WEBCAMS

Pick up a pretty webcam to kickstart your streaming career or just liven up your work calls

- By James Bentley

Webcams are one of those devices I always forget to think about when setting up a gaming rig. Being the best way of showing your face to friends (outside of leaving the house), it's pretty rare for your monitor to come with a little camera, and even then, I'd opt for something dedicated most of the time anyway.

They're important little devices in many a gamer's setup but can't be so expensive that most everyday users would be better off with a dedicated camera and tripod instead. From tiny 4K wonders to solid 1080p drivers, we've tested many a webcam at PC Gamer. Striking the balance between 'it shows an image, I suppose' and 'this could be used by NASA' is how you pick the best webcam for you. We've tried a bit of it all and here are six of the best.

MX Brio

LOGITECH £220

The full package

Alright, there's no getting around the fact that the Logitech MX Brio is quite expensive, and 4K quality video is certainly a bit of a niche. I mean, do you really need it? However, if your answer to that question was a resounding yes, then here you get a slick plug-and-play webcam that is super easy to use, looks great, and is made even better with Logitech's own smart software. You don't need a dedicated mic to come through clearly with the Brio thanks to its twin beamforming mic and its settings menu is well explained and simple. It is worth noting again, though, that £220 is a lot of money and you can get the OBS Meet 2 for much less. The Brio does have some rather niche options, like a show mode specifically intended to show your hands on a keyboard, mouse, or drawing pad. This could be great for some, like artists of all kinds, but needless for most. As well as this, it can occasionally lean a little too heavily on its software to make the final product look a little nicer. It's a good package that costs at least an arm, if not an arm and a leg.

PC GAMER VERDICT

-> Great microphone