Whitson Gordon
If you’re not entirely sure what you want of your new webcam, we'll explain the features you'll want to watch out for after these top options.
If you want a good quality image and decent audio at an affordable price, Logitech's C920 and C920S models are widely considered the best bang for your buck. Stock is limited, but if you can find it for under $100, grab it — the C920 is the standard model while the C920S has a privacy shutter that I definitely recommend using.
If you like the idea of built-in lighting but don't want to spend much, there are quite a few off-brand webcams on Amazon you can grab at relatively lower prices. Vitade is one such brand, offering its webcam with a built-in ring light that'll do well enough for most people.
Your camera is only part of the equation: Good lighting can go a long way to making you look better on Zoom — that’s why ring lights have become so popular this year. Razer's Kiyo webcam is designed for video game streamers, contains a high quality camera and a built-in ring light to make you look your best, if you're willing to pay a little extra for lumination.
Maybe you want something with no frills that'll get the job done in a pinch. Firsting may not have the best video quality around, but if you just need something to get you by, it'll do the trick for a very, very low price.
Stepping up in quality, the Brio is Logitech's high-end offering, boosting the video quality up to 4K and adding an infrared camera for facial recognition. This allows you to log into Windows without entering your password, which is so convenient you'll never want to go back.
You may not have a webcam right now but if you have a DSLR camera, you might be able to hook it up to your computer and use it for video calls. Camera purveyors Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and Panasonic all have free software that can turn their recent cameras (like the Sony Alpha a5100 or Nikon D3500) into streaming webcams. GoPro also has similar software, as does budget tech brand Wyze, so check what you have lying around — you may already have the gear you need for those face-to-face video calls.
When shopping for a webcam, don't just look at the "1080p vs 4K" and call it a day — there's a lot that goes into a good-looking picture. Specifically, keep an eye on some of the features below to find the right fit for your needs.
Resolution isn't the end-all-be-all, but it is still part of the package. All other things kept equal, 1080p is going to look better than 720p, and 4K is best of all — though probably overkill for Zoom calls. You'll also want something that can at least record at 30 frames per second.
Some cameras use cheap plastic lenses with narrow fields of view, which will make the video look smudgy and cramped. Ideally, you want a camera with a wider aperture (i.e. f/2.0 instead of f/2.8) a glass lens, and a field of view above 65 degrees.
Some webcams just spit out whatever picture they take, while others audo-adjust the brightness, color, and focus for the best picture. These are all good to have if you want to look your best.
Remember, you aren't just showing people your face—you're also talking to them, and good quality audio is just as important (if not moreso) than good quality video. You may even want to invest in a separate USB microphone for best results (and if you do, your webcam's mic is of little consequence).
Finally, some webcams have extra features like built-in lighting, a privacy shutter to keep the lens covered when you aren't using it, or detachable cables. None of these are strictly required (after all, you can light your face with a desk lamp and cover your webcam with tape), but they are nice to have.
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