The 8 Best Webcams to Improve Your WFH Setup

Virtual meetings, live-streaming, and content production are now a permanent fixture of our daily life. You’ll need more than your laptop’s mediocre webcam for crystal-clear communication with others over the web. External webcams ensure your audience stays focused on your message by eliminating the distracting graininess and blur built-in laptop cameras create. Be it collaborative work over Zoom or a global livestream using Twitch, these are the best-performing webcams to help you put your best self out to the digital world.

Check out quick info below on the top five webcams, then scroll deeper for buying info and full reviews of these and other models.

BEST OVERALL

Logitech Logitech C922 Pro

Consumer Score: 93% gave it 4 stars or more

Automatic focus and light correction for studio quality picture.

GREAT VALUE

Microsoft Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000

Now 38% Off

Consumer Score: 79% gave it 4 stars or more

A simple and affordable bump to your video quality.

WORK-FROM-HOME

NexiGo NexiGo N660

Now 36% Off

Consumer Score: 87% gave it 4 stars or more

Own the room when you need to, shut it out when you don’t.

CONTENT CREATION

Logitech Logitech StreamCam

Now 23% Off

Consumer Score: 90% gave it 4 stars or more

Content creation station for both widescreen and vertical video formats.

BUILT-IN RING LIGHT

Razer Razer Kiyo

Now 41% Off

Consumer Score: 89% gave it 4 stars or more

High-quality lighting to look your best anywhere.

Why Get a Webcam?

Even if you have a $2,000 laptop, chances are that its camera is still significantly worse than the one found on your phone. With most built-in laptop cameras capped at a 720p resolution and under five megapixels, you are left with less-than-impressive image quality. Not only is this disappointing to the person who paid top dollar for a laptop with a second-rate camera, it’s especially distracting to those on the receiving end of your video feed. Audio distortion and overexposure make it hard for viewers to decipher what you’re trying to say.

As phones have gradually taken the place of our cameras, they receive upgrades so often it’s hard to keep track of the newest models. Yet laptop cameras continue to be overlooked. As bezels continue to shrink, many laptop cameras are left with smaller sensor modules, often placed in awkward positions or removed altogether. While video quality may not have been your priority in the past, hybrid work models and Zoom calls with the family are becoming increasingly important for both business and pleasure. If you want to maximize engagement, appear professional, and improve the overall quality of your image—grab yourself a dedicated external webcam.

Webcams will also give you the ability to expand your creative control with your image and video captures. Many have the ability to filter, autofocus, zoom, adjust the lighting, and even take photographs. Some even have built-in mics that can help give you a better quality of sound as well. If you are a content creator or streamer, an investment in an external webcam can be a relatively inexpensive way to make a big improvement in your video quality.

How We Selected and Rated Them

We researched multiple expert sources such as PC Mag, PC Gamer, and Tech Radar, as well as 4,500 consumer reviews, to select the top eight webcams of the year. Our Consumer Score represents the percentage of customers who rated the product at least four out of five stars on retail and review sites like Amazon, Walmart, and manufacturers’ websites.

Shop for the best deals on webcams at Amazon.

Logitech C922 Pro Webcam

Consumer Score: 94% gave it 4 stars or more
Everything you need for your everyday use with superb polish.

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam

At just under $100, Logitech’s C922 slightly improves upon its predecessor, the C920. That’s a pretty impressive feat since the C920 happens to be the most popular webcam of all time. The C922 captures the same detail-rich 1080p image quality but adds improvements like crisper audio from the two omnidirectional microphones, silky smooth motion with a 60-frame-per-second recording speed at lower resolutions, and automatic brightness adjustments for improved low-light conditions. Simply put, Logitech works its magic to make a 1080p webcam indistinguishable from a piece of professional studio equipment.

While the top-notch autofocus and optimized lighting make this camera popular with content creators, anyone can greatly benefit from the pop the C922 creates between the foreground and background in both work and casual calls. The camera’s small body doesn’t take up much room on top of your monitor and comes with its own tripod stand for extensive placement options. As the bar for high-quality video continues to rise, it’s hard to top the performance of the C922 without splurging for webcams that are way more expensive.

Specifications

Video Resolution: 1080p (30 FPS), 720p (60 FPS)Attachment: Universal Mount, tripodMicrophone: Dual omnidirectional integrated with noise cancelingConnectivity: USB-ASystem Requirements: Compatible with Windows, macOS, Chrome

Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 Webcam

Consumer Score: 79% gave it 4 stars or more
Simple and affordable.

Microsoft Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000

Microsoft Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000

If you’re looking for a budget camera that can improve your video chatting experience without breaking the bank, Microsoft’s LifeCam HD-3000 is a great option. Its sleek design makes it travel-friendly and integrates into any setup without taking up much space. Locked to a 720p widescreen resolution, the LifeCam isn’t as clear as our other options. TrueColor technology provides vibrant color and brightness that compensates for this. While the microphone is unidirectional, speaking directly toward it produces a crisp sound with acoustic noise cancellation. If you’ll be using your webcam with multiple people in the same room or you tend to use it while walking about, you’ll want to look into a webcam that has omnidirectional microphones.

The brighter image and wide 69-degree field of view provide a more immersive sense of space than built-in cameras are capable of. Don’t feel like using your LifeCam in your current environment? You can use an extensive collection of provided background filters to look like you’re tuning in from the Bahamas instead of the home office you’ve been cooped up inside for the past year. The LifeCam also allows you to capture photos and record video, and it’s even Skype-certified for clear and lag-free video chat.

Specifications

Video Resolution: 720p (30 FPS)Zoom: 100xAttachment: Universal MountMicrophone: Unidirectional integrated with Acoustic Noise CancellingConnectivity: USB-ASystem Requirements: Compatible with Windows, macOS, Chrome

—BEST FOR WORK-FROM-HOME—

NexiGo N660

Consumer Score: 94% gave it 4 stars or more
Present to colleagues and clients like a boss with work-centric features.

NexiGo N660

Striking an optimal balance between features and price, the NexiGo N660 has a higher resolution than our budget pick in addition to more image adjustability for a more professional look. Crisp 1080p, full high-definition performance pairs with an ultra-wide 110-degree angle for a lifelike presence at conferences. Coworkers can see more visual details during presentations, and the built-in microphones clearly capture and annunciate your words through the screen. When you wrap up your meetings, a physical privacy shutter ensures you won’t be caught scarfing down leftovers between calls.

If you want to fine-tune your settings, NexiGo provides a suite for advanced adjustments such as white balance, brightness, and hue. For those who couldn’t care less about optimizing their picture quality, the N660’s simple plug-and-play operation leaves you with a fine-tuned image right out of the box. With the N660 you’ll focus less on fiddling with adjustments and spend more time getting collaborative work done.

Specifications

Video Resolution: 1080p (30 FPS)Attachment: Universal MountMicrophone: Integrated with Ambient Noise CancellingConnectivity: USB-ASystem Requirements: Compatible with Windows, macOS, Chrome

—BEST FOR CONTENT CREATION—

Logitech Streamcam Plus

Consumer Score: 90% gave it 4 stars or more
Feature-packed with full HD landscape and portrait shooting orientations.

Logitech StreamCam

Logitech StreamCam

Now 23% Off

If you’re a media maven, the StreamCam optimizes your workflow. A higher-end sibling to our top pick, the StreamCam has refined auto-focus sensors, AI-enabled facial tracking, and the most accurate colors overall. Physically rotating the webcam instantly switches between shooting in a landscape and portrait orientation. When you need to hop on a video chat or create widescreen content for YouTube, you can leave the camera sitting horizontally for a wider view. If you want to go live on TikTok or create an Instagram reel, flip the camera over to work in the same full 1080p resolution at a 9:16 vertical format that’s optimized for mobile video.

With visual performance that surpasses our top pick, a superior built-in microphone and a premium mesh body, the StreamCam will set you back a bit more than the other options on our list. Like the C922, the StreamCam can also access the full Logitech Capture suite for adjustments like light correction, zoom levels, and color accuracy. If you’re serious about media production, the StreamCam helps you pump out tailored content across all devices while serving as a beastly general-use webcam. For those looking for a simple quality improvement, the StreamCam is admittedly overkill.

Specifications

Video Resolution: 1080p (60 FPS) in widescreen and vertical orientationAttachment: Universal MountMicrophone: Stereo audio with built-in dual micsConnectivity: USB-C (USB-A with third-party adapter)System Requirements: Compatible with Windows, macOS, Chrome

—ONBOARD RING LIGHTING—

Razer Kiyo

Consumer Score: 89% gave it 4 stars or more
Look your best no matter where you are.

Razer Kiyo

Razer’s Kiyo webcam includes a built-in 5600K ring light that can be adjusted in real time with a physical rotating bezel. This eliminates the need to dig into software or adjust external lighting equipment—handy for instantaneous adjustments when you’re live. Wrapped around the camera lens, the ring light keeps you evenly lit from all angles. Like our top pick, it can shoot in full HD and switch to a lower 720p resolution for a smoother motion rate of 60 frames per second. The autofocus rivals the Logitech line a majority of the time but is a tad finicky on occasion. That could be a problem if your calls or videos often require you to hold an object up to the camera. Eliminating shadows and illuminating your face, the Kiyo helps you look your best whether you’re in a bright living room or chatting at an indoor event with darker lighting.

Specifications

Video Resolution: 1080p (30 FPS), 720p (60 FPS)Attachment: Universal MountMicrophone: Built-inConnectivity: USB-A and USB-C (with third-party adapter)System Requirements: Compatible with Windows, macOS, Chrome