The best webcams to upgrade your video chats

The first of three excellent webcams from Logitech on our list, the Brio 100 is a great budget webcam with solid specifications, good looks, and tiny dimensions. The 1080p/30fps video resolution will be more than enough for most people too, and while it lacks some high-end features compared to the rest here, it still vastly improves the quality of your video calls.

We were a little concerned by the lack of instructions included, but our concerns were unfounded as it is a simple plug-and-play device. Once connected via USB-A it synced seamlessly with both a Macbook and Windows laptop. The image quality impressed, and during the day, the picture was crisp. Without ideal lighting image quality suffers a bit, but this is hardly surprising given the low cost. You can, however, make a difference to the image by tweaking colour, contrast and light balance levels.

It fitted easily to our laptops on test as well as an older, thicker monitor, and the stand felt secure. It is fixed, though, and there’s no thread for a tripod. It would be unfair of us to mark them down for this, however, as it works seamlessly, makes us look better on Zoom calls, and is cheap to buy.

It’s remarkable how much tech Anker has managed to squeeze into this adorable little webcam. It has 4K resolution for one thing and a host of AI-driven features designed to give you a more professional video quality. Given the relatively low cost, it’s a great design and one that is a major upgrade compared to your computer camera.

To get the best from the features, you’ll need to download the Anker software, but in just a couple of moments, we were able to play with all the handy features. You can switch between 65, 78 and 95-degree fields of view, or try Solo Frame. It’s a clever tracking mode that keeps your head in the centre of the action.

If you have a habit of moving about during video calls this could be handy. On test, though, the motion as we moved was a little off-putting. You can easily ignore it though, and make the most of the smooth image quality, and excellent audio. Anker has added a noise-cancelling filter here, which smooths the edges off typical office audio. It makes a noticeable difference.

It’s sold as a 4K camera, but you can only use it in certain situations. You can’t have lossless, 60fps, 4K video, for instance. This is hardly surprising given the low cost and the 1080p resolution, along with the useful software options, were more than enough.

This webcam from gaming specialists Razer looks like the lens of a traditional DSLR camera. It’s about the same size too, which is a bold statement compared to something subtle like the Logitech Brio 100. But the camera aesthetic also extends to its performance, and we were shocked by how good the video stream was, even in gloomy conditions. This is all thanks to a large high-performance adaptive light sensor that sucks in all available light boosting the clarity. We were embarrassed by how bad our laptop camera was in comparison.

The Kiyo Pro is a bit expensive given there’s no 4K, but the 1080p resolution should be more than enough for office calls and family chats. You can adjust the field of view from 79 to 104 degrees, and it has auto-focus to help keep you the centre of attention. On a couple of occasions, the camera focused in on the background over our shoulder. But we had moved about quite a lot in these situations, and it did correct quickly at least.

To control the webcam, you’ll need to download some Razer software but be warned, it’s a large file, and the brand’s aesthetic is skewed towards gamers. Get past all the neon and it’s easy to navigate, though.

This is a Windows-only webcam from PC specialists Lenovo integrated seamlessly with our laptop and produced an impressively wide-angled shot of our home office. It does mean that if your office isn’t tidy, there’s no hiding, though!

The image quality looked good in solid Full HD resolution and with smooth motion. We did notice that good lighting is key to image quality here – unlike with the Razer Kiyo Pro, which worked magic in all conditions – and when the sun went in, we were a little more blurry than before.

The design itself is simple and unobtrusive, with a privacy shutter and two integrated microphones that help boost sound. The stand mount can also be easily panned and tilted if you need to bring someone, or something into your frame. We also like that it is compatible with Microsoft Teams Conferencing and the new facial recognition software Windows Hello, enabling a faster laptop login experience.

If you’re serious about streaming, recording content and looking great on video calls, the Tiny 2 webcam is hard to beat. This beautifully designed, impossibly small robot cam can track your every movement in the finest resolution. Autofocus is fast, and its ability to adjust image quality as light changes – like opening a curtain – is reliable and speedy. There’s also gesture and voice control, and you can buy a separate remote control too.

Once you download the Obsbot Centre control software you’ll have complete control over every aspect of the visuals. The motorised gimbal tracks your face effortlessly, but can also track your hands if you’re demonstrating something. It can focus on your desk, on a group of people if there’s more than one on a call, or even ignore your head entirely. There are also AI filters, including a teeth-whitening mode and a slightly unnerving cheekbone-enhancing option. It’s all recorded in the smoothest high-resolution quality, with excellent audio.

The Obsbot Tiny 2 is impressive and easy to use, and if you need to produce high-quality videos, fancy yourself as a YouTube star, or want to look your best on camera, it’s hard to beat. Most people, though, simply don’t need many of these features and won’t use much of what makes this option expensive. If money is no object, however, we highly recommend it.

Logitech’s most advanced webcam to date isn’t cheap but works superbly for both video calls and streaming, with wonderfully crisp, well-exposed video even in gloomy conditions. It will offer something to business users, casual Zoomers and gamers looking to stream content. It lacks a few of the AI settings and the gimbal tracking from the Obsbot Tiny 2, but given that it’s cheaper, this might be a better buy for many.

With a choice of 4K (30fps) resolution, or more practical 1080p (60fps) the MX Brio should make you look better on camera. It’s well-designed with a neat lens cover, and the magnetic stand works perfectly. Set-up is, as we’ve come to expect from Logitech, nice and intuitive too.

You can rotate it horizontally too, and it can be screwed onto a tripod. We like that if you point it down at your desk it enters Show Mode, which makes it easy for people to read and contribute to any paper document you’re working on, all while on the same video call.

The Logitech app allows you full control of the extensive range of features. You can set the field of view, crop, zoom, and toggle auto-exposure, auto-focus and white balance, to name a few of them. You can also save presets with the perfect colour balance, focus, contrast etc, so you don’t have to fiddle with settings every time you jump on a call.

The wide-angle lens with excellent depth of field means your background remains in focus too. If you’ve got a tidy office, this does make a difference to the overall crispness of the call.

Logitech’s mid-priced webcam is brilliant whether you’re just hopping on a Zoom call, looking to live stream to YouTube or recording your own video clips. It’s not 4K, which isn’t an issue as the Full HD resolution with smooth 60fps motion is more than enough for most people.

It syncs seamlessly with all the leading video call software but really comes into its own when you download Logitech’s free Capture software. This is a super useful tool for anyone looking to make YouTube videos as it has loads of easy-to-adjust settings including auto framing, image stabilisation and the ability to tweak the colour balance and brightness of the image, so you look your best. This is also the software used by the more expensive Brio webcam, with many of the same settings too.

While not especially handy for work chats, you can also record full vertical videos, which are great for social media posts on TikTok and Instagram. It’s great at standard video calls, with great audio, smart images and fast auto-focus. It only has a USB-C connection, though, so it’s worth checking before buying if it’ll work with your older computer or if you’ll need an adapter.

The eagle-eyed amongst us will have spotted this isn’t a webcam, but if you’re an Apple user it could be all you need. This small disc is a MagSafe-compatible laptop mount that turns your iPhone (iPhone 12 or later) into your webcam. What that means is that you can make the most of the excellent camera on your phone, which is significantly better than the one on your computer.

It’s extremely easy to use; the magnets are super strong, and you have a choice of mounting options. You can either use the ring as a kickstand (also great for watching videos on the train) or clip it to your laptop screen with the smaller mount.

How does it work as a webcam? Well, Apple introduced the Continuity Camera feature which automatically turns your iPhone into a webcam when you bring it close to a Mac registered to the same iCloud account. When you open FaceTime, Zoom or other apps you can enjoy crystal-clear video. You can even focus on your work with Desk View, and cleverly, the iPhone can also follow you if you move around.

It’s a great way to make the most of your existing Apple products, but it’s not ideal if you mix and match with other brands.