One glaring constant in the world of laptops is that the webcam is usually bad or suboptimal. Such a case warrants webcam replacements for your laptop; that small screen can only fit so much tech before compromises must be made. It just so happens that webcams are typically the first to be sacrificed to the gods of mobility and compactness.
Not to worry, this has been such a common occurrence for laptops (and even Macbooks) that it’s not uncommon to look for webcam replacements. Thankfully, you have plenty of options. Some of them are cheap and off-brand; others ride on the reputation of their brand names.
If you’re on the fence about which to buy, then hopefully, this compilation of the best webcam replacements for your laptop will help. Whether it’s for meetings, classes, or even streaming, these webcams ought to get the job done.
1. NexiGo N60 1080P Web Camera
PROS
- Glass lens
- Wide field of view
- Lens cover can block off dirt and comes in handy
- Low light correction
- Affordable
CONS
- Lacks advanced and complete features
- Resolution: 1080p
- Framerate: 30fps
- Price: 39.99 USD (on sale at the time of writing)
- FOV: 110 degrees
If you want something that merely replaces the meek and measly webcam in your laptop or Macbook, then the NexiGo N60 will get the job done. It has the usual specs for a budget webcam and comes with noise-canceling microphones so you don’t need to bring your headphones or mic.
It also comes with a glass lens and a nice and wide field of view so you don’t look weird in your Google Meet sessions or classes. It’s not the best, of course; streamers might want to look elsewhere, but for those with simple needs, then this webcam will more than suffice.
1. NexiGo N60 1080P Web Camera
2. Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam
PROS
- Glass lens
- HD autofocus
- Comes with a provacy shutter/lens cover
- Low light correction
CONS
- Lacks advanced features
- Pricey for its offerings
- Resolution: 1080p
- Framerate: 30fps
- Price: 69 USD
- FOV: NA
The Logitech C920s has the same specs as the NexiGo N60 but comes with a more premium price tag due to its brand. However, Logitech has a good reputation in the electronics community and produces some of the best and toughest peripherals on the market. So while there are webcams with better features at the same price, you still can’t go wrong with Logitech.
Granted, this is one of the budget options for the brand. There’s a cheaper offering, but it only goes up to 720p, which is severely outdated for 2022 (and is what laptops usually use). In any case, it might be a better deal for those with brand anxiety, as Logitech tends to be the more familiar option here.
2. Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam
3. Razer Kiyo Pro Streaming Webcam
PROS
- 60 fps
- Great low light correction
- HDR for more vibrant colors
- Adjustable FOV and wide-angle lens
- Good compatibility with the most common streaming software
- Uncompressed Full HD
- Comes with accessories like ring light and stand (at an added cost)
- Large lens
CONS
- Excessive or even dysfunctional for simple Zoom or Google meetings
- Pricey
- Needs Razer software to make the most out of its features
- Resolution: 1080p
- Framerate: 60fps
- Price: 119.86USD (on sale at the time of writing)
- FOV: Adjustable
Moving on to the big leagues, the Razer Kiyo Pro is quite a popular name and option for one of the most popular jobs for younger generations, streaming. Unlike other 1080p webcams, the Razer Kiyo can record and output you at 60fps (frames per second). This leads to a smoother representation of yourself and your actions to your viewers.
For streaming, this is quite a godsend as it tends to reduce blurriness when there’s movement during recording. It’s a tad expensive for something like classes or just meetings, so you might want to evaluate your priorities when considering this webcam.
3. Razer Kiyo Pro Streaming Webcam
4. Angetube Streaming Webcam
PROS
- 60fps
- Adjustable ring light
- Autofocus
- 5x digital zoom
- Good compatibility with streaming software and consoles
- Comes with a remote control
- Built-in privacy cover
- Noise-canceling mic
- Affordable
- Offers more features than its more expensive competitors
CONS
- Resolution: 1080P
- Framerate: 60fps
- Price: 79.85 USD
- FOV: N/A
Want something even better than the Razer Kiyo Pro? Then the Angetube Streaming Webcam should more than impress with its multitude of features. It has an adjustable ring light, a built-in mic, a 60fps framerate, a 360-degree swivel, a digital zoom, and even a remote control for quick adjustments.
The list of features never ends, though the only thing questionable is the brand’s reputation and longevity. But for its price, it easily beats even the more established names in the webcam market. It might just be worth taking the risk just for the number of privileges this webcam offers regardless of the user.
4. Angetube Streaming Webcam
5. NBPOWER Streaming Webcam
PROS
- Affordable
- Comes with privacy cover
- 60fps
- Noise-canceling mic
- Good compatibility with streaming software
- Autofocus
- Gamer RGB
CONS
- Gamer RGB
- Resolution: 1080p
- Framerate: 60fps
- Price: 45.99 USD
- FOV: N/A
Then again, some of you might find the Angetube a little too heavy on features that aren’t really that needed. If so, then NBPOWER Streaming Webcam offers something more simple without much of a compromise. It’s also incredibly affordable for what it offers and can even be a good alternative to the cheapest NexiGo 1080p webcam.
In fact, some of you might even want to skip that one and head straight for this one since it sports a 60fps framerate which is both useful in presentations and streaming alike. It also comes with an adjustable light, 360-degree swivel, and a nice gamer-themed LED lighting on the edges.
5. NBPOWER Streaming Webcam
6. NexiGo N940P 2K Zoomable Webcam
PROS
- 1440p, QHD resolution
- 60fps at 1080p
- Has a remote control
- Autofocus
- Low light correction
- Noise reduction mic
- Affordable
- Digital zoom
CONS
- No ring light or lighting of any kind
- Digital zoom is limited
- Resolution: 1440p
- Framerate: 30fps (60fps @1080p)
- Price: 69.99 USD (with deal)
- FOV: N/A
For those looking to step up the pixel count, then NexiGo’s N940P is a good offering for a low price. It’s even less expensive compared to some of the higher-end 1080p webcams on the market. It can also function well as a 1080p webcam as it can function at 60fps if you lower the resolution.
This webcam also comes with a remote control since it has a 3x digital zoom though this will only work at 1080p under the 30fps configuration. Still, there are other functions for the remote, such as image flipping, display shutdown, and volume adjustment.
6. NexiGo N940P 2K Zoomable Webcam
7. Logitech Brio 4K Webcam
PROS
- 4K resolution
- 90fps video capture is impressive
- HD zoom
- App sync and compatibility
- Adjustable FOV
- Low light correction via HDR
- Noise-canceling mic
CONS
- Likely requires decent hardware to maximize all those features
- No ring light or conventional lighting
- Resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160)
- Framerate: up to 90fps
- Price: 133.80 USD (on sale at the time of writing)
- FOV: Adjustable
If you must have one of the best that Logitech has to offer for webcams, then look no further than the tried-and-tested Logitech Brio 4K. 4K means it can display four times as many pixels as the typical 1080p webcam, meaning the image clarity and fidelity is astounding here.
What’s even better is that Logitech boasts up to a 90fps framerate video capture. Other features include a sync with a phone app and Windows Hello integration along with a 5x HD zoom coupled with HDR. Do be more responsible with your appearance when using this webcamer, though; whoever’s on the other side will certainly see all your facial blemishes and acne scars given the crisp and clear image output under 4K.
