Some standalone webcam models let you manually adjust focus, too, if you have specific needs. You should be able to move around, step back and forth, and remain in focus the whole time. Webcams with autofocus will keep the image quality sharp without much work on your part. Valentina Palladino / Engadget Autofocus and other “auto” features On the flip side, more expensive webcams may let you adjust the field of view to be even wider than average. They won’t show as much of your background, but that also means you won’t be able to squeeze as many friends or family members into frame when you’re having Zoom birthday parties. On cheaper webcams you’ll usually see narrower fields of view (around 60 degrees), and those aren’t necessarily bad.

Most webcams I tested had a default field of view of around 78 degrees, which was enough to capture me and enough of my background to show that I really need to organize my home office. Ultimately, with 4K webcam shots having such limited use, most people can get by with a solid 1080p camera.įield of view (FOV) controls how much can fit in the frame when you’re recording. When it comes to streaming, Twitch maxes out at 1080p video, but YouTube added 4K live streaming back in 2016. Not to mention most video conferencing services like Zoom, Google Meet and Skype don’t even support 4K video. Some webcams can shoot in 4K, but that’s overkill for most people. However, if your primary concern is better picture quality during video calls, 1080p is the way to go. If you’re considering a cheap 720p webcam, make sure to get one that supports at least 30fps (most will) or, even better, 60fps.

FHD webcams will give you a noticeable bump in video quality ideally, you’re looking for something that can handle 1080p at 60fps or 30fps. While some newer machines have 1080p webcams, most built-in cameras have a resolution of 720p, so you’ll want to look for an external webcam that’s better than that. What to look for in a webcam Resolution and field of view We tested out a bunch of the latest webcams to see which are worth your money and which you can safely skip. But as with most PC accessories, it can be tough to sort through the sea of options out there and find the best webcams for your needs. They can do wonders for those with lackluster built-in webcams, people who spend most of their working hours on video conferencing, and those who picked up a new hobby of streaming on Twitch or YouTube over the past couple of years.

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