webcam
A top-notch webcam generates hi-res video, and usually has a host of features that can help improve your work-from-home experience. Image Credit: Unsplash/Emiliano Cicero

Ever since the pandemic, webcams have seen an explosion in popularity. They are essential peripherals in most home and office set-ups, and more and more hybrid professionals are relying on them for excellent video quality and great low-light performance. Even if you have a camera built into your laptop, it can’t compete with a good webcam’s sensor, which is usually much larger and can pick up features better, even in dim light. Webcams tend to have better resolution too, and today’s versions are packed with useful features, like video filters, built-in ring lights and shot tracking.

We’ve curated a list of the best webcam options out there right now, based on user reviews and ratings. Pick up one for your home office with Amazon’s Prime delivery, and get it as early as tomorrow!

1. Best Overall: Anker PowerConf C200 

Pros

  • Compact design
  • Built-in privacy shutter
  • Amazing low-light performance
  • Adjustable field of view
  • Great price

Cons

  • No swivel feature

For a fantastic price, the Anker PowerConf C200 offers 2K resolution that captures crisp details and accurate colours, in all sorts of lighting conditions. Its dual mics pick up sound even if you’re up to 30 feet away, even as its artificial intelligence-based (AI) noise cancellation works effectively at blocking out extraneous noise. Reviewers love that you can select a specific field of view – pick from 65°, 78°, or 95°. Alternatively, you can just focus the camera on your face, or include everything that’s behind you – the best part is that the choice is yours. A handy built-in cover can be slid over the camera when you’re done with meetings, to ensure privacy. All in all, this webcam has a lot going for it, at an excellent price.

2. Best Audio Quality: Logitech C920S HD Pro 

Pros

  • Excellent 1080p picture quality
  • Sleek, compact design
  • Built-in privacy shutter
  • Omnidirectional mics pick up sound perfectly

Cons

  • Field of view is not adjustable

Perhaps one of the best webcams in the market right now, Logitech C920S HD is a top contender, with its ability to record crisp videos at 1080p and 30 frames per second (fps). Its 78° field of view is well-suited for both solo meetings and conference calls, but it cannot be adjusted like our previous pick. Still, reviewers like that the compact, versatile unit can be clipped onto monitor displays or tripods. They also say they’ve received great feedback when using the built-in dual microphone system – the device captures natural stereo audio, while simultaneously filtering out background noise. It’s an excellent pick for a home office, or even a conference room at work.

Warranty: Amazon offers 1-year extended warranty for Dh23 and 2-year extended warranty for Dh38.

3. Best for Gaming: Razer Kiyo Pro 

Pros

  • Brilliant 1080p image quality
  • Excellent in low light
  • HDR (high dynamic range) capability
  • Three pre-sets for field of view

Cons

  • Expensive

Tiny but mighty, Razer Kiyo Pro is the brand’s high-end webcam, which delivers a stunning performance that’s worth every Dirham. Compact and versatile, you can use it for all aspects of life – from videoconferencing with colleagues, to chatting with mum, to streaming a game live on Twitch. The webcam’s picture quality is top-notch; you can select either a buttery-smooth 1080p, 60fps option for gameplay or a hi-res HDR mode for a lag-free Zoom session. The camera’s adaptive light sensor detects how bright or dark its surroundings are, and automatically adjusts its settings, which is why it performs spectacularly, even in dim light. Reviewers testify that it’s ideal for gamers who stream content, calling it a ‘beast’ of a device, with ‘epic’ features.

Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh45.16 for 12 months with select banks.

4. Best for Content Creation: Logitech StreamCam 

Pros

  • Features AI-enabled facial tracking
  • Includes smart auto focus
  • Excellent 1080p video quality
  • Works for both portrait and landscape videos

Cons

  • Fixed USB-C cable connection
  • Expensive

Right out of the box, Logitech’s StreamCam is chockful of features for streamers. It’s optimised for popular live streaming software, so you can stream and record in full 1080p HD resolution at 60fps – the videos, even the raw footage, come out looking smooth and professional. The auto-framing feature keeps you in the centre of the shot, even if you move left or right, and the camera has a flappable design, so you can take both photos and videos in a 9:16 format – ideal for Instagram Reels or TikTok. And if you want to shoot outside, just mount the compact device on a tripod – you can even attach it to a ring light for enhanced lighting. The webcam is made with content creators in mind, and it shows.

Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh42.29 for 12 months with select banks.

Warranty: Amazon offers 1-year extended warranty for Dh35 and 2-year extended warranty for Dh57.

5. Best Budget: truefree 2K QHD Webcam

Pros

  • Allows 360° rotation
  • Built-in, adjustable ring light
  • Built-in privacy shutter
  • Great price

Cons

  • Some reviewers say the camera produces a fisheye effect

This high-definition webcam comes with lots of handy features, at a phenomenal price. truefree's 2K 30fps webcam is well-suited for a home office, offering smooth and clear video calls. It’s fully rotatable, so you are in complete control of what appears on the video, and it has a wide, 110° field of view, so there’s plenty of room to bring in your family on video calls to other relatives. The webcam’s built-in stereo mic with noise-cancelling technology clearly captures audio at up to a distance of 10m. Reviewers appreciate that the webcam comes with a ring light, where you can adjust the brightness level to suit the environment. You can also easily slip on its privacy cover, once you’re done with meetings, to protect the camera lens from dust and safeguard your privacy. At a great price, this handy little device is a great pick for any home office.

Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.