Looking for the perfect webcam for working from home? Look no further than this list of our 8 favorite webcams for remote work in 2022.
Webcams are an essential piece to any good home office setup. Although most laptops have built-in cameras, a desktop webcam is an affordable way to enhance your appearance on video calls and level up professionalism. Your video quality will be clear, and you can pick the perfect placement to get all the right angles. This guide will take you through why you need a webcam, what webcam features to look for, and our 8 favorite webcams for your remote work setup.
Why You Need a Webcam for Remote Work
First and foremost, a webcam makes you look professional in virtual meetings. A good webcam in 2021 is like wearing a well-fitting suit or dress to work in the 2000’s. Whether we’d like to admit it or not, presentation and appearance will always be important in a workplace setting – in the office, or over zoom. A good webcam will provide crystal clear video quality so that your coworkers can see that big smile we all know you’ve got.
In a survey by Owl Labs, 92% of respondents expect to work from home at least 1 day a week. 80% of respondents expect to work remotely 3+ days a week. If a majority of your career will be spent in your home office, you’ll need to have the proper equipment. It was also found that workers have been meeting 50% more through video calls than in 2020. If you work from home, 100% of your face to face time with coworkers, managers and executives will be over video. If you would have wanted to look presentable in person, you’ll want to look presentable virtually too.
Stop using that low-quality built in webcam on your laptop. It’s time to upgrade to a high definition webcam that you can anchor anywhere in your office. There are so many features about a webcam that make it a cheap, but necessary improvement.
Top Features To Care About When Buying a Webcam
If you do a quick google search, you’ll be overwhelmed with features on features. We’ve saved you the research and narrowed down the most important webcam features for remote workers and their home office setup.
720p vs. 1080p vs. 4K (Resolution)
720p, 1080p and 4K are your three most common choices for webcam resolution. Web cam resolution is the total amount of pixels captured. 4K resolution is higher than 1080p resolution, which is higher than 720p. The higher the resolution, the finer the image/video details captured. Does that make 4K the right choice for your zoom meetings?
In reality, both 1080p and 4K are plenty enough resolution for your video calls and conferences. For some, 4K resolution may be too clear and might make you look like you’re vlogging. If you want the 4K video quality of a hollywood flick, it will also cost you more compared to a 1080p or 720p webcam. Another downside is that 4K videos require more data to be streamed, and will likely get compressed anyways. For remote work, 1080p is really the goldilocks resolution for your video calls and home office. It is still a major upgrade in comparison to your built-in laptop camera.
30 fps vs. 60fps (Frame Rate)
FPS stands for “frames per second”. 30 fps and 60 fps are the most common you’ll find in webcams today. You probably won’t be moving too much in your video calls with coworkers or clients. Unless your job requires you to be frequently moving during your meetings, you can save your money and go with the lower frame rate: 30 fps.
You can check out this youtube video to see the difference for your self. Spoiler alert, it’s really hard to tell the difference.
Nice-to-Have Webcam Features for Remote Workers
Aside from the 2 most common webcam feature you’ll need to decide on, here is a list of other nice-to-have features you should consider when buying a webcam.
Built in Microphone – crisp audio is important in the workplace. A good built-in microphone reduces ambient noise and enhances sounds quaily.If you take calls without headphones, make sure your webcam has a built in mic.
Auto Focus – a blurry screen can be distracting for you coworkers and clients and many webcams have auto focus now. It will adjust to whatever distance you are from the camera.
Light – adjustable lighting is another great feature to have to toggle during different times of the day. If your room is dark or you work late at night, a light on your webcam can really make a difference. Webcam lights aren’t very powerful or common, so we’d also recommend buying a lighting kit.
The Best 8 Webcams for Remote Work
1. Razer Kiyo X Full HD Streaming Webcam
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What we like: 1080p (30fps), Auto-focus, Customizable focus and settings, Slick Modern Design
2. Nexigo N960E 1080P Webcam
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What we like: FHD 1080p (60fps), Adjustable ring light, built-in microphone, auto-focus
3. Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam
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What we like: 1080p (60fps), autofocus, 2 built-in mics, automatic light correction
4. BAVEEL 2K QHD Webcam
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What we like: QHD 2K (30fps), Built In Noise Reduction Mic, 3 adjustable light settings, 110 Degree Wide Angle Lens
5. Logitech Brio 4K Webcam
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What we like: Ultra 4K HD (90fps), Noise Canceling Mic, Auto Light Correction, Customizable field of view
6. OBSBOT Tiny PTZ Webcam
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What we like: FHD 1080p (30fps), AI tracking & auto framing, gesture control
7. Anker PowerConf C300 Smart Full HD Webcam
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What we like: HD 1080p (60fps), Clear Voice Pickup, Auto Light Correction, Auto-Focus AI
8. Elgato Facecam Full HD Webcam
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What we like: FHD 1080p (60fps), Advanced Image Processing, App to set brightness and exposure
Look Professional for Your Next Virtual Meeting
You can’t go wrong with any of the options above. Although they may have different features, one thing is for sure. They will all make you look presentable and professional in your next virtual meeting. Webcams are an affordable way to level up your presence in a remote work setting. Webcams are also eligible to be expensed by your remote work or home office stipend – make sure to check with your employer to see if you’re eligible. Looking for more items to deck out your home office? Check out our ultimate guide with 41 things to buy for remote work.