What’s The Best Affordable Webcam For Zoom?

Looking your best is top priority whether you’re on a discovery call or a high-stakes sales call. I should know—I’m a fully remote professional (and have been for nearly a decade!) who is on camera frequently, and I’ve conducted every possible type of meeting via Zoom. By this point, I’ve upgraded my webcam more than once in an effort to achieve what I consider to be a professional, polished video image. So if you’re considering doing the same, you’re in the right place. Through trial and error, I’ve narrowed down the features you really need; I’ve also tested out several of the very best webcams myself. My pick for the best webcam for Zoom is the Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam. I also recommend the Logitech Brio 4K Webcam if you want to take your conferencing to the next level. Below I’ll talk a bit about the two cameras on my shortlist, and explain the criteria I used to evaluate them.

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The Criteria

While some experts review webcams based on resolution and detailed audio specifications, I focused on my top desired features—field of view and brand reputation—both of which are very practical considerations for those who work at home.

Field Of View (FOV)

Field of view measures the angle of a webcam’s camera and thus the amount of background it can “see.” Previously—especially before the COVID-19 pandemic—most corporate webcam users wanted a much wider FOV, like 90° or 110°. This angle shows a large area of the room the webcam is pointed at, allowing whole conference rooms filled with people to video chat with others. Why does it matter? For the WFH professional, a wide angle actually isn’t preferred. In fact, it can be downright invasive. Your colleagues and clients don’t want to see your bedroom, and you probably don’t want them to (a pain point that we’re proud to have solved here at Anyvoo). WFH setups look much more professional with a tight, focused crop around the face and torso: a look that’s much more easily created with 65° and even 78° FOVs. In my view, the best webcams for video conferencing in a home environment should have an FOV no higher than 90°. Pictures with too wide of an angle start suffering from distortion at the edges, similar to the effect of a fisheye lens. An additional note: This all-important feature is one reason to favor the Logitech Brio. After installing free Logitech configuration apps like Capture, Logi Tune, or G HUB, you can make the Brio switch quickly between 65°, 78°, or even 90° FOVs. That makes it an all-around winner for the remote professional who wants to look good and leave options open to show a larger space. All the same, the Logitech C920S sits at a preset 78°, which is comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

Brand Reputation

While FOV was a significant consideration, I also took the manufacturer into consideration. I tested several Logitech models; the C920S and Brio stood out. Surprisingly, other Logitech models didn’t offer quite enough video quality, sound quality, or convenience factors for their price range. Why does it matter? Logitech is well-known in the consumer tech industry, and they’ve built a solid reputation for webcams that last. That, combined with the fact that I couldn’t find any well-reviewed knockoff brands that seemed to offer favorable FOVs or the ability to switch between camera angles, made me reconsider doing lengthy tests on brands other than Logitech. No other manufacturer seemed to be competing seriously for remote professionals who spend a significant amount of time video conferencing.

My Pick For The Best Webcam For Zoom: Logitech C920S

Logitech’s C920 is a giant among webcams. A recent iteration, the C920S, offers full high-definition (HD) 1080P video quality, true stereo-quality audio, white balance adjustment, and a 78° FOV. It also includes a privacy shutter. It’s the perfect blend of great specs, tailored features, and affordability, making it my top choice for remote professionals. The C920S also includes some other perks that make it a solid choice for the price. (It’s not just about specs, after all.) You may also be considering build quality, operating system compatibility, and warranty protection. In these areas and more, the C920S delivers:

• Five-element HD glass lens with 30 fps
• Compatibility with Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.10 or later, Chrome OS, and USB – A ports
• Dual mics, one on each side of the camera
• Compatibility with the Logitech Capture app, Logi Tune, and G HUB
• Sensitive low light detection for a bright picture in most conditions
• 2-year limited hardware warranty

If you can afford to level up your game, try the Logitech Brio 4K Webcam.

For professionals looking at even more ways to boost their video quality, the Logitech Brio is hard to beat. It represents a significant bump in price and a comparable bump in quality, so this is a good option if your budget has room for the crème of the crop. The Brio offers a crisp 4K Ultra HD lens; auto light correction; three different FOV presets of 65°, 78°, and 90°; and even compatibility with Windows Hello facial recognition for users who’ve invested in extra security. The increase in price—a bit more than double the C920S’s $70 price tag—is the only reason I couldn’t rank the Brio at the top of my affordable webcams list. In every way, the Brio is a pinnacle for personal and business webcams, made by a legacy brand and featured as their most advanced webcam for work. The Brio offers all the perks of other Logitech webcams with some significant upgrades:

• Up to 90 fps with the 4K resolution lens
• Compatibility with Windows 7 or later (Windows 8.1 or higher for resolutions above 1080p), macOS 10.10 or later, Chrome OS, and USB 2 or 3 ports
• Dual omnidirectional mics with noise canceling
• Detachable physical privacy shade
• Compatibility with the Logitech Capture app, Logi Tune, and G HUB
• RightLight 3 and HDR light correction for correct lighting in any setting
• 3-year limited hardware warranty

The Other Contenders While I believe the Logitech webcams above represent the best webcams for Zoom meetings and other remote work, reviews online suggest they have some competition. There are definitely other webcams that come highly reviewed (but that I haven’t tried). One popular option is the eMeet C960 Web Camera, offering 1080P, dual mics, and a preset 90° FOV. In the same price range is the NexiGo N660 USB FHD Web Computer Camera, again offering up to 1080P video, but with a single microphone and a fixed ultra-wide 110° FOV. NexiGo upgraded a few specs with their more direct challenge to the Logitech C920S, the N660P 1080P 60FPS Webcam with Software Control, but despite the 1080P resolution and privacy cover, this webcam still only advertises a 90° FOV. Other webcam categories include those with built-in ring lights, like options from Razer and Angetube, and full DSLR camera setups with tripods and additional lighting. Both these options are more appropriate for streamers and vloggers—the former because of the processed lighting it creates and the latter because of its much higher cost and complexity.

Look Good And Work Better

When you look good on camera, you feel confident and perform your best. With that in mind, upgrading your webcam from a built-in lens or a low-resolution model could be a very important investment for you as a WFH professional. Whether you’re looking for impeccable midrange value or a stunning 4K picture, the Logitech C920S and Brio have what you need for remote work that looks good from every angle.