4 Best Webcams (2023): Razer, Logitech, and More

Razer Kiyo for $67: Our previous best-of pick, the original Kiyo, still offers 1080p resolution at 30fps (or 720p at 60fps) and built-in lighting that can be brightened, dimmed or dimmed by rotating the illuminated ring Power off is fully controlled. Image quality is good, with nice colors, and the camera quickly adjusts the white balance as the room’s ambient lighting changes. It has good autofocus, but you’ll see it adjust noticeably as you move around the frame. The field of view is slightly wider than typical webcams at around 82 degrees. After a month, the hinge on my Kiyo broke, which got me thinking. But my second one is going well, and WIRED writer Parker Hall had no trouble with his Kiyo, so we’re still confident in our recommendation.

Insta360 link for $300: Super expensive, but the “AI-powered 4K webcam,” as the manufacturer yells from the rooftops in its marketing, is an impressive beast. Mounted on a powered gimbal that rotates horizontally and vertically, the Link automatically follows you, refocuses, and zooms in and out (up to 4x zoom) as you move around the screen. It even zooms in on presentation boards or papers you want to show on your call. It offers outstanding sharpness, color contrast and white balance with a choice of 24, 25 and 30 frames per second recording in 4K resolution. Switching down to 1080p adds the ability to record at 60 frames per second. 24 frames per second is useful for capturing film-like quality, since movies are generally shot at this speed. It comes with a USB-C cable and a USB-A adapter. There are two noise-cancelling microphones and a screw mount on the bottom to attach it to a tripod as well. The only thing it lacks is a physical privacy screen.

Poly Studio P5 for $83: At a reasonable price, the Studio P5 offers 4x digital zoom and 1080p resolution at 30fps, matching the crisp video quality, color balance and low-light performance of other cameras on this list, along with a few neat tricks. When you physically rotate the front of the entire webcam, a visible orange shutter closes over the lens and the status light turns from blue to red, so you’re unaware if your webcam can see you. As well as a built-in microphone, you can free up a valuable laptop port by plugging a USB-A wireless adapter into the back of the case and using it wirelessly. The Studio P5 pans horizontally but not vertically. If you want to change this angle, you will have to reposition the mount yourself. It’s not impossible, just a little unwieldy. Another downside is the mottled white egg-like plastic casing, which reminds me of the plastic they make bathroom stalls out of.

Anker B600 Video Bar 2K webcam for $170: Test editor Julian Chokkattu describes the video quality of the B600 as excellent. If your computer can power it, the B600 can stream at up to 2K resolution. However, it is very expensive and too big to hang on a laptop screen like the other webcams in this guide. In low light, the image quality is very weak even with the built-in light source, so it is best to combine it with an external light.

Obsbot Tiny 4K AI Webcam for $269: Chokkattu has made the Obsbot their main webcam for more than six months, and as someone who video confers with him several times a week, I can say that his 4K-capable image looks great. What makes it stand out is that it automatically tracks your face as you move, making it appear like you have a private camera crew. You can toggle this feature on and off with a flick of your wrist as it responds to hand gestures.

Logitech C922x for $80: The C922X is a powerful webcam with solid specifications. It can stream 1080p video at 30fps or 720p at 60fps, making the Razer Kiyo and Kiyo X its main competition. But it’s more expensive than both and has a slightly narrower 78-degree field of view. It’s a good webcam, but you can get a comparable Kiyo X for less.

Logitech C615 for $30: The specs were great (for the original price) – 1080p resolution at 30fps with a 78-degree field of view – and image quality is good in everything but low light. You can also pan the camera 360 degrees, which review editor Julian Chokkattu says can be done when he’s not using it as there’s no privacy screen. On the downside, the mic records in mono, not stereo, and the short cable might interfere with use with a desktop, although it works fine with a laptop. If retail inventories are thin and that’s all you can find, this isn’t a bad option, although for a few extra bucks your choices get a lot better.

Logitech C930e for $58: This is Logitech’s business-focused alternative to the C920, with a 90-degree field of view that’s better for capturing large groups of attendees than the C920’s 78-degree field of view. For a single user at home, 90 degrees can be an interesting and welcome option (I liked this optional setting on the Brio). Unlike the Brio, you’re limited to using just 90 degrees, which might not work for everyone. Historically, this webcam has not been as cheap as it has been lately. At typical past prices of over $100, it’s not worth the extra cost. Under $100, it’s an acceptable webcam.