The best cheap webcams 2021 has to offer are a lot easier to find than those of last year, now that the pandemic has somewhat slowed. Though Microsoft and Logitech’s offering got the most attention, you can find quality webcams that won’t break the bank from quite a few other well-known manufacturers.
Now is the time to upgrade from your laptop’s built-in camera, since a quality webcam is more important than ever, considering how prevalent Zoom calls and meetings have become. Regardless of whether you’re working from home or not, many people are and a growing number of meetings are happening online, making video conferencing essential to your workflow. While students are mostly back in school, they still need to be able to make video calls, whether it’s to connect with classmates on a school project or get some after school tutoring in.
While they’re a bit more limited in terms of features compared to more expensive offerings, the best budget webcams are still an excellent investment. That’s particularly true if you’re willing to skip extras like multi-mic arrays, auto-pan and tilt, and 4K resolution. To help you find the right one for you, we’ve collected our top picks here that will save you some money but still do the job.
And, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday on the horizon, deals are popping up all over the place and that includes on the webcams we’ve included in this guide. So, if you want to save even more money, keep an eye out for a deal on one of these for even better savings.
The Microsoft LifeCam Studio is our top pick for the best cheap webcam. Aimed at pro users with large displays, it features a familiar configuration of 1080p recording and 720p live video calling. It rotates 360 degrees, and can be mounted on a tripod with autofocus. The wideband mic delivers crystal clear audio, and Microsoft’s TrueColor system will shift the exposure dynamically to keep you well lit, making it a great choice for business conferencing and presentations.
It isn’t the most attractive webcam, but the LifeCam Studio isn’t really designed to be attractive. Instead, it’s made for business conferencing and presentations, with its 1080p recording, 720p live video calling and wideband mic to deliver crystal clear sound. Not too shabby for a budget-friendly webcam. This is a serious peripheral – one that requires a powerful PC for max settings – but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking bells and whistles. For instance, it comes with 360-degree rotating capabilities and Microsoft’s TrueColor system, which will shift the exposure dynamically to keep you well lit.
Read the full review: Microsoft LifeCam Studio
(Image credit: Logitech)
Logitech makes brilliant webcams, and the Logitech HD Webcam C310 is a fantastic budget offering, that offers very good image quality for the price. Resolution is just 720p, but for most people that won’t be an issue. In fact, if you have an internet connection that struggles with high definition videos, then this is actually a bonus.
(Image credit: Logitech)
The Logitech G922 Pro Stream features the same classy design as its predecessor, the C920, but it’s an especially interesting cheap webcam for gamers this time around. The C922 still boasts excellent 1080p video quality, great for hosting video calls, and its automatic low-light correction makes it a fantastic cam for streaming with the lights off. It also supports background removal, making it ideal for budding YouTubers.
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