Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
The Logitech Brio offers a wide selection of resolutions, frame rates, and fields of view.
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
With its smooth video performance and affordable price point, the Mimoday 1080p webcam is a great value.
How We Tested Webcams
Credit: Reviewed / Ashley Biancuzzo
For webcam testing, we took everything from video performance to autofocus speed into consideration.
The Testers
Hi, I’m Ashley Barry-Biancuzzo and I’m an editor for Reviewed’s Best Right Now buying guides. After working remotely for a year, I understand the importance of investing in a quality webcam. Not only do I spend a lot of time on Google Meet calls with coworkers, but I also regularly use Discord and Zoom to video chat with friends. The one integrated into my Chromebook just wasn’t going to cut it anymore. That’s why I spent weeks testing to find the best.
I’m Joanna Nelius, Senior Electronics Editor for Reviewed. Other than reviewing gaming laptops, PC peripherals, and hardware for work, I do photography, stream, and podcast in my free time. A good webcam is crucial for me to interact with co-hosts and audiences. A lot of webcams come with the same 1080p resolution and can top out at 60 frames a second, but not every product has the same light sensor. For me, the senor is the make or break between a good webcam and a great one—and the device’s image adjusting software.
The Tests
For testing, we recorded a video in three different lighting conditions: bright light, natural light, and low light. In the video, we moved to 15 different spots, and at each spot, we’d throw an oddly shaped, small object in the air, and then say two sentences at a normal volume. This helped us gauge the webcam’s video and audio quality, field of view, and autofocus speed.
To determine image quality, we took a number of still images in natural lighting with each device and lined them up side-by-side. This helped us see the differences in color accuracy, exposure, field of view, and so on. We also used each device for video calls with coworkers and friends while taking into account build quality, included accessories, mounting, and more.
What You Should Know About Buying a Webcam
These products are more complicated than you might think. That’s why we’re here to break down everything from frame rates to the field of view.
Integrated Webcams vs. External Webcams
An integrated webcam is typically built into the top of your laptop screen. They don’t produce great looking photos or videos because many of them are limited to 720p resolution..
External webcams can be plugged into your laptop or desktop tower via USB port. They produce better pictures and videos because they have higher resolutions and frame rates. They also have additional features like autofocus and low light correction. External webcams are also more adjustable and can be tilted or turned to get the best angle.
Frame Rate
Frame rate directly impacts how smooth your movements are on video. It’s the speed in which images (also known as frames) are captured. The higher the frame rate, the smoother and more natural you’ll appear on video. For webcams, the baseline is 30 frames-per-second (FPS). But if …….
Source: https://www.reviewed.com/laptops/best-right-now/best-webcams