Built-in webcams in laptops and AIO (all-in-one) desktops generally offer very poor imaging and recording quality, which is why most streamers opt for external webcams. Not only do the standalone hardware offer much better photos and videos, they also offer clearer audio for teleconferencing and streaming. So if you’re unhappy with your laptop webcam or want to upgrade to a new high-res webcam, you’ve come to the right place. That’s because we’ve rounded up the 5 best 4K UHD webcams for streaming and teleconferencing right now.

Along with the best 4K UHD webcams, we are also listing a few affordable 4K webcams in case you don’t want to splurge the extra cash for the premium models. We will also tell you what to look for when buying a webcam and discuss if 4K webcams are worth the premium right now. Finally, we will also tell you how to use your humble smartphone as a webcam on your computer. So without further ado, let’s check out the best 4K UHD webcams for streaming and video-conferencing you can buy right now.

  • What to Look for When Buying a Webcam
  • Are 4K Webcams Worth the Upgrade?
  • Beware of Fake 4K Webcams!
  • Logitech Brio 4K Webcam
  • NexiGo N950 Pro 4K Webcam
  • Amcrest 4K Webcam
  • DEPSTECH 4K HD Webcam
  • Gnolkee 4K Webcam
  • Use You iPhone or Android Smartphone as a Webcam

What to Look for When Buying a Webcam

Goes without saying, the most important feature of a webcam is the quality of images and video it captures. For modern digital cameras, a high-resolution sensor and high frame rates are a starting point for good image quality. Typically, the higher the resolution, clearer the image, and higher the frame rate, smoother the video. The type of lens (preferably 6-layer glass instead of plastic) also affects webcam performance, while the sensor size, field of view (FOV), codec support and platform compatibility are also things to watch out for.

Finally, not every webcam works with every computer or operating system, so always check if your PC or Mac is compatible with the webcam you’re thinking of buying. If your computer is new, it might be compatible with most webcams in the market, but you might run into compatibility issues if you’re using an older computer. While you might still be able to run your new webcam on an older Windows PC, you’ll have to be doubly careful if you use Mac, Linux or a Chromebook.

Having a 4K UHD webcam definitely gives you bragging rights, but as of now, the only practical reason to buy a 4K UHD webcam would be to future-proof your purchase. That’s because widespread support for 4K streaming hasn’t yet become commonplace, largely because of bandwidth issues and a lack of support from streaming services.

The one truism that holds true for 4K webcams is “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. Just like other electronics like SD cards and USB flash drives, there are numerous fakes available in the market, all trying to take advantage of the fact that there are not too many genuine 4K webcams from reputable brands. It doesn’t help that the organized webcam market is frozen in time, what with an 8-year old model, the Logitech C920, continuing to remain the most popular offering in the category.

As for the fake 4K webcams, these are ultra-cheap no-name devices that promise 4K videos, but often don’t support anything more than SD resolution. The quality is also typically not much better than that of standard laptop webcams, thanks to an abundance of noise and zero color correction. Finally, they also often advertise a 90-degree field-of-view, but hardly deliver anything more than 60-degrees. So if you think you’re getting a great deal, either online or offline, on a generic 4K UHD webcam that promises high-res recording for a sub-$50 price-tag, think twice before pulling the trigger.

Here, we have compiled a list of the best 4K webcams for streaming and teleconferencing you can buy right now. We have included both premium and affordable devices to ensure that everyone gets an option irrespective of their budget.

The Logitech Brio has been the best 4K UHD webcam for a while now. It has been the go-to webcam for the vast majority of streamers and broadcasters who need the added resolution for their streams and video recordings. Users praise its white balance, color saturation, and low-light performance. It is also the only webcam in this list that supports HDR recording. Along with the standard optical sensor, there’s also an infrared sensor in the Brio, making it fully compatible with Windows Hello, Microsoft’s facial recognition feature for Windows computers.

  • Pros: 4K HDR @30fps, Photo and video quality, Color accuracy, Low-light clarity
  • Cons: Buggy auto-focus, Expensive
  • Compatibility: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Mac OS 10.10 or higher, Chrome OS Version 29.0.1547.70 and higher

The NexiGo N950 Pro 4K webcam is another stellar offering in the segment. It comes with a Sony 8.5MP sensor that records at up to a 3840×2160 Quad HD resolution at 30FPS. The webcam supports up to 5x digital zoom while maintaining UHD resolution to capture a wider or narrower field-of-view (FOV) according to your choice. It also comes with built-in dual omni-directional stereo mics with noise cancellation to provide clearer audio during teleconferencing and streaming games. It also comes with automatic low-light correction to provide image clarity even in dim lighting conditions.

3. Amcrest 4K Webcam

The Amcrest 4K webcam is for folks who want 4K streaming at an affordable price. It is powered by a ⅓ 8MP 4K CMOS image sensor and 4.5mm wide-angle lens for a wide, 75-degree viewing angle. It offers 4K UltraHD video @18fps and 2K videos @30fps. The webcam comes with a built-in noise-reducing microphone for enhanced stereo audio, which allows for clear and natural sound recording. Like the earlier model, this one is also plug-and-play on Windows, which means your computer will detect and support this device out-of-the-box without the need for any additional driver installation.

The DEPSTECH 4K webcam comes with an 8MP 1/3” Sony CMOS optical image sensor, and supports video recordings at up to 3840x 2160 @30FPS. It also has low-light correction and autofocus to ensure that your videos are always sharp and clear. The webcam comes with built-in dual noise-reducing microphones that can filter out background noise automatically for better audio clarity during video-conferences and streaming. The DEPSTECH 4K webcam is a plug-and-play USB device, which means it can be just plugged into a computer and used instantly without the need for any additional software.

The Gnolkee 4k webcam has a 1.33-inch 8MP CMOS image sensor and a 6-layer, 110-degree wide-angle glass lens for better image clarity. It supports HDR and offers automatic adjustment of exposure and contrast to compensate for glare and backlighting. The device comes with omni-directional dual sound-absorbing and noise-reducing microphones that pick up voices while blocking out white noise in the background for a clearer audio experience. The Gnolkee 4K webcam also comes with a detachable privacy protection cover to safeguard your privacy when not in use.

Like most webcams on this list, the Gnolkee 4K webcam is also a plug-and-play device, which means there’s no need for additional drivers to use it with your PC. It also supports a wide range of apps and OTT services, including Zoom, Skype, YouTube, Twitch, Facetime, OBS, Facebook Live and more. The device comes with two detachable USB-type C cables (5.9 feet and 3.3 feet) to meet your different needs. Gnolkee also offers 30-day money-back guarantee and 12-month free warranty for the product.

You may be planning to splurge on a webcam, but do you know that you can also use your smartphone as a webcam? If you’re just starting out as a streamer and are hesitant about dishing out a pretty penny for a brand new webcam, this is by far the most cost-effective way of improving your stream quality. This is also worth considering if you are thinking about upgrading from your awful laptop webcam, because in most cases, the videos from your smartphone will be way better than the quality of the built-in webcam in your laptop.

Standalone webcams are an absolute necessity for professional streamers because of the abysmal quality of the built-in modules. What’s more, they are also the only choice for DIY PC builders for streaming games on Twitch or YouTube. They also make for much better quality streams when it comes to Zoom calls or Skype chats. So whatever be your reason for buying a standalone webcam, take your pick from the list above and let us know which one you chose and why.