Technologies

Best Webcams From 1080p to 4K for 2023

Low-res 720p (sometimes even 1080p) webcams just don’t cut it anymore. These top 1080p and 4K webcams are perfect for meetings, videoconferencing, streaming and more.

Webcams are no longer only used by business professionals and streamers. Almost everyone has a use for one. Most laptops have built-in webcams, though the camera quality can be poor. If you want to look good at work, at school or at play, a high-quality camera can be a necessity. And there are a ton of great webcam choices for every budget.

It’s not that difficult to find a decent external webcam model: Market-leader Logitech makes many of the most popular name-brand models on the market — notably the $60 C920x and basic, education-focused $25 C270 — and you probably won’t go wrong picking one that falls within your budget. Once you venture beyond known brands, you can get lost in a sea of commodity models.

Improving your environment with good lighting or a better angle can frequently enhance the quality of your webcam video more than upgrading the camera itself. Keep in mind, however, that even then the best webcam won’t necessarily deliver great video and audio quality on the other end — that can depend upon the consistency and quality of your network connection.

It depends upon your software as well — especially videoconferencing software, which tends to aggressively process the video for smoother and more consistent transmission over the network rather than looking good.

I’m continually testing new models, and here are my suggestions for the best webcam for your needs and budget. I’ll update this list regularly with more advice and picks as I test them, so stay tuned. And for more advice, scroll down below our recommendations — and check out all the best webcam deals here.

Former favorites

These previous top picks have lost out to newer, shinier models, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still recommendable.

Other notable webcams I’ve tested

Which webcam specs are important?

You don’t need to worry about getting overcome by specifications. Frame rate (30 or 60 frames per second), resolution (720p, 1080p or 4K) and microphone (mono or stereo) are about it. That doesn’t mean they don’t really differ. Some are better than others in less tangible ways, such as how well the automatic exposure, white balance or focus works. Those tend to be what differentiate the just-OK cheaper webcams from better, more expensive ones with higher resolution or faster frame rates.

If you have nothing now, then anything’s a step up. Most affordable laptops tend to still offer 720p webcams, though that’s changing rapidly, while most of the stand-alone webcam models on the market are 1080p (aka FHD). The latter usually has video quality that looks much better than the former, since the greater number of pixels makes your image look sharper for your video calls, video conferencing and live streaming. And because you can put a webcam on a tabletop tripod or perch it higher than the built-in webcam on a laptop, you can bring it closer to eye level which is much more flattering than the from-below-view most laptop webcams deliver.

Though it’s tempting to dismiss 4K models as unnecessary, they are better — you look much better zoomed in, for one thing, and even when 4K is scaled to 1080p, it can look sharper than a basic 1080p webcam. Keep in mind that you’re still at the mercy of your meeting software, which can take a good image and make it look…less good…by compressing the hell out of it for transmitting across the software’s low-bandwidth pipeline.

One thing to consider when buying a webcam for a Mac is that there are no controls built into the operating system. If you want to adjust exposure, zoom, white balance — anything really — then the support needs to be built into the specific application or into a utility that comes with the camera. Unfortunately, few manufacturers offer MacOS-compatible utilities; the Elgato FaceCam is a notable exception.

If you need to zoom in to better frame yourself without looking soft, crunchy or blocky or to demonstrate physical objects, think about jumping to 4K. You can also use your phone or a DSLR camera (if you have one) as a makeshift webcam with an app or utility from the camera manufacturer. The software which allows you to use a digital camera as a webcam frequently caps the resolution at 1,920×1,080, but you may get better zoom results than from a webcam.

More for people working from home

Technologies

Sora Video Limits Got You Down? Pay Up for More, Says OpenAI

Sora has opened to everyone in the US, and OpenAI is now charging for extra AI video generations.

Soon after Sora dropped its invite-only requirement, OpenAI is already moving to monetize the popular AI video social media app. The company has introduced paid «video generation packs,» allowing you to purchase additional AI-generated videos after reaching the daily free limit.

Until now, you could generate around 30 videos a day for free or up to 100 for Pro accounts. Now, anyone who hits that cap will see a prompt to purchase extra «gens» through the App Store.

A small bundle of 10 extra generations costs roughly $4, according to Sora’s listing on Apple App Store, but OpenAI’s support page states that the exact credits used per video range based on factors like the video length and resolution.

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OpenAI’s Bill Peebles confirmed the change in a post on X, citing increased demand and «unsustainable» economics as reasons behind the change. He also confirms the free quota options are likely temporary.

«Eventually, we will need to bring the free gens down to accommodate growth (we won’t have enough GPUs to do it otherwise!), but we’ll be transparent as it happens,» he wrote. «[i]n the meantime, enjoy the crazy usage limits.»

Technologies

You Can Nab the Apple Watch SE 3 for a Record-Low $200 if You Act Fast

Amazon just knocked $49 off this budget-friendly wearable for the first time since its release.

Released alongside the Series 11 and Ultra 3, the Apple Watch SE 3 is the latest budget-friendly model in Apple’s lineup. Starting at $249, it already saves you $150 compared to the Series 11, and right now you can pick it up for even less.

Amazon is offering the biggest (and practically only) discount we’ve seen since this smartwatch hit shelves, knocking it down to a record-low $200. That’s a $49 discount, but it only applies to the starlight color. We also don’t expect this deal to last long, so be sure to get your order in soon.

Even at full price, CNET smartwatch expert Vanessa Hand Orellana called the third-gen SE a «$250 steal that delivers nearly everything you’d want from a wearable, with surprisingly few compromises.» It’s equipped with the same S10 processor as the Series 11 and Ultra 3, and offers many of the same features, like fast charging, 5G connectivity and new wellness tools. Plus, the vibrant 40mm display is always on, so you can check the time with a glance. Other helpful features include onboard Siri, fall detection and a durable design that’s water-resistant up to 50 meters.

SMARTWATCH DEALS OF THE WEEK

Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm, Black, M/L Sports Band):

$329 (save $100)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Bluetooth, 40mm, Cream):

$200 (save $100)
Amazfit Active 42mm Smartwatch With 14 Day Battery Life (Black):

$85 (save $25)
Garmin Vivoactive 5 GPS Smartwatch With AMOLED Display:

$200 (save $100)
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (Wi-Fi, LTE, 47mm, Titanium Silver):

$500 (save $150)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Deals on the latest Apple tech are far and few between, which makes this Apple Watch SE 3 discount a welcome surprise. You can pick it up for a record-low $200 right now at Amazon, which is just half the price of the flagship Series 11. If you prefer a larger display, the 44mm model is also $49 off, dropping the price to $230.

You can also find plenty of other bargains on the latest and previous-gen models in our full roundup of all the best Apple Watch deals.

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Technologies

Surprise Twist: Apple’s Next iPhones Might Come in These 3 Unlikely Colors

Apple seems to be choosing a deep, earthy path for its upcoming phone colors.

From cosmic orange to coffee brown? Brown, purple and burgundy will be the available colors for the iPhone 18 Pro next September, if a leak out of China proves true.

Depending on your language translator, brown could mean simply «brown» or «coffee brown,» but you get the general idea. The tidbit comes from regular leaker Digital Chat Station’s post on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo. The post also says that black will not be an available color for the iPhone 18 Pro.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The iPhone 17 Pro comes in cosmic orange, deep blue and silver.

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The Apple release schedule for the iPhone 18 series has been shifting, but the latest intel reports that the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Fold will launch in September 2026. The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will follow in the spring of 2027.

If Digital Chat Station’s leak is accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro would be the first Pro edition in years without a color resembling black, white or silver.

Here are the colors for the iPhone Pro dating back to its introduction in 2019:

2019: iPhone 11 Pro/Pro Max: Midnight Green, Space Gray, Silver, Gold
2020: iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max: Graphite, Silver, Gold, Pacific Blue
2021: iPhone 13 Pro/13 Pro Max: Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green (March 2022)
2022: iPhone 14 Pro/14 Pro Max: Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
2023: iPhone 15 Pro/15 Pro Max: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium
2024: iPhone 16 Pro/16 Pro Max: Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Desert Titanium
2025: iPhone 17 Pro/17 Pro Max: Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, Silver

Not offering any version of black for Pro models might seem counterintuitive, since the iPhone 16 Pro Max black titanium version has been a big seller, and black has also been popular with iPhone 17 shoppers. But a lack of black has not hurt iPhone 17 Pro sales.