Best webcam 2022: look stunning streaming and working from home

Whether you’re working from home or planning on streaming, the best webcams can help to present you in your best light. In this list, we’ve rounded up both budget and premium options on everything from basic 720p shooters to advanced A.I.-powered 4K cameras depending on what you need. Whatever you intend to use these lenses for, you’ll find our curated picks below. 

Such a diverse feature set on everything from the resolution of the camera itself to the included microphones and other functionality means a varied price range as well. For example, it’s entirely fine to get yourself a cheap external 720p webcam that’s all but guaranteed to be an improvement over the pinhole lens built into your laptop. If you’re serious about your streaming setup, though, then you’ll want to aim for either 1080p60 or a smoother 4K camera depending on the bitrate and quality of your streams. Looking good is important, and the best webcams can certainly go a long way to helping you stand out from the competition. 

Regardless of which models you opt for, one thing is going to be true above all else, a dedicated lens and sensor setup is going to look significantly better than what’s built onto your standard everyday laptop – something to keep in mind. Should a streaming setup be of particular importance to you then a great webcam is a must-have – a microphone, green screen, and ring light will only get you so far if there’s no lens pointed at your face

Best webcams available in 2022

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(Image credit: Future)

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1. Razer Kiyo Pro

The best webcam for streamers

Specifications

Resolution: 1080p, 60fps / HDR, 30fpsMicrophone: OmnidirectionalField of View: 90°Connectivity: USB 3.0Mounting: L-shape /Tripod fixture

Reasons to buy

+Excellent in low light+HDR mode+Great picture quality+Adaptable sensor

Reasons to avoid

-Lacks the original’s built-in ring light

If you want something that goes above and beyond the call of duty (particularly for streaming), the Razer Kiyo Pro has you covered. It’s expensive, but that high price tag nets you equally high quality.

Where most webcams struggle with low-light environments of the kind you’d find in a streaming setup, the Kiyo excels. Its sensors nail the landing in almost any scenario, be it darkened rooms lit only by your monitor or bright offices awash with overexposure. It’s noticeably better than the competition in that regard. 

It’s worth the price of admission if you’re a streamer or influencer. It’s one of the best premium webcams you can get your hands on right now

Razer Kiyo Pro review

In our testing, we were initially let down by the Razer Kiyo Pro’s lack of built-in ring light as we had with the original model, however, our fears were quickly put aside when the performance was taken into account. This webcam features a stellar low light sensor which made for impressive results even in darkened and dimly lit rooms illuminated by nothing more than a monitor’s glow.

Although it doesn’t provide 4K footage, it’s also a good stepping-stone before moving on to expensive DSLR equivalents. It’s much better than standard webcams but is still affordable enough that you won’t break the bank.

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(Image credit: Logitech)

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(Image credit: Logitech)

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2. Logitech C270

The best budget webcam

Specifications

Resolution: 720p / 30fpsMicrophone: MonoField of view: 60°Connectivity: USBMounting: Clip

Reasons to buy

+Great value+Good-quality pictures+Trusted Logitech standard

Reasons to avoid

-It’s not Full HD 

Anyone looking for an entry-level best webcam option that won’t break the bank should check out the Logitech C270. This dinky little webcam will only set you back around $30 / £30, and takes up very little real estate on a monitor or laptop screen, especially with its handy and adjustable clip on the rear. That price comes with a few limitations though – namely resolution. This is a 720p HD webcam with 30fps max framerate, so not quite the right quality if you’re looking to get into game streaming or YouTube video creation. 

But, for remote working and online meetings, this is a great option. The image isn’t always perfectly sharp and struggles in some lighting situations, but the Logitech camera software is great for making adjustments to the picture quality. You can tweak the exposure, white balance, brightness, and even zoom in or adjust the framing to make the most of your positioning. There’s an option to have the focus follow your face too if you’re particularly animated. It works with some success, but the fixed option definitely delivers the best results. 

The in-built microphone is fantastic too, with noise filtering included making sure you’re heard with crystal-clear quality. This is a fantastic option for video calls, then, and although it won’t make you a viral sensation (for the right reasons), its affordability and customization options even at 720p HD make this a hard option to beat.

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(Image credit: Future)

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3. OBSBOT Tiny 4K

The best webcam with A.I. tracking

Specifications

Resolution: 2160p, 30fps / 1080p, 60fps, HDRField of view: 86°Microphone: Dual omnidirectionalConnectivity: USB-C / USB 3.0 Mounting: Magnetic L-shape clamp

Reasons to buy

+A.I. motion tracking is incredible +Sharp image quality in 4K and 1080p+In-built microphones sound great

Reasons to avoid

-Included software is basic

The OBSBOT 4K Tiny is one of the best webcams for your money – though, with its $269 / £269 MSRP, this model is far from the cheapest camera you can have atop your monitor. That premium price tag is justified through the gesture-based A.I. motion tracking, which we found in our testing to work incredibly well. Not only can you be captured in full view when sitting at your desk, but the OBSBOT 4K Tiny can also move around, and zoom out, to fit you in the frame at all times, too. 

Now, all the motion tracking wizardry in the world would be for naught if the OBSBOT 4K Tiny didn’t capture you in a respectable way. Fortunately, the 2160p maximum resolution sensor, complete with HDR and auto white balancing, looks exceptional and is easily on par with some of the higher-end offerings in our roundup. We’re fans of the bright and crisp color reproduction even in motion against harsh natural, and artificial light, too. So, if you value quality imagery, and if you want to be kept in shot no matter how much you move around, then this webcam could be perfect for you. 

The OBSBOT Tiny 4K is certainly worthy of a place in your setup for everything from video calls to live streaming

OBSBOT Tiny 4K review

You can make many adjustments through your desired video editing/streaming software, though, the OBSBOT 4K Tiny does come with its own software bundled in. The program is fairly basic but it does get the job done, including options for HDR toggles, and physical joystick like-movements of the lens itself. 

Keep in mind, however, that the OBSBOT 4K Tiny is limited to 2160p @ 30 FPS, so if you want smooth 60 FPS then you’ll need to knock things down to Full HD. The results, though, are as smooth and sharp as you would hope from a webcam carrying such an asking price, and easily on par with the best 1080p shooters while offering far more than many other cameras can. The OBSBOT 4K Tiny isn’t cheap, but there’s little else on the market that can rival its feature set in 2022.

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(Image credit: Avermedia)

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4. AverMedia PW315

The best mid-range webcam for streaming

Specifications

Resolution: 1080pMicrophone: Dual StereoField of view: 95°Connectivity: USB 3.0Mounting: L-Shape / Tripod fixture

Reasons to buy

+Excellent picture quality+Great specs for price point +Durable build

Reasons to avoid

-Quality reduced in low light-A.I. features are a too slow

At $120 / £110, the AverMedia PW315 webcam has certainly strayed away from the budget space. However, with 1080p streams at 60fps on offer, it’s certainly found an excellent price point here. We usually see this kind of video quality on webcams ranging from $140 to $200, and while there are a few slip-ups that keep this cost down, there’s plenty of value here for those looking for more professional Zoom call quality or starting out in streaming. 

In natural lighting, video quality feels effortlessly clear. With excellent quality and snappy framerates, you’re certainly getting a premium experience when it comes to everyday use. However, this camera does struggle a little in lower lighting, and that may pose a problem considering this device does fall into a blurred line between premium and mid-range. 

there’s plenty on offer here to entice the mid-range streamer or the professional looking to smarten up their conference calls

AverMedia PW315 review

AI features are also baked into the device’s Cam Engine software. On paper these allow your camera to track you within the frame and ensure you’re always on screen while you move in front of it. You do need some considerable power to achieve a smooth effect with this, though, and in most of our tests it came out a little too slow. 

If you’re just after a high-quality 1080p contender for the best webcam for streaming, teaching, or to smarten up your conference calls, the AverMedia PW315 still offers excellent value in this pricing. Plus, we may see more development on these software features in the future as well.

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5. Razer Kiyo

The best mid-range Razer webcam

Specifications

Display resolution: 1080pRecording resolution: 1080p 30fps, 720p 60fpsMicrophone: StereoField of View: 81.6°Connectivity: USBMounting: L-Shape clip / Tripod fixture

Reasons to buy

+Ring light is immensely useful+Good saturation+Flexible recording options

Reasons to avoid

-Superseded by the Kiyo Pro

The Razer Kiyo is still one of the best webcams that money can buy in 2022 and this is due to the stellar video quality, solid construction, and ease of use. Thanks to the Kiyo’s built-in ring light, we’ve found that this model works well in low-light situations. 

Be you an everyday work user, an aspiring streamer, or a fan of the best products for your budget, good lighting is key so having a built-in light source in your webcam is incredibly useful – this thing makes the Kiyo competent for recording in any lighting situations, even pitch black. The light’s intensity is easily adjusted by spinning the exterior ring around as well, so there’s an excellent element of control depending on where you sit, the environment, and so on.

The camera itself has a 1080p sensor that boasts excellent quality. It will capture pictures with great detail, sharpness, and clarity, and is greatly assisted by an adept autofocus function. Specifically, in terms of output and what you can expect, it can record at 1080p and 30fps or at 720p in 60fps. Combine all that with the companion app (Synapse) which enables some adjustment to levels and color and presentation, and a really fulsome package begins to form. It just about takes our top spot given its versatility as well as gaming and streaming capabilities. 

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6. Logitech StreamCam

The best Logitech webcam

Specifications

Resolution: 1080p, 60FPSMicrophone: Dual omnidirectionalConnection: USB-C 3.1Field of view: 78°Mounting: L-shape / tripod fixture (horizontal or vertical)

Reasons to buy

+Excellent picture quality +Silky smooth 60fps+Easy to use capture app

Reasons to avoid

-Performance is hardware dependant-Limiting USB-C connection

The Logitech StreamCam is aimed squarely at the amateur streaming market. More specifically, it’s focusing on members within that market running high-quality machines that can really push this device to its limits. 

With footage captured at up to 1080p resolution at 60fps, you’re getting particularly impressive video quality here, all running silky smooth and taking advantage of additional software features like backlight correction, center framing, and image stabilization. 

There’s no denying that the Logitech StreamCam produces an excellent video quality, on par with far more expensive devices

Logitech StreamCam review

You may need to fiddle with a few of these settings to get everything working just right for you, dropping down the framerate to allow the center framing to react quickly, for example, but if your PC can withstand the considerable power draw this webcam requires, this is an amazing piece of kit. 

That $170 / £140 price point does mean we’d only recommend picking this up if you’re thinking about getting serious with your streaming. Most everyday video conferencing software won’t take advantage of the power sitting inside this blocky device. It’s also worth noting that such speeds are only possible thanks to the USB-C connection, which may be limiting if your current setup doesn’t have a spare port. 

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8. Trust Teza 4K

The best budget 4K webcam

Specifications

Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160) 30fpsMicrophone: Dual omni-directionalConnection: USB 2.0 Field of view: 74° Mounting: L-shaped clip / tripod

Reasons to buy

+Quick autofocus +Wide field of view +Sharp 2160p picture

Reasons to avoid

-Microphone quality is average

The Teza 4K Ultra HD webcam is one of the best webcams on the market for anyone looking for an affordable 2160p solution. In our testing, we’ve found that this unit offers a bright and sharp image for both streaming and video conferencing, with a wide field of view and decent white balance options. 

With an MSRP of $139.99 / £119.99, the Teza 4K Ultra HD webcam is aggressively priced for its feature set being substantially cheaper than many other 2160p webcams. The only real drawback for the Teza 4K Ultra HD webcam comes in the form of built-in microphones. While certainly respectable for being heard in a video chat, they are no replacement for a dedicated microphone or headset. 

We’ve been using the Trust Teza 4K Ultra HD webcam as part of our setup for many months now with great results across the board. The picture quality is perhaps best demonstrated when streaming or recording footage through dedicated software, such as OBS or PowerDirector, however, we’re always well lit and in focus when taking video conference calls, too. 

As far as streaming with the Teza 4K Ultra HD webcam goes, however, you can expect fantastic picture quality for your Twitch / YouTube streams. 

Best webcam 2022 – frequently asked questions


For more from Team Green specifically, we recommend checking out the best Razer streaming gear, and the best capture cards can help you your gaming streams look their best, too. 

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