Best webcam 2024: the top webcams for streaming, calling and working from home

Zoom calls lacking clarity? Don’t let your laptop’s blurry eye ruin your rep: whether you’re dialling in for a debrief or performing for your online fans, the best webcam can redeem any stream.

From cameras that record in crisp 4K to AI-powered eyes that track your mug as it moves, the top webcams in 2023 give your video game an instant upgrade. Some favour frame rates over outright resolution, while others go all-in on automated smarts.

Whatever kind of cam you’re looking for, this round-up features winning webcams for home workers, Twitch streamers and content creators alike. You’ll also find a few handy tips to help you pick the best desktop peeper for your budget and brief. Because lens envy doesn’t look good on anyone.

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How to buy the best webcam

Eyes & ears

Unless you’re streaming a mime routine, you’ll need a microphone to be heard. Many models feature two for speech in stereo, but some pro cams ditch the pickup, leaving audio to a dedicated desktop mic.

Wide eyes

Some cams stick with a fixed field of view, but most let you adjust the angle to suit the scene. A wide FOV is great for groups, while tight cropping puts attention on the talker.

AI to eye

Autofocus will keep your features sharp, while auto-framing ensures your face stays centre stage. The cleverest webcams deploy AI subject detection to clock your kisser, digitally panning and zooming to keep all eyes on you.

Private eye

Worried about your webcam seeing something it shouldn’t? Pick a model with a physical privacy shutter, which slides over the lens to prevent covert recording. The most secure cams also mute their mics when covered.

The best webcam options for streaming

The low-light looker: Razer Kiyo Pro

Mood lighting might add ambience to your streaming room, but go too low and no-one will see you through the gloom. Want a webcam that can bring you out of the shadows? Favouring bigger pixels over outright resolution, this 1080p watcher features an adaptive light sensor which adjusts settings to suit your surroundings. Perfect for noise-free footage of you playing Fortnite in a neon cupboard.

The pro portrayer: Elgato Facecam

Streaming stardom starts with quality content. Pared back to the important bits, this pro creator ditches a mic in favour of a Sony CMOS sensor inside. Focus is fixed for optimum clarity, leaving you free to focus on virality, while a tripod mount offers framing flexibility. And because settings are saved to the cam, you can broadcast from a pal’s PC without switching the picture.

The budget barrel: Streamplify Cam

You won’t win many Twitch fans if your portrait is a laggy mess. But unlike a gaming rig, you don’t need high-end hardware for faster frame rates: this affordable cam films your Full HD game face at 60fps. Dual mics mean cleaner audio, while a 90° field of view covers more of your desktop setup. Overlocking off? A sliding cover guarantees respite from your audience.

The best webcam choices for your home office

The office optic: Microsoft Modern Webcam

Teams calls are tedious enough without worrying whether your webcam makes your mug look fuzzy. Certified for HD comms, this official Microsoft mountable is a simple solution for sharper streams. Auto light adjustment works with HDR to handle glare, while True Look retouching promises to put your best face forward. Or slide the privacy shutter across and no colleagues will catch you lurking from home.

The conference companion: Trust Teza

Working from home offers a prime opportunity to attend video briefings without wearing trousers. Trouble is, one wrong angle is all it takes to reveal your legless state. Luckily, his career-friendly 4K caller uses a 74° FOV to neatly frame your upper half. No space atop your screen? Use the bundled tripod to get a complimentary perspective from your desk. Just remember to remain seated.

The boardroom boss: Logitech Brio

Running for promotion? Your face won’t fit if it’s blurry beyond recognition. Stream like a CEO with this business cam. Its 4K resolution is sharper than a freshly pressed suit, while HDR helps you present like a pro in any shooting scenario. Adjust the field of view to incorporate your executive expressions, as dual noise-cancelling mics capture your best corporate buzzwords without any background chatter.

The best face-tracking webcams

The guidable gimbal: Insta360 Link

Want to deliver keynotes like you’re a Silicon Valley visionary? You could hire a camera crew to follow while you walk and talk. Or you could attach this rotating tool to the top of your monitor. Set up like a drone’s nose cam, the gimbal-equipped Link automatically swivels to track your turtleneck. Its 1/2in sensor records in crisp 4K, while gesture controls let you direct the show with a wave. Desk and whiteboard modes are optimised to focus on your workspace, in case investors request that you run the numbers.

The sharp shooter: Dell Ultrasharp

Until we hold holographic forums like the Jedi Council, this aluminium cylinder offers a lifelike way to virtually liaise. Equipped with a 4K CMOS sensor, it uses Digital Overlap HDR to replicate colours naturally in tricky lighting. Temporal and spatial noise reduction keep grain at bay, while AI framing follows your face. Windows Hello support also lets you look to unlock, no Mind Tricks necessary.

The team tracker: Okiolabs A10

Nattering with your nan online? This intelligent webcam is all the better to see you with. 4K footage should limit ancestral squinting, while noise-reducing mics help aged ears to hear you clearly. And if gran asks to see the whole fam, the A10 can handle it: enable tracking at 1080p and the AI will zoom out wide to 125° when your familiars enter the frame.

The brilliant bar: AnkerWork B600

Keen for a clutter-free conference suite? This meeting multi-tasker is fit for Marie Kondo. Besides training attention on your face, the built-in brain focuses and fine-tunes the 2K camera. AI also enhances vocals from the four-mic array, while 2W speakers project your co-workers’ words. Desk lamp not bringing you joy? A light bar above the lens adjusts brightness and colour temps to suit the room.

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Chris Rowlands Freelance contributor

About

Formerly News Editor at this fine institution, Chris now writes about tech from his tropical office. Sidetracked by sustainable stuff, he’s also keen on coffee kit, classic cars and any gear that gets better with age.

Areas of expertise

Cameras, gear and travel tech