The best webcams 2024: top video cameras for PCs | TechRadar

The best webcams for all budgets

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The best webcams can truly enhance your PC setup, whether it's a high-end gaming rig or a productivity machine in the office. But there are so many models and types out there, making it hard to choose the right one.

But with plenty of Black Friday deals here already and on the horizon, it's never been easier to find a webcam that's both affordable and exactly the quality that you need.

For instance, a top-end webcam would be ideal for a home office setup, while those wanting an all-in-one solution should consider an option that features an array of internal microphones (called beam microphones) that pick up noise from each direction for better clarity. There's also the choice between full HD and 4K, and whether HDR is important for you.

Meanwhile, dedicated streamers and content creators should consider pairing one of the best webcams with one of the best microphones for streaming to ensure your audio is top-tier. They'll also need to consider capture rate, which can vary from 24fps up to 60fps, with the latter matching the output rate of services such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming.

We've curated a list of some of the best possible picks, including the best cheap webcams, based on our 15 years of review experience and thousands of products tested to our strict guidelines. Below, you’ll find our handpicked options based on our thorough hands-on testing process.

The best webcam for you might not be the most kitted-out option, which is why we gathered the top models we've tested here at TechRadar and put together this list. Below, you'll see a summary of our top picks, but if you want to know more about each option, hit that "Read more" link to find about more about its features and performance.

Best overall

The best overall

Featuring crisp 1080p HD resolution, fantastic exposure, and an affordable price, it remains a fan-favorite webcam that hits that sweet spot in value.

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Best budget

The best budget

A great budget webcam for personal video calls with friends and family, it boasts Logitech’s auto-light correction technology at 720p resolution.

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Best premium

The best premium webcam

It might be expensive, but this is simply one of the smartest and most feature-rich webcams money can buy right now. The compact design is travel-friendly, too!

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Best for streamers

The best for streamers

Though pricey, that 4K shooting resolution, massive f/1.7, and excellent noise and low-light handling makes it the best webcam to splurge on.

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Best 4K 60fps webcam

The best 4K 60fps

This monster is the right choice if you're a streamer, a TikTok creator, or a vlogger. It shoots 4K videos at 60fps and delivers snappy autofocusing.

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Affordable for streaming

Affordable streaming

Though originally for streaming, this incredibly reliable webcam is affordable enough for casual users and those who need something for work.

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Best 4K webcam for travel

The best 4K webcam for travel

Small and portable, this travel-friendly option is far more capable than it looks with 4K footage, auto framing, and landscape and portrait modes.

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Best for low light

The best for low lighting

An excellent pick for a well-rounded high-end webcam option, this high-end 1080p webcam is terrific at handling low lighting situations.

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Best for gamers

The best webcam for gamers

A niche buy that sways itself towards content creators, this shoots fantastic 60fps 1080p videos that are geared towards streamers.

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Best with AI tracking

The best with AI tracking

Is it a webcam or is it an action camera? You get the best of both worlds with this brilliant 1080p webcam from Logitech that's feature-rich and affordable.

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Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best webcams in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

Our expert review:

✅ You want options for mounting your webcam: The C920 has a standard claw-type mount, but also includes a conventional thread that supports most tripods and flex mounts. ✅ You want to try streaming: Although the C920 is still a high-quality webcam, its comparatively low entry price makes it a good choice for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of streaming.

❌ You need a wide field of view: With a fixed 78-degree FOV, you can't use the Logitech C920 for wide-room (or ultra-focused) shots.❌ You want insanely high-quality video: Although it does offer excellent value for money, there are definitely more powerful webcams available for buyers with deep pockets.

The Logitech C920 has been one of the best webcams on the market since its release in January 2012, consistently beating out rival products that promise more affordability or better performance – and for good reason. This is a beloved favorite across the entire spectrum of streamers, content creators, and office professionals alike.

We found its picture quality to be great out of the box. And, when cost, quality, and performance are all calculated, the C920 is still one of the best everyday webcams you can buy, despite being almost a decade old.With crisp 1080p HD resolution and fantastic lighting and color detection at an affordable price, this fan-favorite webcam hits a spot in the market that struggles to see any substantial competition and is still one of the best performing webcams on the market today, though we feel the Razer Kiyo Pro is the new top dog when it comes to webcams right now.

Read our full Logitech C920 review

✅ You have casual video call needs: If you don't need anything with high-resolution footage and special features, this is the stripped-down webcam for you.✅ You're on a tight budget: Cheap but reliable, this webcam is reliable without costing you more than $50/£50.

❌ You need higher-resolution footage: Limited to 720p, this isn't going to offer the sharpest image quality.❌ You want something for content creation: There are fairly affordable webcams out there that offer better quality videos for content creation and streaming.

The Logitech HD Webcam C310 is a solid option for those who just can’t splurge on a webcam. It's perfect for anyone just needing to get onto that Zoom or Skype call and be seen clearly.

It does only shoot in 720p, which these days is a tad outdated for professional video calls, but it’s a great budget webcam for personal video calls with friends and family. Plus, the C310 does come with Logitech’s RightLight 2 auto-light correction technology so you’ll always be shown in the proper light – even if it’s not in the sharpest resolution. And, its noise-reducing mic should not only ensure that you’ll be heard clearly from up to 5 feet or 1.5 meters away, but also minimize environmental noise.

This may not be a streamer’s top choice. Nor is it great for business calls. However, it’s a quality pick for anyone on a budget.

Our expert review:

✅ You're a serious content creator: The price of admission here is high, but the huge range of smart features make this a great choice for online content creators.✅ You want to look great on screen: 4K resolution, smart head tracking, and 'Beauty Mode' ensure that you'll be looking your best whether it's on a livestream or in a video meeting.

❌ You're shopping on a budget: The steep price tag is justified by its rich feature set, but the Obsbot Tiny 2 is undeniably one of the priciest webcams out there right now.❌ You just need a webcam: At the end of the day, this is an advanced piece of kit - not worth the investment if you just need a straightforward webcam for video calls.

The Obsbot Tiny 2 is a webcam for people who take their hardware seriously. With an elegant, lightweight, and pocket-friendly design, the Tiny 2 looks and feels like a premium piece of hardware, with excellent build quality and a bundled softshell carry case. The camera itself sits atop a gimbal that allows its AI head-tracking capabilities to adjust the direction and aperture on the fly to best highlight your face regardless of your movements.

Unfortunately, all those clever features come with a sky-high price tag to match. At $329 / £269 / AU$519, this is one of the most expensive webcams on this list - although its 4K resolution and an incredible variety of features do go a long way to justifying the cost. Voice controls, a full-featured companion app, and a 'Beauty Mode' that lets you touch up your appearance on-screen mean that this Obsbot Tiny 2 really is the complete package.

Read our full Obsbot Tiny 2 review

Our expert review:

✅ You can afford it: At the end of the day, this is an absolutely incredible webcam - even at its sky-high asking price.✅ You're a serious streamer: The Kiyo Pro Ultra's phenomenal picture quality and rich feature set make it the perfect weapon for any online content creator's arsenal.

❌ You’re on a budget: If you don’t need the best of the best and also don't have money to burn, it's safe to skip this one.❌ You need 4K at 60fps: The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra's 4K shooting mode is capped at 30fps, so if you need a high framerate and 4K video, you'll need something else.

Razer throws its hat in the 4K webcam ring with the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, a heck of a camera that currently sports the largest sensor on any webcam, which means you're getting a wider dynamic range, better low-light performance, and deliciously creamier background, to name a few advantages. It also helps that its aperture is a massive f/1.7, which will help to produce attractively blurred backgrounds in your streamed content, and that it's got HDR and 3D noise reduction (via the Razer Synapse app).

Not that Razer's webcams need any noise handling anyway, as they've always done so well on that front - and the Kiyo Pro Ultra does it even better. That's not all. On test, its autofocus proved not just snappy but butter-smooth as well, and the fact that the Razer Synapse gives you manual control over focusing (as well as exposures, digital zooming and panning, and more) gives you a level of customizations you'll be hard-pressed to get with most other webcams.

Oh, and you're also getting a built-in privacy shutter and omnidirectional mic - both of which you'll miss out on if you get its direct rival, the equally formidable Elgato Facecam Pro. The only thing is that it limits you to 4K at 30fps shooting, something the Facecam Pro does offer.

Read our full Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra review

Our expert review:

✅ You're a committed content creator: With full 4K 60fps support, excellent noise reduction, and lots of manual controls, the Facecam Pro is a stellar pick for creating high-quality streaming content.✅ You’ve got money to burn: This is quite literally one of the most expensive webcams money can buy, and its extremely high quality does work hard to justify the price tag.

❌ You just need a webcam for video calls: If you only need a webcam for work meetings or video calls with your family, this is an almost hilarious level of overkill. ❌ You want great portability: The Facecam Pro is actually lighter than it looks, but this is still a chunky webcam that isn't super travel-friendly.

We would put the Elgato Facecam Pro at the top if it wasn't for its steep price tag. As expensive as it is, this is the best webcam you can buy, especially if you're a streamer, a TikTok creator, or a vlogger. At its center is that 4K at 60fps video resolution – it's the first webcam in the world to do so – thanks to that 1/1.8-inch Sony Starvis sensor that's also responsible for its exceptional dynamic range.

During testing, we found this webcam to not only handle dark shadows and bright highlights impressively well, preserving detail in those areas better than all the other pro-level webcams we've tested, but also deliver impressive noise reduction without unnatural smoothing. What's more, its autofocusing is snappy in well-lit situations and its autoexposure is always spot on – although you can take the helm and make creative exposures yourself, thanks to the improved Camera Hub software that gives you plenty of autonomy over the webcam's settings.

Read our full Elgato Facecam Pro review

Find the best deals on Elgato products with our Elgato promo codes.

Our expert review:

✅ You're a streamer on a budget: The Logitech StreamCam offers great video quality at a sensible price, making it a good choice for streamers who can't drop hundreds on their setup.✅ Aesthetics matter to you: If you want a webcam that matches a stylish desktop setup, this unusual-looking piece of hardware can be a great choice.

❌ You need a wide field of view: Like Logitech's own popular C920, the StreamCam has a default 78-degree FOV that can't be adjusted for wide-angle shots.❌ You're only a casual user: If you don't intend to stream regularly and instead just need a camera for occasional video meetings, this is a fairly expensive choice of webcam.

The Logitech StreamCam is a solid all-rounder webcam with a pleasingly unique design, well suited for virtual meetings, video calls with friends, and livestreaming your favorite games. In our tests, we found it provided extremely good raw footage with great color balance. While it falls down a bit compared to the similarly-priced Razer Kiyo Pro in terms of brightness and picture sharpness, it still provides excellent overall picture quality and impressive low-light performance.

The StreamCam is a notably feature-rich 1080p webcam, offering a plethora of useful tools for content creators. From smart exposure and autofocus to facial tracking and an option 60fps mode, there are very few features this webcam lacks. It even has a flippable design that lets you record in a 9:16 smartphone-friendly format, and can be mounted on a tripod too.

Read our full Logitech StreamCam review

Check out our Logitech promo codes to get the best deal on your next purchase.

Our expert review:

✅ You want a feature-rich 4K webcam: The Obsbot Meet 4K has a tonne of useful features, many of which simply aren't present in other webcams at this price point.✅ You need portability: This is one of the most travel-friendly webcams we've ever reviewed, from its compact size to the included carry case.

❌ You need crisp footage with a wide dynamic range: The somewhat flat dynamic range of the Obsbot Meet 4K means that you'll lose some detail in shots with poor or uneven lighting. ❌ You're on a tight budget: While it's far from the most expensive webcam on this list, the Meet 4K is still fairly pricey, so cash-strapped buyers might want to look elsewhere.

The Obsbot Meet 4K is a small wonder, quite literally with its smaller-than-a-GoPro size and list of excellent features, many of which you won't find on other webcams. Its design and features are the highlights here.

The magnetic mounting, for example, not only makes it easier to handle - it just snaps onto the included mount - but also allows you to switch between landscape and portrait modes, the latter of which should be ideal for social media content creation. There's also Auto Framing, which we found to be incredibly intuitive and responsive, ensuring that you're very much in the middle of the frame no matter how much you're moving.

Its performance isn't too shabby either. Beyond its crisp 4K resolution captures, we appreciate just how great its noise handling and exposure compensation are, even in low-light situations. Its dynamic range, autofocus, and image processing, which struggle in low light and uneven lighting, aren't anything to write home about, but they're not terrible either. The only real issue here is that it tends to get warm very quickly, but we haven't seen that affect its performance.

Read our full Obsbot Meet 4K review

Our expert review:

✅ You like to customize: Razer Synapse isn't perfect, but it offers a lot of customization options that can be translated over to other software too.✅ You're a streamer: The Kiyo Pro has been one of the best straightforward streaming webcams on the market for a while, and it's still a very reliable choice.

❌ You need a cheap webcam: While its $199 price tag isn't the highest on this list, it's still a very expensive professional-standard webcam. ❌ You're only a casual webcam user: The Razer Kiyo Pro is a lot of webcam, and users who are only looking for semi-regular video conferencing just don't need this level of power.

The Razer Kiyo Pro, now a staple of Razer's webcam family, is an excellent pick for a well-rounded high-end webcam option. This beast doesn't come cheap, but it delivers performance worth every penny, especially given the flexible feature set that makes it well-suited to just about everything from remote calling into a conference meeting to streaming live on platforms like Twitch.

When we reviewed it, we found the Kiyo Pro's picture quality to be incredible. Its light detection is especially good, while its dynamic range is wide and noise handling is excellent, which makes this a particularly great webcam if you're streaming in low-light conditions. You can choose between three different fields of view for wider shots as well, and select either a smooth 1080p 60fps option for gameplay or a high-res HDR mode for improved video quality during Zoom sessions.

Read our full Razer Kiyo Pro reviewGet the best deals on Razer products with our Razer promo codes.

Our expert review:

✅ You want a great streaming webcam: The Facecam was designed with streamers in mind, with features that specifically cater to virtual content creators.✅ You've got other Elgato hardware: Elgato's (well, Corsair's) ecosystem is very intuitive, meaning you'll get a lot out of this webcam if you already own kit like the Elgato Stream Deck.

❌ You don't want to buy a microphone: There's no built-in mic here, which is perfectly fine for streamers who plan to use a proper standalone mic, but will no doubt be a dealbreaker for some.❌ You want the best value for money: At $200, this is a pricey piece of kit, and you're paying a premium for the Elgato brand - though it is an excellent webcam.

The Elgato Facecam might be fairly low on our overall ranking, but thanks to some divisive design choices that make this a niche buy that sways itself towards content creators, this is actually our top pick if you need a webcam purely for streaming or creating YouTube videos.

The choice to not include a microphone or autofocus capabilities will make it seem like a half-baked product for anyone just looking for a webcam. However, the inclusion of those features often proves to be more trouble than they're worth for folks broadcasting live on sites like Twitch or YouTube, where a standalone microphone is frequently a better choice.

As a result, the Facecam is beautifully optimized for the streaming community, with some of the best software we've ever seen on a webcam to boot. Since being taken over by Corsair, Elgato's internal ecosystem means that the Facecam can be easily controlled from an Elgato Stream Deck - so the more Corsair and Elgato products you have, the more synchronized your streaming experience can be.

Read our full Elgato Facecam review

Our expert review:

✅ You want a fully automated webcam: With gesture controls and head-tracking, the Insta360 Link requires far less button-pushing than the average webcam.✅ You need mounting versatility: You can mount this webcam in three different ways: a standard monitor clasp, a portable tripod, and an overhead stand - and all three work great.

❌ You need a budget webcam: With a price tag of $300, this sits among the most expensive webcams on this list.❌ You don’t want AI in your webcam: If artificial intelligence makes you nervous, you should avoid the Insta360 Link - it's highly reliant on AI for tracking, autofocus, and the nifty gesture controls.

The Insta360 Link is a rather unique and highly recommended webcam thanks to its high-end specs and clever AI-controlled functionality. Instead of having buttons on the webcam itself, you use gestures to switch between various modes. There's also an automatic privacy mode that activates after the camera registers ten seconds of inactivity, which is handy for avoiding any mishaps if you need to step away from your computer during a work call.

In our review process, we found the AI controls to be truly impressive, with the lens head mounted on a mechanized gimbal to track your head's position with an impressive level of precision. Even its hand gesture features work pretty well. Combined with 4k and 1080p resolutions, 60fps and 30fps options, and some of the clearest sound quality you'll find on any webcam, you have a near-perfect webcam for any situation and need. It's also very expensive, but at this level of quality, the price might just be worth it for some people.

Read our full Insta360 Link review

As the world returns to something resembling normalcy, the best webcams for laptops and PCs are finally back in stock. Whether they’re from Microsoft, Razer, Logitech, or one of the cheaper brands whose products punch above their weight, there’s a plethora of choices to pick from to help you upgrade your streaming or video conferencing.

Since more communication is happening online these days, it’s crucial to have your zoom calls with friends and video conferencing meetings that are crystal clear. And, that means you need to invest in one of the best webcams for your computer setup. It’s true that most laptops or all-in-one computers already come with a webcam installed but having a dedicated one will offer more features and higher resolutions.

It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to keep in touch with your extended network, putting together the perfect work-from-home setup or getting ready for back to school season, invest in one of these made for computer cameras to make sure your family and colleagues can see your bright, shiny face. From the webcams ideal for game streaming to excellent webcams for Zoom, we’ve collected our top picks here as well as included our price comparison tool to help you find the best deal.

In this bizarre new world of home working, you may feel a little overwhelmed when looking at webcams to buy – after all, all these cheap models on Amazon look the same right? Webcams are usually marketed with resolution (720p, 1080p, 4K etc) and framerates because this is the most important factor for most people when buying a product, but there are many other considerations that make a webcam 'good' or 'bad'.

The first thing to consider is what you need your webcam for. For working professionals or office staff, most conference calling software such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams will restrict your broadcast quality to 1080p resolution and 30fps to preserve bandwidth. Google meets goes a step further and restricts your quality to 720p as this is the standard resolution on most built-in laptop cameras.

If you're planning on using a webcam purely for these work-related calls then there isn't any point in buying a powerful 4k model as you simply won't see the benefit. The light and color detection will vary for each model though, so you'll still see a variance in recording quality depending on what webcam you buy.

For content creators such as YouTubers or Streamers, there is a range of powerful webcams available, with some reaching 4K resolution and 60fps for buttery smooth video. These webcams are overkill for occasional use, but with features like a variable field of view (or FOV) and adjustable resolution or and zoom, the extra cash could be a worthy investment to your hobby.

Our list is heavy on big brand names such as Logitech for good reason. Reputable brands have been tested across many different devices to make sure that the products are compatible with different graphics software. This is why you may see different quality if you use the same camera on a desktop and a laptop - the webcam hardware communicates differently with different devices.

Logitech, Razer and other well-known webcam manufacturers can provide a product that is more likely to work well across a wide range of different machines, so whether you're looking to run your camera on a new gaming desktop or an old Chromebook, you should see similar results.

A cheap 1080p/30fps webcam from Amazon or eBay may disappoint you if the drivers and sensors are not up to the same standards as trusted products on our list, so don't take the resolution and framerate as gospel that you'll be getting great video quality. As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you're buying a Logitech webcam, though, you can check out the latest Logitech promo codes for ways to get money off your purchase.

Even the most expensive webcam can look terrible if you don't take your environment into consideration. Lighting can make a cheap 720p webcam look almost HD, and this doesn't have to make a dent in your wallet. Natural lighting is prized by photographers for being better than most expensive studio lights, so where possible try and record in front of a window. This will not only illuminate your features and make you pop against your background, but it'll illuminate background 'noise' – the fuzzy static effect seen when webcams are trying to film in low lighting conditions. You can also replicate this using studio lights if you work in darker environments away from a window. You can also use cheap desk lamps in a pinch by directing them against a wall to reduce the harshing lighting and create a diffused appearance. Always make sure your background looks nice. This doesn't mean you need to do anything fancy (unless you're a streamer and have the budget for some fancy LED lights and gamer swag), but you need to make sure you're the focus of the broadcast. Tidy up any mess, don't sit behind an open door and make sure you don't sit behind any other light sources. This will usually throw off the light sensors in your webcam and reduce your film quality.

TechRadar doesn't use any computer programs to benchmark a webcam as their quality is visually noticeable. Instead, models will be stacked up against products with similar specifications and MSRP to see how they compare, and ran through a few scenarios.

We keep lighting levels consistent and test for well-lit and low-light conditions to put the webcam sensor through its paces. Webcams with unsatisfactory sensors struggle if a subject isn't well lit, resulting in a fuzzy 'static' like interference known as background noise. We make note of how accurate the colors are in any recorded footage and the overall clarity of video and photographs taken on the webcam.

We also compare features like field-of-view (often abbreviated to FOV), frame rate and resolution, as well as any software that ships with the product. Operating systems like Windows 10 have a camera application capable of making minimal adjustments to contrast and hue, but there are branded applications like Razer Synapse and Logitech Capture that can better adjust your footage.

The hardware itself will also be checked for mounting options and available movement, such as a swivel ball joint or fixed positioning. Finally, any onboard microphone will be checked for clarity and its ability to filter out background noise, though it's worth mentioning that most webcams on the market have poor-quality microphones when compared to a dedicated headset or USB mics.

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Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.

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