitor. For power users, this is the webcam to get. Read our full Insta360 Link review. There’s a reason you’ve probably seen the Logitech C920s HD in just about any conference room — this is one of the best webcams you can buy overall. The C920s HD records sharp videos at 1080p and 30 frames per second, and has a wide 78-degree field of view that’s ideal for both solo conference calls and large meeting rooms. Its sleek black design is equally ideal for clipping to displays or attaching to tripods, and its companion software offers customizable backgrounds and avatars. And, it has a privacy shutter to physically block the camera’s lens. If you need something higher-end for gaming, the Logitech C922 Pro Stream webcam is an enhanced version of the C920s that touts 60fps video recording at 720p. But if you’re just seeking the best overall quality for video calls, the Logitech C920s Pro HD is the way to go. Read our full Logitech C920s Pro HD review. You’ll be hard-pressed to find as good a value as the NexiGo N930AF. For around $50 — and often less — you get a webcam that records at 1080p, has auto-focus to help you avoid blurry images, and even a privacy shutter to provide a little peace of mind. At first glance, the NexiGo resembles a Logitech webcam, but we’ll overlook its copycat design. One tradeoff at this price is that there’s only one microphone, so it’s not as good at isolating your voice; callers were not impressed. But for this much, you could spring for one of the best microphones if you want better audio. Read our full NexiGo N930AF webcam review. If you’re a serious streamer or avid content creator, the Logitech StreamCam is one of the best webcams you can buy. This high-end webcam records at 1080p at a smooth 60 frames per second, making it ideal for Twitch streams and high-quality YouTube videos. The StreamCam has the unique ability to be mounted in both landscape or portrait modes, so you can use the latter orientation to shoot content for platforms like Instagram and TikTok. This excellent streaming webcam offers a high-speed USB-C connection, a variety of mounting options and 3 months of XSplit Premium streaming software. Its refreshingly attractive design, which comes in white and charcoal, is also a great touch. We were highly impressed with its image quality; it’s definitely worth the premium. Read our full Logitech StreamCam review. For just around $100, the Poly Studio P5 presents a compelling alternative to Logitech’s many webcams. We were impressed with the P5’s 1080p camera, digital zoom, and ability to adjust to low-light conditions. In our tests, we thought it was on par with the Logitech C922. The P5 only has a single microphone, so it’s not as capable of isolating your voice against background noises as webcams with two or more mics — but if you’re really concerned about audio quality, you should pick up one of the best microphones. Poly’s software also lets you fiddle with various visual settings, too. And, its small size means it won’t stick out much. Read our full Poly Studio P5 webcam review. A popular affordable option, the Logitech C310 offers solid 720p picture quality within a simple design that should mount just fine on most monitors and laptop screens. The C310 can automatically adjust to lighting conditions to get the best possible picture, and with the included Logitech Webcam Software, you can use it to customize the frame or set the webcam up as a motion detector. You’ll have to spring for something more expensive if you want 1080p video or tripod mounting options, but if all you need is a solid camera for everyday video calls that costs less than $50, the C310 is one of the best webcams for most people. Read our full Logitech C310 review. If you’re making a lot of conference calls for work, then you should check out the business-centric Anker PowerConf C300 webcam. It has a sharp 1080p camera that can record at up to 60 frames per second and an adjustable field of view that can be as narrow as 78 degrees or as wide as 115 degrees. We loved its Auto Frame mode, which is particularly useful if you move around a lot during conference calls. Plus, thanks to dual stereo mics and impressive low-light capabilities, your Zoom companions won’t miss a syllable — or a shadow. And, it has a physical shutter, to help ensure your privacy. Read our full Anker PowerConf C300 webcam review. The Logitech C930e webcam looks much like the company’s super-popular C920, but has a few more features tailored for business. For starters, the C930e has a wider 90-degree field of view, which lets you fit more into the frame. The C930 also has omnidirectional mics, which allow it to pick up more of a conversation in the room. And, it also supports H.264 with Scalable Video Coding (SVC), UVC 1.5 encoding and is certified for Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Fuze, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Zoom, and other popular platforms. We loved the quality of the video from the C930e’s camera — it made our laptop’s webcam look far, far worse by comparison — and its microphones were able to easily pick up whatever we said from across a room. Read our full Logitech C930e review. The Razer Kiyo Pro is the company’s high-end gaming webcam, which can not only stream at 1080p, but has an HDR setting, which helps when your face is lit up by your screen, but everything else around you is dark. The Kiyo Pro also has three field-of view settings, letting you choose what you want your viewers to see — just you, or everything around. We were impressed by the quality of the video from the Kiyo Pro, and Razer’s Synapse software lets you make other tweaks to your video stream. We did find that the Kiyo Pro occasionally suffered from some autofocus issues, but you can set it to manual focus. You’ll also want a beefy computer if you’re planning to stream to Twitch or Discord: A full-resolution stream while playing a game caused the Kiyo Pro’s video to stutter on our older laptop. Read our full Razer Kiyo Pro review. Slightly more expensive than the more popular C920, the Logitech C922 Pro HD has more features than the economical, no-frills models, but doesn’t include an adjustable field of view and high dynamic range like the models at the highest price points. It does have excellent video, streaming at Full 1080p/30fps, as well as auto focus, auto light correction, and two omni-directional microphones. And it has something that’s rare in the Logitech webcam universe: a tripod. Read our full Logitech C922 Pro HD webcam review. If your home office needs a near-professional-like web conferencing setup, the Poly Studio P15 could be your answer. This massive video bar is much larger than most other webcams, but with the increased size you get three beamforming mics that will pick up your voice much better, a 4K camera with a 90-degree field of view, and large speakers that will ensure you hear everything that’s said on the other end. In addition, the P15 has USB ports so you can charge other devices, as well as a privacy shutter when you don’t want to be seen. However, its very large size means it’s not good for travel, and will have a hard time staying on top of some smaller laptops. Read our full Poly Studio P15 Personal Video Bar review.
How to choose the best webcam for you
When looking for the best webcam, you should consider a few key factors including resolution, framerate and price. Video Resolution You’ll be hard-pressed to find a webcam with a resolution of less than 720p; most budget webcams, like the Logitech C310 and Logitech C270 (both of which cost less than $30) can stream at this resolution. The next step up — and the most common resolution — are 1080p cameras like our favorite, the Logitech C920s. Cameras at the resolution typically cost $50 to $100, and are best for most consumers. If the highest-quality video is required — and you’re not using your camera as a webcam — then you’ll want a webcam that can stream at 4K, like the Logitech Brio. However, almost every webcam that can stream at 4K will cost more than $100. Field of View If you only need a webcam to stream video of yourself, then you can get away with a webcam that has a fairly narrow field of view; most models have about an 80-degree FOV. If you need a webcam for a group setting, you’ll want one with a wider FOV, such as the Anker PowerConf 300, which has a 115-degree FOV. Some of the better webcams will even let you adjust the field of view. Microphones Cheaper webcams will typically have just one microphone, which is fine for plenty of situations. However, if you work in a noisier environment, you’ll want a webcam with two or more microphones, as well as software that can help isolate your voice from the sounds all around you. Another alternative — which will deliver even better audio — is to invest in one of the best microphones. Extra features It’s also worth considering any special features a webcam has. The Razer Kiyo has a built-in ring light, making it ideal for folks who are recording in low-light rooms and don’t have one of the best ring lights handy. Logitech cameras generally have robust software options for customizing your shots, and the StreamCam can shoot in both landscape and portrait modes, which is worth considering if you’re shooting video for mobile consumption.
How we test the best webcams
To find out which are the best webcams, we put them through a series of tests in our home office. First, we see how easy they are to set up, and how well they sit on top of our laptop and monitors. Next, we evaluate the performance of their cameras in varying lighting conditions; after all, not everyone has the best ring lights in their home office. We look to see how well the camera captures our face, how detailed the image is, and how it reacts if we move around the room. Audio is just as important, so we test the camera’s microphone by talking with others while we have background noise - be it a TV or music. We also look at the software that comes with the camera (if any). How intuitive is it, and what sort of things does it let us do with the camera? After that, we take the camera’s price into consideration to see if its performance and features are a good value.
Can’t find the best webcams?
Webcams are still in incredibly high demand, and many of the best options out there have been rapidly going in and out of stock. Fortunately, there are some alternative options to consider if you can’t find a webcam. There are multiple ways to use your phone, camera, and GoPro as a webcam, thanks to third-party software that syncs your smartphone to your PC. Here are our guides for each: How to use your phone as a webcam when you’re really in a pinch. How to use your camera as a webcam if you still have a digital camera. How to use your GoPro as a webcam when all you have is your GoPro. How to stand out and look your best on video calls is more of a general-purpose guide that’ll help you make the most of the tech you have.
