Razer Kiyo for $72: Our previous top pick, the original Kiyo still offers 1080p resolution at 30fps (or 720p at 60fps) and built-in lighting that’s controlled by turning the illuminated ring to brighten, dim or turn it off entirely. The image quality is good, with nice colors, and the camera quickly adjusts the white balance when the ambient lighting of the room changes. It focuses well on autofocus, but you’ll find it adjusts noticeably as you move around the frame. The field of view is slightly wider than that of typical web cameras, at about 82 degrees. After a month, the hinge on my Kio broke, giving me pause. But my second one is going strong, and WIRED writer Parker Hall had no problems with his Kiyo, so we’re still confident in our recommendation.
Anker B600 Video Bar 2K Webcam for $220: Reviews editor Julian Chokkattu calls the B600’s video quality excellent. If your computer can power it, the B600 can stream in 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 poor even with the built-in light source, so it’s best to pair with an external light.
Obsbot Tiny 4K AI Webcam for $269: Chokkattu has made Obsbot its main webcam for over six months, and as someone who video-conferences with it several times a week, I can say that its 4K-capable image looks great. What makes it stand out is that it will automatically track your face if you move, making it look like you have a private camera. You can turn this function on and off with a palm movement, as it responds to hand movements.
Logitech C922x for $99: The C922X is a capable webcam with solid specs. It can stream 1080p video at 30 frames per second or 720p at 60 frames per second, making the Razer Kiyo and Kiyo X its first competition. But it’s more expensive than both and has a slightly narrower field of view of 78 degrees. It’s a good webcam, but you can get a comparable Kiyo X for less money.
Logitech C615 for $29: Specs were great (for the original price)—1080p resolution at 30fps with a 78-degree field of view—and image quality is good in anything but low light. You can also rotate the camera 360 degrees, which reviews editor Julian Chokkattu says it does when it’s not in use, because there’s no privacy shutter. The downside is that the microphone records in mono, not stereo, and the short cable might make it awkward to use with a desktop, although it works well with a laptop. If retail supplies run low and this is all you can find, it’s not a bad option, although a few extra bucks makes your selection much better.
Logitech C930e for $73: This is a business-oriented alternative to Logitech’s C920 with a 90-degree field of view that’s better for shooting large groups of participants 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 that optional setting on the Brio). Unlike the Bria, you’re locked into only using 90 degrees, which may not work for everyone. This webcam has historically not been as cheap as it has been lately. In the past, with typical prices over $100 and up, it’s not worth the extra cost. Under $100, it’s a decent webcam
