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In the past three years, we've been spending a lot more time at home. In-person meetings and gatherings have often been replaced by virtual get-togethers, and it's become more important than ever to have a good webcam. However, the PC market hasn't necessarily followed. Be it the result of shrinking bezels or the simple belief that users don't care about webcam quality, even some of the best laptops still have bad cameras. Sometimes they're horribly placed, and sometimes they're just not there at all. If you're in need of a camera upgrade, we've rounded up some of the best webcams you can buy today.
As usual, we're going to cover a few different categories to help you find something that fits your needs and your budget. Whether you're looking to get a super cheap webcam or a very high-end one, we've got options for you.
Best overall: Logitech C920S Pro
Surprising as it may seem, this webcam from many years ago is still in the spotlight today. There's good reason for it, too. It handles live video and recordings at 1080p and 30fps, and it features dual microphones for stereo audio capture. The 78-degree field of view isn't super wide, but if you're usually alone on camera, it should do just fine. It has autofocus and light correction to adapt to different situations, and there's even a built-in privacy shutter, which is always nice to have.
You can also use Logitech's Capture app to adjust camera settings on Windows or macOS, but the camera will also work with Chrome OS. Of course, this isn't the pinnacle of image quality, but considering its official $70 price tag, it's really good. It will certainly be better than any laptop webcam you're using right now and an obvious upgrade if you have an older laptop.
Logitech C920S Pro HD Webcam
The Logitech C920S is a fantastic webcam for its price range. Offering 1080p video support, autofocus and light correction, it's great for almost any environment. It's relatively affordable, too.
Also great: Microsoft Modern Webcam
If you want something a more recent, Microsoft recently launched the Microsoft Modern Webcam, which is also a great choice. It's another 1080p camera, and it costs the same as the Logitech C920s, but it's packing some modern features like HDR and True Look, which can help you look your best under different lighting conditions. It also has autofocus, so you should look clear at any distance from the camera.
The webcam includes a built-in privacy shutter so you can block unwanted attention, and the camera actually integrates with Microsoft Teams, so if you close the shutter, it turns your video off altogether instead of showing a black image. The opposite also happens if you uncover the camera during a Teams call, too. The camera also has a mounting system that can be used on a laptop, a desktop monitor, or a dedicated stand, you have options for how you want to set it up, too.
Regarding compatibility, the Microsoft Modern Webcam will work on any Windows version from Windows 8 onward, as well as macOS 10.15 or newer. However, some features are only available on Windows. While the MSRP is the same, it's quite common for the Microsoft Modern Webcam to be heavily discounted, so it may end up cheaper than the Logitech C920s Pro.
Microsoft Modern Webcam
The Microsoft Modern Webcam is a modern 1080p camera with HDR support and it's certified for use with Teams.
Best 4K webcam: Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra
If what you're after is the ultimate image quality, look no further than the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra. It's one of the most recent options on this list, having been introduced earlier in 2023, and the images it produces are incredible based on our quick hands-on at CES 2023.
The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is packing one of the largest camera sensors we've seen on a webcam — a big 1/1.2-inch Sony sensor — and it has a wide f/1.7 aperture. That large sensor means the camera captures much more light for looking clear and crisp even in dim lighting conditions. The wide aperture also helps achieve a natural bokeh effect, so your background is softly blurred without any software tricks. What's more, the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra supports a completely uncompressed 4K, 24 FPS video stream for the best image quality possible.
The camera also has useful features like face-tracking autofocus, which ensures your face always looks clear on camera. It also has some welcome privacy features, like a privacy shutter you can activate by rotating the bezel of the camera and a proper camera cover for transport.
At just under $300, the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra isn't for everyone, but it's definitely the highest quality you can get from a webcam right now.
Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra
The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra has a large 4K sensor and wide aperture, delivering the best video quality possible for your video calls, meetings, and streams.
Best for presenters: Insta360 Link
If you're a teacher or somebody who gives presentations online, you've probably wished that your webcam could follow you around when you move so that the focus is always on you. That's where PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) webcams come in, and the Insta360 Link is easily the best of the bunch right now.
Before we get to the smarts, let's talk hardware, which is impressive by itself. The Insta360 Link has a 1/2-inch 4K sensor, and while that sounds puny compared to the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, it's still well above the vast majority of webcams. The lens has an f/1.8 aperture, too, and image quality from this camera is fantastic as a result. In our review, we found images to be impressively crisp and clean, and the white balance was better than most webcams offer.
However, what makes the Insta360 Link special is its built-in gimbal, which allows it to pan sideways, tilt up or down, and even rotate vertically. The camera also supports zoom, both manually and automatically, with the AI zoom feature. This is because the Insta360 Link also supports face tracking, so as you move around, the camera can follow your face just about anywhere thanks to that gimbal. And if that's not enough, it has smart modes like a whiteboard mode that automatically crops and sharpens video around a whiteboard to improve legibility or DeskView mode for showing off documents on your desk.
While the raw quality of the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra may be slightly better, the Insta360 Link has incredible versatility for various use cases. It costs just under $300, so it's not cheap, but for the right people, it's totally worth it.
Insta360 Link
The Insta360 Link is a high-quality, smart webcam with a 4K sensor and smart features that allow it to follow you around to keep in the frame. It also has other presentation modes that might come in handy.
Best webcam with a ring light: Razer Kiyo
If you're used to hosting live streams in dark rooms, it can be difficult to have a camera that captures you well in the dark. The Razer Kiyo addresses that issue by building a ring light around the camera so your face is always well-lit. That light intensity can be easily adjusted by rotating the dial on the camera, so you can customize it to fit your setup and stay comfortable. As for the design, the Razer Kiyo is foldable, so you can more easily store it and take it with you on the road.
The camera can record up to 1080p at 30 FPS or 720p at 60 FPS. The lower resolution and higher frame rate are ideal if you're streaming games, with the game taking up most of the screen. You can customize various image settings with Razer Synapse, and using the app is definitely recommended. You can switch between auto and manual focus, color balance, and more. It also allows you to get firmware updates, which Razer has released to improve the image quality and add more options.
Razer Kiyo
The Razer Kiyo is a capable streaming camera with a built-in ring light that makes it ideal if you like streaming in dark rooms or at night. You can tweak various settings using Razer Synapse so you always look your best.
Best USB Type-C webcam: Logitech StreamCam
As USB Type-C becomes more widely adopted, some laptops are starting to ship without USB Type-A ports, as is the case of the Dell XPS 13 or Apple's MacBooks, which only have Thunderbolt. If you want a webcam you can use without adapters, the Logitech StreamCam is a solid option.
Actually, it's just a great camera overall — it supports 1080p video at 60 FPS, which is great. It's not 4K, but most meeting software or streaming apps don't support that resolution anyway. It has some versatility, too — you can rotate the camera 90 degrees to record vertical video if you need it.
It has other benefits, too, like smart autofocus with face tracking and auto exposure. Plus, you can tweak settings using the Logitech Capture app, which gives you some extra capabilities for streaming and recording. It's a solid camera, and with the USB Type-C connector, you're future-proofing yourself since we might see more and more laptops ditch USB Type-A ports over time.
Logitech StreamCam
The Logitech StreamCam is a great webcam that supports 1080p video at 60fps, and it includes features like smart autofocus and auto exposure. It also allows you to rotate the camera to record vertical videos easily, and the use of USB Type-C makes it a great option for modern laptops without USB Type-A ports.
Best wide-angle: Anker PowerConf C302
All the options we've covered so far are pretty good if you're alone participating in meetings or streaming, but what if you want more people in the frame? The Anker PowerConf C302 has a very wide 115-degree field of view so that multiple people can show up together. If you're alone, though, you can adjust the field of view with the AnkerWork software, plus the webcam uses AI framing to keep you centered in the frame as you move.
As for image quality, the Anker PowerConf supports 2K video at 30fps, and it comes with some AI features to help it adapt to different scenarios. AI lighting can improve image quality in dim environments, while AI color adjustment and AI exposure can perfect the color balance in the image and make sure you´re clearly visible even in less-than-ideal lighting scenarios. The webcam also supports fast autofocus, though there's no option for manual focus if you want it.
Another benefit of the Anker PowerConf is its flexibility. The monitor mount has multiple hinges to adjust the camera's angle, and you can also swivel it at 300 degrees so it can be pointed wherever you need it to be.
Anker PowerConf C302 Webcam
The Anker PowerConf C302 is a great webcam if you're participating in calls with a big group thanks to its wide field of view. Plus, you can adjust its position, and it features solid webcam quality at 2K and 30fps, along with some AI features to improve image quality.
Cheap Windows Hello: Lenovo 510 Full HD Webcam
If you want to add Windows Hello facial recognition to your setup, this Lenovo webcam is a great and affordable option. In addition to the IR camera, it has a regular 1080p webcam that supports 30 FPS video, and it has a 95-degree field-of-view. The camera also offers plenty of adjustability to get the right angle, but that's about all there is to it.
It's a fairly basic camera, but it has solid video quality, and adding Windows Hello is already a big deal for this price. Plus, it'll probably look better than most webcam laptops, and it's fairly cheap. If your laptop doesn't have a webcam at all, this is an option worth looking into.
Lenovo 500 FHD Webcam
The Lenovo 510 Full HD Webcam is fairly basic as a regular webcam, but it has a big feature: Windows Hello facial recognition. Considering its price tag, it's a great option for adding facial recognition to your setup, especially if you don't have a webcam at all.
Affordable with a ring light: Tecknet HD 1080p webcam
A ring light can be useful, but the Razer Kiyo isn't the most affordable webcam out there. If you want something a little more affordable that's still great, this one from Tecknet is a fantastic deal. For one thing, it's a 1080p 30 FPS camera, which is already better than most laptops. And, while it's not technically a ring, it has a large light bar with three brightness levels so you can stay visible even in in the darkest of environments.
For under $35, this is an insanely good deal, and the reviews from other users are also overwhelmingly positive. This is likely one of the very best webcams you can get on the cheap, and one you can use for meetings as well as live streaming or anything else.
Tecknet HD 1080p webcam
This Tecknet webcam has a 1080p sensor and 30fps video, and it also has a bing light bar that ensures you stay visible even in dim lighting conditions.
Cheap starter webcam: Wansview 1080p Webcam
Our last option is for the most budget-conscious users out there. This camera from Walfront is very cheap, but it still supports Full HD (1080p) video at 30 frames per second. It has dual microphones for capturing audio, and it'll work with almost any device.
The webcam has an adjustable head so you can get a better angle for your calls, and you can rotate the lens to change to focus manually if you need to. It also touts low-light correction, though at this price, you probably shouldn't expect any miracles. Still, it's better than not having a camera and a solid place to start if you only do meetings every now and then.
Wansview 1080p webcam
This Wansview webcam is a solid option for first-time buyers or occasional webcam users. It supports 1080p video at 30 frames per second and has manual focus controls. Plus, two microphones for audio capture.
With these options, you should be ready to choose something that suits your needs. When choosing a webcam, you'll want to consider your budget, how often you use it, and what you use it for. If you're usually in well-lit environments, the Logitech C920s and Microsoft Modern Webcam are two fantastic choices because they're relatively affordable and offer great quality for most use cases. But some options like the Razer Kiyo might be ideal if you're in darker rooms. If you use your webcam all the time and need the very best quality, it may be worth investing in a premium webcam like the Obsbot Tiny 4K.
If you're buying a webcam and you're streaming or in meetings while traveling, you may want to get a laptop that stays connected wherever you go. We have a roundup of the best 5G laptops you can get right now, so you don't have to rely on Wi-Fi all the time.
