Best webcams 2020: top picks for working from home
In this day and age, the best webcams are becoming relevant again. They’re more than just vital tools of the trade, as they’ve become quite indispensable for all types of households too, allowing people to connect to friends and family.
From conducting business calls and video conferencing with clients and colleagues, especially for those working from home, to simply staying in touch with loved ones, the best webcams are great solutions for a variety of things. They also allow you to produce YouTube content, live stream your games, monitor your home and even join online workout sessions. And, while laptops or all-in-one computers already come equipped with decent webcams built-in, the desktop users out there need to buy theirs separately.
So, we made a list of the best webcams 2020 has to offer. Depending on your budget and needs, we found a variety of models to choose from, whether you require something with 4K resolution, a high-quality mic or the capability to swivel around 360 degrees. Stay in touch with your team, show off your gaming prowess and Zoom with the people in your life with one of our top picks.
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1. Logitech StreamCam
Best for content creation
Resolution: 1080p | Features: Smart auto-focus and exposure, AI-enabled facial tracking, 9:16 format, built-in electronic image stabilization, USB Type-C connectivity
Our top pick for the best webcams is more than just a webcam. The Logitech StreamCam won’t just have your back when you’re video conferencing, video chatting with families and friends, and live streaming your games. This feature-rich 1080p webcam has many tools to offer for your content creation needs as well, including auto-focusing, smart exposure, facial tracking, up to 60fps frame rate, and a flippable design so you can take photos and videos in 9:16 format. You can even mount it on a tripod, and it uses USB Type-C for fast and more efficient video transfer speeds.
2. Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000
Cheap, cheerful and ideal for Skype
Resolution: 720p | Features: Colour correction, noise cancelling
The Microsoft LifeCam Studio is one of the best webcams out there. Aimed at pro users with large displays, it features a familiar configuration of 1080p recording and 720p live video calling. It rotates 360 degrees, and can be mounted on a tripod with autofocus. The wideband mic delivers crystal clear audio, and Microsoft’s TrueColor system will shift the exposure dynamically to keep you well lit, making it a great choice for business conferencing and presentations.
3. Razer Kiyo
A spotlight on streaming
Resolution: 1080p | Features: Ring light, Compatibility with OBS and Xsplit
The Razer Kiyo might look weird, a testament to Razer’s unique designs, but it’s still one of the best webcams out there for streaming – which is unbelievably popular in this day and age. With the Razer Kiyo, Razer has stripped away a lot of the bells and whistles that more premium webcams offer, focusing instead on what matters most to game streamers and YouTube vloggers – good image quality and lighting through a “Light Ring”. You don’t need to spend a ton of time configuring the stream – just plug in the Razer Kiyo and get to work.
4. Logitech C922 Pro Stream
It's game on for Logitech's newest webcam
Resolution: 1080p | Features: Background removal, Low-light correction, 720p/60fps video while streaming, Stereo audio, autofocus, auto light correction
The Logitech G922 Pro Stream features the same classy design as its predecessor, the C920, but it’s especially interesting for gamers this time around. The C922 still boasts excellent 1080p video quality, great for hosting video calls, and its automatic low-light correction makes it a fantastic cam for streaming with the lights off. It also supports background removal, making it ideal for budding YouTubers.
Should you buy the Logitech G922 Pro Stream?
5. Mevo
Livestreaming on the go
Resolution: 2160p | Features: 4K recording, Mobile device compatibility, Live video and audio editing, Bluetooth 4.1
If you’re an aspiring journalist, or even if you’re just trying to capture footage in the wild, Mevo might be one of the best webcams for you. Either the Mevo or Mevo Plus will allow you to capture footage live, no matter where you are in the world – as long as you can connect to a mobile network. Plus, because Mevo is small and inconspicuous, it won’t distract your subject during an interview.
6. Microsoft LifeCam Studio
A pro camera for pro people
Resolution: 1080p | Features: Colour correction, hi-fi microphone, Skype
It isn’t the most attractive webcam, but the LifeCam Studio isn’t really designed to be attractive. Instead, it’s made for business conferencing and presentations, with its 1080p recording, 720p live video calling and wideband mic to deliver crystal clear sound. This is a serious peripheral – one that requires a powerful PC for max settings – but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking bells and whistles. For instance, it comes with 360-degree rotating capabilities and Microsoft’s TrueColor system, which will shift the exposure dynamically to keep you well lit.
Read the full review: Microsoft LifeCam Studio
7. Logitech Brio Webcam
Bringing 4K to a webcam near you
Resolution: 2160p | Features: 4K recording, 5X HD Zoom, Windows Hello, HDR
Have you ever looked at a webcam in disgust because it just can’t hold up to your smartphone? Well, the Logitech Brio might be the webcam you’ve been looking for. With a 4K UHD resolution and HDR, the Logitech Brio has brought high fidelity to the world of the best webcams. If that wasn’t enough, it also boasts Windows Hello functionality and an easy to use stand, which will let you position it to capture your best side.
8. Creative Labs Senz3D
The Webcam of the future
Resolution: 1080p | Features: Background removal, Low-light correction, Windows Cortana and Hello compatibility, Facial tracking
Creative may not be the first company that comes to mind when you’re in the market for the best webcams, but with the Creative Labs Senz3D, that’s clearly changed. This space-age webcam has more features than you can imagine, and the high-tech 3D scanner and facial tracking tech promises to lead to some intriguing things in both AR functionality and even gaming. It isn’t exactly cheap, but you’re getting all the bells and whistles with this offering from Creative.
9. Logitech C930e
It costs a lot, but it does a lot too
Resolution: 1080p | Features: On-board processing, Zeiss lens, wide angle lens
The C930e claims to be Logitech's most advanced HD webcam yet, so it isn’t surprising that it's also one of Logitech’s most expensive offerings. However, unlike traditional webcams, which rely on the PC for all the heavy lifting, this unit does the video encoding itself, which should in turn result in better video quality. The wide, 90-degree field of view means it’s well-suited to business video conferencing and presentations. And of course, it’s Skype-certified for PC and Mac.
10. AUSDOM 1080P HD Webcam Camera with Built-in Microphone
1080p Full HD for less than £21/$27? Oh yeah
Resolution: 1080p | Features: Built-in microphone with noise reduction, low-light enhancement tech, flexible stand
If you’re looking for a full HD webcam without that hefty price tag, this may be one of the best webcams for you. Boasting resolutions of up to 1080p HD while supporting 12MP stills, a noise-cancelling microphone and low-light compensation, this camera is feature-rich. There’s no autofocus, and you don’t get a big bundle of software, but that bargain price more than makes up for any shortcomings, which is why it’s earned a place on our best webcams list.
Bill Thomas has also contributed to this article
- This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Microsoft LifeCam Studio
- You can't stream without the best wireless router
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