Oddly enough, though, the microphone on the webcam is turned off by default, and you’d need to enable it in the Microsoft Accessory Center app, which warns you that turning on the webcam impacts its “Certified for Teams” functions. I didn’t see this hurt anything in Teams despite the message. The resolution of the webcam matters. Most laptops still ship with 720p webcams, and a higher-resolution webcam will make you look better than your colleagues. Fixed-focus versus autofocus Most webcams will adjust their exposure for the available lighting, but superior webcams will do so in a way that makes you look well-lit and not a webcam zombie. Noise cancellation Some of the color temperature settings are a little strong too, and the same effect can randomly differ without anything changing in your frame. Sometimes this makes it seem like the filters you're applying aren't taking effect, because the differences between some of the effects are sometimes incredibly minor or non-existent.

It's impossible to recommend a universally perfect webcam, because there are so many different ways to use webcams these days. It's not as easy as going for ultra high-res 4K and calling it a day — most of the common video conferencing platforms (e.g. Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams) don't support higher than 720p or 1080p resolution, anyway. (Plus, if you've never looked at a close-up of your skin in ultra-high-def 4K, trust me — it's unnecessary.)

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We also have a Logitech C910 which is the predecessor to the C920. One of the main differences between the two is that the C920 has a different compression algorithm which makes it better suited for 1080p video chat. A good feature they both share is auto-focus. You can hold an item as close as 4 inches away from the C910 or C920 and within a couple of seconds the item will come sharply into focus (assuming you hold the object still, of course). Link to show auto-focus in action: Logitech C910 Auto-focus up close.

Alternatively, we have the Logitech C920, arguably the king of 1080p webcams. It has a wide 78-degree field of view, dual microphones, and a glass lens for extra clarify. Microsoft's Modern Webcam competes very well with this device, but I think the Logitech beats it by a small margin thanks to its slightly better image quality. Autofocus, auto white balance, and low-light correction: Most webcams look pretty good with a professional lighting setup, a thoughtfully-framed and curated set, and some manual software fine-tuning. But if you don't have the space, equipment, time, or patience to perfect your picture, look for a webcam that works well out of the box. We test webcams using both default and manually-configured settings, in a number of ideal and less-than-ideal lighting scenarios. The Link is a very impressive webcam — maybe a little too impressive. Realistically, the Link is probably overkill for all but a very small user demographic. 4K resolution isn’t even possible in most web conferencing apps, and capture modes such as “portrait mode,”“top-down mode,” and “desktop mode” are fun to play with but aren’t terribly beneficial unless you already know how you’re going to use them. But there is one note. As I’ll explain later, in some cases, when used in combination, these features can be a little intense. For most people, though, the features will help improve your webcam feed in poor lighting conditions. You have full control over all these webcam features in the Microsoft Accessory Center app if you’re unhappy with how your webcam feed is coming out. This is what this Microsoft webcam does best, but more on that later. Honestly, many of you will probably buy this Windows Hello webcam and simply not miss the more expensive alternatives. About the only feature you may miss in this 1080p, 30fps webcam is autofocus capability, and most fixed-focus webcams are tuned for the average distance (in the HelloCam’s case, between 12.4 and 47.2 inches) that someone sits from their laptop or display. The field of view is a relatively narrow 90 degrees.Typically, Windows Hello is associated with depth-camera technology, which recognizes the various contours of your face, identifying you and only you. (A normal webcam doesn’t understand that it’s looking at a 3D image.) The image is then compared with a reference image which is stored during setup. The process itself is fast: It takes just a second or two for a Windows Hello webcam to recognize you, verify your identity to the PC it’s connected to via a USB cable, and log you in. Windows Hello can also read your fingerprint with a separate Windows Hello fingerprint reader, but these webcams are all you need. 1080p Yes it's good that there is some serious competition in this market, since Logitech is not challenged to improve anymore. But the product on itself, a basic camera for 70 dollars, don't see anything great in that. I guess we have to see if I have to swallow my words once we see what it can actually do, or what else they are about to release... In Microsoft Teams, select Settings and more to the left of your profile picture at the top, then select Settings . Video Quality: Look for a webcam that provides a high-definition video resolution for crisp and clear visuals during video conferences or recording sessions.