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3 Best HD Webcams for Desktop (Buying Guide)

Budget Choice
Logitech C920 Hd Pro Webcam (Black)...
Logitech for Creators StreamCam Premium...
Editor Choice
Logitech Brio 4K Webcam, Ultra 4K HD...
Logitech C920 Hd Pro Webcam (Black)...
Logitech for Creators StreamCam Premium...
Logitech Brio 4K Webcam, Ultra 4K HD...
Budget Choice
Logitech C920 Hd Pro Webcam (Black)...
Logitech C920 Hd Pro Webcam (Black)...
Logitech for Creators StreamCam Premium...
Logitech for Creators StreamCam Premium...
Editor Choice
Logitech Brio 4K Webcam, Ultra 4K HD...
Logitech Brio 4K Webcam, Ultra 4K HD...

Last update on 2024-03-19 / As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more about us.

Desktops are amazing. You can build your own however you want and tweak it over the years to support new games or to keep up with new software updates.

However, if you use your computer to work, teach, stream, make videos for YouTube, you might need to find one more part for it: a good webcam. If you don’t know yet what to look for, this article is here to help.

What Is HD Webcam?

HD Webcams have some features that regular webcams don’t. For starters, the resolution of an HD webcam is always 720 pixels or 1080 pixels. These are high-definition resolutions, thus the “HD”.

Many laptops nowadays already come with an HD webcam built-in. But don’t get a laptop immediately just because you want an HD webcam.

The “p” in 720p or 1080p means “progressive scanning”. If you pick an HD webcam that has a 1280×720 resolution, that means 1280 pixels horizontally and 720 pixels vertically.

A 720p device will progressively scan 921,600 pixels (1280×720) on the screen every 1/60 of a second. A 1080p will scan even more, as you can already guess.

Another factor to pay attention to regarding HD webcams is the aspect ratio. HD webcams described as 720p or 1080p present 16:9 aspect ratio. That is a widescreen view.

What to look for when buying HD webcam?

If you are a complete novice when it comes to webcams, the first things you should pay attention to are resolution and frame rate.

We already talked about resolution when defining what an HD webcam is. The most common resolutions are:

  • Standard high definition (called HD Ready or 720p), 1280×720 pixels
  • Full high definition (FHD, 1080p), 1920×1080 pixels
  • Ultra-high-definition (UHD, 4K), 3840×2160 pixels

Now you might be thinking that UHD 4K webcams are very superior. And they are. But if your budget is tight and you aren’t a professional streamer or YouTuber already, you can save your money to invest in more immediate things.

An FHD webcam should already meet most people’s demands regarding resolution.

However, all resolution in the world means nothing if your webcam doesn’t have a good frame rate. If you ever played a game with low FPS (say League of Legends with less than 30FPS) you know how hard it is to keep up with what’s going on, plus the image is all messy.

If you are to make videos or stream showing your face with the best clarity as possible is a big deal, then you need to pick a webcam with a good frame rate.

Players that stream on Twitch love cameras that capture the image in 60FPS. Now, if you want to talk with your YouTube subscribers without much action going on, a 30FPS camera will do the job (but 60FPS webcams can make everything better).

Do you need a 1080p webcam? 

This is up to what you’re going to use your webcam for. If your face showing up with great quality is important, then the minimum you should get is a 1080p webcam.

For example, if you plan to stream on Twitch with a decorated environment, wearing gorgeous make-up, special costumes, etc. With a 1080p webcam, it is easier for your audience to take notice of all these details.

Now, if you will use a camera only for the sake of your audience knowing that there’s someone on the other side and you don’t care much about showing off your looks, then a 720p webcam might do the job just fine.

The same might apply if you are a teacher giving lessons through Google Meet, Zoom, or any other resource.

The most important thing is not that your students see you with high quality, but only that they know you are not a ghost.

Is a 4K Webcam worth it?

It depends on what you are going to use it for. Just so you know, most people who stream online use 1080p webcams with decent frame rates, and they do just fine with those.

The answer is more complex, of course. For a 4K webcam to make any difference, you need to be able to make all your videos or streaming content in 4K.

If your internet connection doesn’t support 4K streaming, then a 4K webcam will amount to anything, as you will need to set your Streamlabs or OBS to 1080p or even lower.

Now, let’s say you have all the hardware and/or internet bandwidth to support 4K streaming or video making (for example, gameplays that you don’t stream, but record to post on YouTube).

More than that, you want your videos/streaming to look as beautiful as possible. Then yes, a 4K webcam will be worth its price.

3 Best HD Webcam For Desktop

Now that you already know a bit about how to choose the best webcam for you, let’s make everything a bit simpler and show you three top-notch webcams that could satisfy your needs.

If any of the shown below doesn’t fit your preferences, still you have some references.

Logitech C920

Last update on 2024-03-19 / As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more about us.

All you want is a simple webcam that lets you stream with no worries and also fits your budget? Then Logitech C920 will do the trick. You can find it for a low price.

Logitech C920 lets you stream or record on 1080p/30FPS or 720p/60FPS. As already mentioned, you don’t always need 60FPS, so this webcam should be fine for most people.

Other features include background removal, low-light correction, stereo audio, autofocus, auto light correction.

Pros

  • Budget option for new streamers
  • Amazing low-light capabilities
  • Full 1080p HD at 30fps

Cons

  • Again, it doesn’t support 1080p at 60fps
  • The camera is fixed, there is no swivel

Logitech StreamCam

Last update on 2024-03-19 / As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more about us.

Another one from Logitech, this one already gives itself by the name. If you are a content creator just starting and have a bit more money to invest in a good webcam, Logitech StreamCam will seal the deal.

This model is perfect for content creators due to its features: smart auto-focus and exposure, AI-enabled facial tracking, 9:16 format, built-in electronic image stabilization.

All of those help you get started without scratching your head too much.

Pros

  • 1080p
  • Helps content creators get started easily

Cons

  • Too expensive if content creation isn’t your focus
  • USB-C connection will bother you if your computer isn’t already prepared for it

Logitech Brio

Last update on 2024-03-18 / As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more about us.

Another one from Logitech, Brio steps up the game by allowing you to record in 4K at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps.

Of course, this will be a bit more expensive, so it is a webcam for content creators already very dedicated to their creating jobs.

Other features of Logitech Brio include support to up to 5x HD zoom, RightLight 3, and HDR support.

It is also suitable for video conferencing.

Pros:

Cons:

  • Expensive if you are not planning to make lots of content

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to spend more than you can afford on a webcam. When you evaluate your needs, you can find webcams that fit your pocket for under $100.

The Logitech C920 is one of the best picks if you are just starting and need a basic webcam.