Best Webcam 2024: Our top choices, rated and reviewed

While there is a separate ‘best budget’ option on this list for those who might be strapped for cash, the label of ‘best value webcam’ is bestowed to a device that offers tons of features at a price that manages to undercut a fair amount of the competition. With that in mind, the Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite fits the bill perfectly.

In the past, if you’ve wanted a PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) webcam then you will have had to part with a serious amount of money for the privilege. For instance, excellent Insta360 Link has an RRP of £318.99/$299.99, but the Tiny 2 Lite comes in at just £149/$179, making it far more affordable for most people.

Despite the lower price, the tracking hardly feels compromised as the webcam was able to follow our reviewer around the room without hassle, so you won’t have to worry about falling out of the frame during a Zoom call.

The only thing missing is that it can’t rotate at a 90-degree angle like the Insta360 Link can for the purpose of shooting vertical video, but unless you’re a specific type of content creator, it’s hardly a feature that you’ll find yourself clamouring for.

The detail is also quite impressive with a capture resolution of 4K, so you can zoom in without it hampering your footage. There’s also HDR available which makes skin tones look a lot more natural on-screen.

With a 1/2-inch sensor, the Tiny 2 Lite isn’t quite capable of delivering the same level of natural bokeh found on more pricey webcams, but as a concession there are plenty of filters that can be applied with Obsbot’s accompanying software.

While the Insta360 might offer better specs across the board, there’s no denying that for most people, the Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite just offers much better value for money, so if you want great tracking and high resolution for less, this is your best bet.

Reviewer: Luke Baker
Full Review: Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite Review

The Logitech StreamCam scored an almost faultless 4.5 stars from us. It offers a sleek and modern design, with our reviewer noting that the size and shape make it the centrepiece of your streaming setup. The StreamCam is predominantly made of plastic and carries a reassuring heft which reinforces the excellent build quality. We liked the inclusion of fabric around the lens as it added some more texture and personality to the otherwise plastic shell. 

We found mounting the StreamCam to be easy as it comes with a secure-clip-in system that gives you the chance to use it in portrait and landscape orientations. It also comes with the standard tripod thread at the bottom, giving it even more versatility. 

This webcam is capable of outputting video in Full HD (1080p) at 60fps. We felt that it provided an excellent amount of detail and smooth motion, making it a joy to use for streamers. The face-tracking and Auto Framing features were particularly coherent, making it very easy for us to stay in frame and in focus even while moving around. 

If you are interested in a high-end webcam, you might want to consider the Insta360 Link or HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam, both of which can capture content in 4K resolution. As you would expect, these 4K webcams are a lot more expensive than the StreamCam, so you’ll have to decide if a higher resolution is more of a priority than an affordable price tag. 

Overall, if you’re after smooth footage and a polished and mature design, the StreamCam ticks all these boxes. It may even be the best choice for streamers who are first starting out or those who are constantly engaged in work calls since it has support for all third-party video call services including Zoom and Microsoft Teams. 

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Logitech StreamCam review

Although it’s one of the most expensive 4K options we’ve tested, the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is a truly excellent streaming webcam that offers bang for your buck.

With a circular chassis that resembles a mirrorless camera lens, the Kiyo Pro Ultra boasts a striking design that looks and feels well-made. Having said that, this is a webcam designed primarily for desktop use and while it fits well with a proper monitor, we did struggle to attach it to laptops, especially the MacBook Pro.

It is also equipped with useful privacy features, such as a shutter and a rubber cover that fits over the front of the webcam for extra protection.

While the Kiyo Pro Ultra is a plug and play webcam, users are advised to install Razer’s Synapse 3 suite to get the most out of it. This software allows you to manually set the Kiyo Pro Ultra’s pan and tilt, zoom in, adjust the exposure and more. 

Your preferences can then be saved to a preset and then called up with a shortcut key via your keyboard. 

The Kiyo Pro Ultra’s picture quality at 4K/30fps was some of the best we’ve seen on any webcam as it offers bright, vivid images with heaps of detail. While low light performance is admirable and detailed, we did find there was a tendency for it to overcompensate its exposure.

With this in mind, if the lighting in your home isn’t great then we’d recommend opting for the Logitech MX Brio instead as this offers a much better low-light performance. 

Much like other webcams, while the Kiyo Pro Ultra’s microphone is clear enough for conference calls, anything else will require a separate device from our list of the best microphones.

Full review: Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey

Logitech is at the top of the mountain when it comes to home working peripherals and its range of webcams is a key part of that. It doesn’t just do high-end either, and we rate the Logitech Brio 100 as the best budget webcam you can buy.

Affordability really is what makes the Brio 100 such a great pick but, of course, that has to be backed up by quality to make it value for money. It comes with a 1080p resolution and up to 30fps. We found the visuals to be up to a good quality, especially for such a cheap option. It’s auto-light balancing feature also worked like a treat too. The Brio 100 comes with a built-in microphone, which was crisp and clear.

The frame of the webcam makes it easy to mount on a monitor, while the Logi Options+ software brings handy customisation options. And, for your peace of mind, there’s a privacy shutter attachment too.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Logitech Brio 100 review

What do you expect of a 4K streaming webcam? Well, the HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam does exactly what it says on the tin. Stunning video quality, that’s here. Crisp and clear microphones, absolutely present. These are the two key factors that make this high-quality webcam our favourite for streaming.

The 4K resolution is paired with 30fps capabilities and offers boosted colour through HDR (high-dynamic range). If you’re after a smoother frame rate then you can drop down to 1080p for 60fps too. The wide FOV and Auto Frame functions are ideal for setting up your frame perfectly, ideal for streamers who like to move around or want their whole set-up shown. Additional features like the HP Accessory Center offer a bunch of handy configuration options as well.

The compact webcam doesn’t look half bad either, with an understated modern design. It’ll sit neatly on top of your monitor and can be easily linked up using USB-C.

The biggest issue with this HP webcam is that it’s expensive. The Elgato Facecam MK.2 is a great alternative, with lower capture quality at 1080p/60fps, but with plenty of clever software that still makes it ideal for streamers.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam review

After a webcam that doesn’t cost the Earth and, perhaps most importantly, doesn’t add an unsightly chunk to the top of your monitor, the Logitech Brio 300 is the pick for you.

The stylish, cone-shaped design makes this a webcam that you won’t be embarrassed to have seen atop your display. At 53.1 x 45 x 65.6mm, the Brio 300 is positively dinky, meaning you could easily take it on the go if needed.

The results are strong too, with the Logitech Brio 300 offering up accurate colour across its 1080p resolution, and a smooth 30fps. There is a 70-degree field of view as well, providing great angles for video conferencing. It is, of course, not as good as a dedicated mic but the singular microphone onboard offers good clarity if you don’t fancy donning a headset or shelling out for a full microphone.

Along with looking stylish, the Brio 300 has the environment in mind, with each model being built with, at least, 48% post-consumer recycled plastic. The design also affords users an integrated privacy shutter for peace of mind.

Logitech’s handy Logi Tune software is included with the Brio 300. The software isn’t as complex as its more powerful options for creators or gamers but many will welcome the simplicity. A key feature it retains is Auto Light Enhancement, aiding the look of your camera feed by fixing overexposed images.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Logitech Brio 300 review

Some webcams shoot fantastic video in daylight, but struggle to produce decent results when faced with a dark, dingy room. It’s possible to buy a camera with an advanced enough sensor to tackle such conditions, but they’re usually very expensive. The Nacon Full HD Webcam has a clever solution, featuring a light-up ring to brighten up your face. 

The light ring can be controlled by a little pad on the webcam’s face, with three available modes with varying levels of brightness and temperature. It’s a versatile webcam in terms of design too, capable of being propped on top of a monitor, or even attached to a tripod. 

It shoots video in 1080p at 30fps, which isn’t particularly exciting, but we nevertheless found it to offer a solid amount of detail with reasonably natural colours. The Nacon struggles in low light though, making it really important to make use of the glow-up ring in such conditions. 

The Nacon Full HD Webcam is a pretty simple webcam truth be told, but with the glow-up ring, built-in microphone and reasonable capture quality, it’s still a worthy buy at its affordable price point.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Nacon Full HD Webcam Review

The Elgato Facecam MK.2 is a refreshingly easy to use webcam that is supported by the Elgato Camera Hub, a software that’s packed with extra tools and features. 

The software is easy to install and connects seamlessly to the Facecam MK.2 without a hitch. Camera Hub is then split into three tabs including Camera which boasts heaps of configuration options for the Facecam MK.2 such as face tracking, zoom, pan and settings to adjust the camera’s exposure too. 

Next there’s the Effects tab which is home to AI powered features and effects, including Nvidia’s AR Eye Contact function. While this requires an extra download of a separate Nvidia SDK, it essentially uses AI to ensure you maintain eye contact with the webcam. In doing so, it removes the reflection in your eyes for, what we call, an “intriguing experience” but is a useful tool nonetheless. 

Effects also allows you to mirror or flip the webcam’s orientation, enable a simple background blur and overall adjust how you appear on screen.  

Finally the Camera Hub hosts the Prompter tab which works alongside Elgato’s Teleprompter accessory (sold separately) for easy reading while recording. 

Software aside, the Facecam MK.2 offers a smooth and reasonably detailed picture. Opting for 1080p/60fps, in well-lit environments we found the camera balanced light well however we did find that its low light performance isn’t great. 

In fact we found the Facecam MK.2’s output in darker conditions can appear quite noisy compared to the similarly priced Logitech StreamCam. 

Mounting the Facecam MK.2 is simple too, whether you opt for it on top of your monitor or you utilise the screw-in metal base which reveals a tripod thread. Just note that this webcam isn’t fitted with a microphone, so be sure to visit our best microphones list to find the perfect companion. 

Full review: Elgato Facecam MK.2

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey