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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.

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Technologies

Made by Google 2025: The Biggest Pixel 10 Leaks We’ve Heard Ahead of Launch

Google’s Pixel 10 could get plenty of new features alongside its new processor, camera systems and magnets. Here’s what we know.

The new Pixel 10 line will debut Wednesday at the Made by Google event and it almost feels like we’ve already seen the phones revealed thanks to a combination of official glimpses of the new phones from Google alongside a plethora of rumors.

Google isn’t hiding that the Pixel 10 is coming, as the company itself has posted multiple stylized shots of the phone to promote its launch event. However, Google is still keeping detailed specs and features of the Pixel 10 line to itself so we won’t get the full picture until the official reveal — which is happening tomorrow, Aug. 20. Check out our Pixel 10 reveal liveblog for all the details.

Several recent rumors suggest a lot of new life to the phone line, though. While we do expect the Pixel line to reflect the overall lineup of the Pixel 9 — including a base Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold — rumors are pointing to significant changes to what’s inside these phones to make them more feature-packed than ever.

We’ve rounded up the biggest rumors we’ve found so far about the Pixel 10 line here and will continue updating as we hear more ahead of the Aug. 20 event.

How to watch the Made by Google event

The Made by Google event will begin at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) Wednesday and Google will be streaming the Pixel 10 reveals with a livestream on YouTube. You can also tune into CNET’s Made by Google preshow, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. PT). The preshow will be hosted by CNET’s Bridget Carey and PCMag’s Iyaz Akhtar, and feature the final analysis and commentary for what we know about the phones. The preshow will transition directly into Google’s event when it begins, and then afterward the postshow will dive into all of the new announcements.

Pixel 10, 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL’s release date, pricing and cameras

Starting with the three non-folding phones in the Pixel 10 line that are getting revealed Aug. 20, we expect the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL to look similar to the Pixel 9 line on the outside. This includes the same rounded camera bar on the back. The entry-level Pixel 10 will get a new third rear camera. While we can see the third camera in the photos Google posted of the Pixel 10, according to a chart posted by known leaker Evan Blass, this will be a 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera that will join a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 13-megapixel ultrawide. This will help the Pixel 10 compare better with the base Galaxy S25, which also has a telephoto camera.

The 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL will continue to be differentiated from the standard Pixel 10 with a higher-specced camera system, which includes a 50-megapixel wide-angle, 48-megapixel ultrawide and a 48-megapixel telephoto, according to the same chart posted by Blass.

The colors for the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro phones also appear to have leaked, with Android Headlines reporting that the base Pixel 10 will come in obsidian, indigo, frost and lemonade editions. These names would roughly correspond to a black, blueish purple, light blue and yellow, respectively. The Pro models will also come in four colors, with Android Headlines reporting models named obsidian, porcelain, moonstone and jade. Those should roughly match up to black, white, gray and a light green. More photos of these phones were posted by Blass, purporting to be the Pixel 10 lineup from the front, back and side profiles

Despite the concerns with tariffs, the Pixel 10 line is rumored to keep the same starting prices as the Pixel 9 line. 

Pixel 10 line rumored prices

Phone Storage US Price
Pixel 10 128GB $799
Pixel 10 256GB $899
Pixel 10 Pro 128GB $999
Pixel 10 Pro 256GB $1,099
Pixel 10 Pro 512GB $1,219
Pixel 10 Pro 1TB $1,449
Pixel 10 Pro XL 256GB $1,199
Pixel 10 Pro XL 512GB $1,319
Pixel 10 Pro XL 1TB $1,549

Pixel 10 could support Qi2 magnetic charging

The Pixel 10 series could support magnetic accessories, making it one of the few Android phones that would work with many of the MagSafe accessories that were first built to work with Apple’s iPhone. That’s because the Pixel 10 is rumored to fully support Qi2 wireless charging, which supports magnetic alignment and has magnets built into the phone without needing a case. 

An image posted by Blass appears to show a Pixel 10 with a circular wireless charger attached to the back, likely using magnets similar to how MagSafe works with the iPhone. If this is the case, it’s a huge step for the Qi2 wireless standard, as the only other Android phone so far that supports magnetic accessories is the HMD Skyline.

This would allow the Pixel 10 series to natively work with magnetic phone chargers, wallets, mounts and other accessories. Google might also create its own branding for this feature, as an Android Authority report claims that official Pixel 10 accessories that magnetically attach would be called PixelSnap.

If this comes to be, it would also make it easier to swap accessories between the iPhone and the Pixel. In addition to the iPhone’s support for charging over USB-C, this would mean that MagSafe accessories first purchased to use with an iPhone should work just as well when swapping over to a Pixel 10 phone.

Google’s Tensor G5 chip

Following last year’s Tensor G4 chip in the Pixel 9 lineup, we presume that the Pixel 10 phones will be powered by a (supposedly named) Tensor G5 chip. We’ve heard a few Tensor G5 rumors, including that it will be made on an industry-standard 3nm process by chip fabricator TSMC, according to an Android Authority March report.

Other rumors are less promising, like a July report from WCCFTech suggesting that while the Tensor G5 is a significant upgrade on last year’s Tensor G4, a leaked benchmark test claims it will run slower than the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor that’s used in Samsung’s Galaxy S25 line and the OnePlus 13. That Qualcomm processor might also soon be surpassed by the next Qualcomm silicon coming at Snapdragon Summit in September. That’s not to imply the phone itself will perform slowly, as the same report says it will run faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor that powers 

Whether the Tensor G5 trails other mobile chips isn’t as worrying as it might seem as the Tensor chips are built for Google’s Pixel devices — and those don’t seem to be underperforming in daily use. As CNET Editor-at-Large Andy Lanxon said about the Tensor G4 powering the Pixel 9 Pro XL, «On the one hand, it’s disappointing not to see more of a tangible improvement over the predecessor. On the other hand, it doesn’t feel like it’s lacking in power in any major way.»

Pixel 10 Pro Fold

Google on Aug. 12 released a video that shows off what the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will look like. This peek only provides a look at the phone’s design — which seems to be similar to last year’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold — saving a more detailed look at its specs and cameras for the Aug. 20 event.

The more iterative design makes sense, as last year’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold already debuted a larger overhaul that altered its design from the wider passport-size original Pixel Fold to a taller, narrower format similar to other foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. 

One Pixel 10 Pro Fold rumor from WCCFTech only shared details about the supposed Tensor chip powering it. But a recent rumor from Blass suggests we could expect the usual upgrades: a new Tensor G5 chip, perhaps slight spec upgrades and maybe even similar camera or battery upgrades if they are announced for the Pixel 10 lineup. 

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold would presumably get Android 16 out of the box, but as that software upgrade has been released early (mere weeks after Google I/O 2025), last year’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold already has that update. 

We’ll keep updating this roundup as we get closer to Google’s Aug. 20 event for the Pixel 10 series. 

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Gears of War, Dragon Age and Herdling Coming to Xbox Game Pass in August

Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play Gears of War: Reloaded soon.

Gears of War is one of the most iconic Xbox series, spawning sequels, spinoffs and books. I fell in love with the series almost 20 years ago when the original landed on the Xbox 360. So I can’t wait to play the remastered edition of the game, called Gears of War: Reloaded, when it launches on Xbox Game Pass on Aug. 26.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new ones, like Doom: The Dark Ages, added monthly, plus other benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.

Here are the games Microsoft is adding to Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service recently, like Assassin’s Creed Mirage.

Blacksmith Master (game preview)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

Adventuring in a medieval world can be fun and challenging but it can also be difficult work. If you’d rather run and manage a shop in a medieval setting, give Blacksmith Master a try. You run your own forge and have to manage resource acquisition, production and sale of goods. You’ll build your own forge, craft everything from utensils to weapons and become one of the most skilled craftsmen in the kingdom — all without fighting dragons or other dangerous creatures.

Void/Breaker (PC)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

You’re trapped by a ruthless AI in an endless loop where you’re forced to fight hostile enemies, die and then repeat. In this roguelite game, each time you die, you’ll face new challenges. Fast gunplay, quick movements and all-out destruction are your friends in this adrenaline-filled adventure. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get out one day.

Goat Simulator Remastered

New for Game Pass Standard subscribers on Aug. 20.

Chaos. That’s the best way to describe this game. You play as a goat and your mission is the total destruction of everything in sight. Can’t stand the look of that car? Run it off the road. Don’t like the town hall’s placement? Demolish it. Want that kid’s ice cream? Eat it. Do what you want in this sandbox-style game where anything is possible. 

Game Pass Ultimate subscribers got access to this game in November and Game Pass Standard subscribers can get in on the fun soon, too.

Persona 4 Golden

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play on Aug. 20.

A string of serial murders set this game in motion, where you’ll travel between the real world and the world within TVs as you try and find out who — or what — is behind the murders. You’ll explore your town and carry on daily activities, as well as travel to the TV World to explore different dungeons and battle monsters in this RPG.

Herdling

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Aug. 21.

Get ready for a grand alpine adventure as you shepherd some giant Calicorns — which look like Appa from Avatar: The Last Airbender — up into a mountain pass. You’ll encounter eerie dangers, puzzles and more on your adventure. And before you ask, yes, you can pet these wonderful creatures.

Gears of War: Reloaded

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Aug. 26.

The iconic Gears series is back with a new, remastered edition of the original game. This game maintains the original story of Marcus Fenix and his squad as they take on the alien Locust hordes and it includes a bonus campaign act, every multiplayer map and mode, plus characters and cosmetics unlocked through progression. 

This game is also coming to PlayStation 5 and PC, and thanks to cross-play functionality, you’ll be able to play with and against your friends on those platforms.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Aug. 28.

Step into the enchanted world of Thedas, a land full of untamed wilderness, glittering cities and strife. A pair of corrupt ancient gods has broken out of their hold and is wreaking havoc across the globe. It’s up to you to gather a team and stop them, but that’s just the main quest. You can also embark on side quests and companion quests that shed light on who they are and how the world is changing around you. Veilguard changes the Dragon Age formula with a more action-oriented approach, though it retains familiar aspects like branching dialog choices and skill trees. So get ready to dive into a wild adventure, make new friends and become a legend.

Games leaving Game Pass on Aug. 31

While Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass soon, the company is also removing five others from the service on Aug. 31. So you still have some time to finish up your campaign or any side quests before you have to buy these games separately.

Ben 10: Power Trip

Borderlands 3
Paw Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay
Sea of Stars
This War of Mine: Final Cut

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. You can also check out what to know about upcoming Xbox game price hikes.

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Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Beta Dates Have Been Revealed. Here’s How to Join

There are separate Game Pass subscription and preorder requirements to join the closed and open betas for the next Call of Duty game.

Clear your calendars for early October: The Black Ops 7 beta dates have been revealed on the game’s Xbox store listing, and they’re only a couple months away.

The next Call of Duty game is a collaboration between developers Treyarch and Raven Software, and it takes place after Black Ops 2 in the series’ chronology. While the Black Ops games jump around a confusing timeline, Black Ops 7 is a direct sequel to a 13-year-old game.

The game’s beta will focus on classic Call of Duty multiplayer modes and feature a mix of six-versus-six and 20-versus-20 maps. This larger-scale action is reminiscent of the Battlefield series — a longtime competitor that just finished hosting a successful beta of its own.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Call of Duty Black Ops 7 beta, including key dates and how to join the early access period.

Black Ops 7 closed beta date and requirements

If you want to jump into the Black Ops 7 closed beta and try the game before anyone else, you’ll need to shell out some cash. The early access beta begins on Oct. 2.

While access to the closed beta is limited, it’s still more widely available than previous Call of Duty closed betas. Usually, people who preorder the game get special access to the closed beta — this is still true with Call of Duty Black Ops 7. This time around, though, Microsoft is adding another way to play during the early-access beta period.

If you have an active Game Pass subscription, you’ll also be able to join the Black Ops 7 closed beta. Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Console plans are all valid subscriptions to gain access to the early Black Ops 7 beta.

Game Pass is already the best value gaming subscription plan available, so the Black Ops 7 closed beta access is just another way to sweeten the deal.

Black Ops 7 open beta access

Maybe you don’t want to preorder. Maybe you don’t like gaming subscription services and don’t want to grab Game Pass just for the Black Ops 7 beta. Whatever your reasoning for missing the closed beta may be, you’re not locked out of trying the next Call of Duty game forever.

The Black Ops 7 closed beta rolls directly into the game’s open beta period, during which anyone will be able to try out the new Call of Duty multiplayer experience. Black Ops 7’s open beta begins on Oct. 5. We don’t yet know when the beta period will end, although the minimum duration is two days long, according to the store listing.

The open beta period will allow any interested gamer to try out Black Ops 7 on their console of choice. Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will launch on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S and PC, and will feature cross-platform gameplay. While no official release date has been revealed, leaks point to a mid-November launch.

If you’re still playing the most recent Call of Duty game, Black Ops 6, check out our guide on how to make the most of the game’s double XP. If you’re looking to pick up the game after a long hiatus, learn how The Armory can help you catch up on the content you’ve missed.

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