And if these companion apps aren't available on your computer, then you're not going to get the most out of your webcam.įield of view (FOV): This is simply how much of you - and your background - the webcam captures and keeps in frame. Some webcams have companion apps that allow you to customize various settings, such as frame rate, resolution, brightness and more. Make sure it's compatible with your computer: Not every webcam works with every computer, which is why when researching which to buy you want to make sure it's compatible with your Mac or Windows PC. The higher-resolution webcams are, as you'd expect, more expensive. So when you upgrade to an external webcam, you typically have the choice of resolution. What to Look forĤK, 2K or 1080p resolution: Most older desktops and laptops have built-in webcams with not-so-great resolution - think 720p or less. Plus, many of today's external webcams are higher quality and have unique features than the built-in webcams of new computers. Instead of replacing your entire computer to get one with a solid webcam, you can just an external webcam.

Now that we live in a hybrid working world and video conference calls are a common practice, a good webcam has become rather important. A lot of older computers have a webcam that's capable of capturing a 720p image (or worse), which frankly isn't very good. That's because up until the pandemic, when people started working remotely and taking more video calls, it just wasn't a high priority for manufacturers. For anybody with a laptop or desktop that's more than two years old (from 2020 or before), chances are that its built-in webcam isn't very good.

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