3 Best Webcams for Everything from Work Calls to Twitch Streaming

• Automated adjustments for the best image and sound quality at all times
• Compatible with Windows, macOS, ChromeOS
• Privacy shutter
• Show Mode

• No 4K video

If you just need a webcam for conference calls, work Zooms, or anything more casual than that, this is the one. Logitech has long been the name synonymous with webcams, and the Brio 505 is the company's latest business-grade gold standard. It's an easy-to-use HD webcam that makes you look and sound 100 times better than you would with your built-in laptop camera.

The name of the game here is automation. The Brio 505 has a USB-C plug-in that makes it easy to use right out of the box. So while Logitech's software for advanced settings is still great, you don't need it for the webcam to achieve optimal image and sound quality. Automatic light detection, framing, and noise reduction are all in play from the moment you plug in the webcam to help you look and sound your best.

Our favorite touch is Logitech's "Show Mode." It allows you to point the camera down and share what's on your desk space, with the video feed automatically adjusting to show a right-side-up image—perfect for a product manager, an artist, or even a parent calling for tech support.

• 4K 60 fps output and capture
• Great software
• Mac and PC friendly
• Compatible with other Elgato devices

• More DIY, less automated

If you're making YouTube videos or streaming on Twitch, you need a 4K webcam. Not just any one either. You need one that can output 4K at a smooth 60 frames per second to match your gameplay. When it comes to a streaming cam, the Elgato Facecam 4K is the be-all and end-all.

First off, it's a fantastic webcam. Its 49mm lens records in 4K, up to 60 frames per second. That's double the frame rate and double the resolution of the Logitech Brio. It supports HDR video as well as recording uncompressed video. (The latter is super useful for content creators who are going to manipulate the footage later.)

Beyond that, compatibility with Elgato's software tool set and suite of other devices is the top selling point here. Connect it with a Stream Deck control panel and you'll be able to change your webcam background or play a special effect without taking both hands off the controller. That being said, it's clearly not as newbie friendly as other webcams. The lack of automated lighting detection in particular is one that some users have found frustrating.

• Can shoot in portrait mode for social content
• Sits mounted, stand-alone, or on a tripod
• Desk View and other modes aimed at presenters

• Gesture controls are hit-and-miss

The traditional webcam is designed to be clipped atop a computer monitor. But if you're laptop bound or looking for something with a bit more versatility, we have one final option for you.

The Insta360 Link is a 4K webcam that can be clipped, set standing alone, or mounted on a tripod (the base is universally compatible with tripods, so you don't need special gear). It's propped up on a rotating gimbal, which combined with AI tracking ensures that you are always in focus and the center of attention. Like the Logitech Brio, the Link has features aimed at helping workers and creatives share their work. Going beyond Desk Mode, the Show Mode equivalent, this webcam also offers whiteboard detection, and it can even record in portrait mode for making TikTok-friendly content.

Ultimately, this is the perfect hybrid webcam—packed full of features meant to enhance the lives of both office workers and content creators. And it's equally useful for the on-the-go laptop warrior as it is for the home-office devotee. Wherever you make your content, this webcam can go with you.

When choosing which webcam is right for you, these are the factors you need to consider.

• Video Specs: This determines how good your video quality can be. When it comes to regular video calling for work and friend catch-ups, 1080p (standard high-def) is fine. If you're creating in a professional setting, you may want something that can output in 4K resolution. Some webcams max out at 4K at 30 frames per second, while others output at 4K60. If you're serious about streaming, you'll want the latter.
• User Friendliness: This is probably the biggest reason to buy one of these newer webcams and not just save by going old and cheap. In comparison even with webcams from the 2010s, these newer models are equipped with more sensors and better hardware that will make your default video and audio quality as good as it can be, the idea being that the average person buying a webcam doesn't want to mess around in settings in order to be seen and heard. They want to plug it in and have it start working for them. That's what these selections all do.
• Compatibility: Put simply, will it work with your computer? You need to check both the operating-system compatibility (all the selections on this list work with Windows and macOS) as well as the USB compatibility. If, for example, the webcam you buy is older and has a USB-A connection, you may be SOL with a modern USB-C-equipped laptop.

At Esquire, we test and review the latest and greatest products every single day. As one of our tech experts, I have spent hundreds of hours hands-on testing every gadget and piece of gear I review. From headphones to smartwatches, I know which brands to look for and which features are worth spending a little extra money on.