Home working is still a thing in 2021 and with the increased likelihood that it’s here to stay it’s time to upgrade your laptop webcam.
How do you choose a good budget webcam from the hundreds out there?
Here are the top 5 things to look for and the best webcams under £40.
What to look out for when choosing a budget webcam?
Choose a Webcam with Great Video Quality
Video quality should be the key decider when choosing a budget webcam. Adding ’1080p’ to your webcam search will help you find this. Whilst seeing 1080p or 720p doesn’t mean the webcam is going to be great a HD webcam is a great starting point for your search.
Find Real Amazon Reviews for Webcams
We all know that many reviews on Amazon are fake so how do you choose a good budget webcam with genuine reviews?
When you click into the reviews on Amazon you want to look for:
- Number of reviews – If a product has 1000+ reviews you know some of those are going to be genuine.
- Images and Video – When you’re buying a product like a webcam look for reviews that have images and video from the actual product (There’s a lot out there with images of the product but not many with video from the product).
- Verified Purchase – Pay more attention for reviews with the ’Verified Purchase’ link.
- Read the good and the bad – Make sure you select some 5 star and some 1 star reviews to get a feel for the product.
Top Tip – You can search reviews for keywords is your especially bothered about finding something e.g. ’Sound quality’ will help you find the reviews that talk about the quality of the audio.
Choose a Webcam with Good Audio Quality
You might already have some Apple AirPods or a headset you use for your video calls so sound quality might not be a big deal but it’s worth looking out for budget options that talk about sound quality. This is where reviews can be super helpful.
Find A Compatible Webcam
Make sure you look for webcams that are compatible with your laptop. This is as simple as reading the specification of the product and checking that it lists your version of Windows or Mac OS.
Budget Webcams: Our Top 4
1. Logitech C310 HD Webcam
The Logitech C310 is the only one in our top 4 that doesn’t have 1080p video and comes in at 720p video recording at 30FPS but the quality of the lens makes up for this.
This webcam comes in at just under £40 and clips onto the top of your laptop or monitor alongside working as a stand on a desk or shelf. It works with Windows and Mac and connects via USB.
This meets both our audio and video quality requirements and even has noise cancellation to help you come across clearly on your next Zoom call.
2. Teaisiy USB Webcam with Microphone
This is the cheapest option on our list coming in at an impressive £20 but don’t let that put you off.
This budget webcam from Teaisiy can clip to your laptop or monitor or sit on your desk and has 1080p HD video with a wide-angle lens and microphone with built in noise production. The Teaisiy webcam is compatible with Windows, Mac and Android connecting via USB.
The Teaisiy webcam has a nice modern look (we prefer it to the Logitech) and has a whopping 13,500 reviews at time of writing. A great budget way to improve that terrible FaceTime camera on your MacBook.
3. Jelly Comb HD 1080p Webcam with Autofocus
This budget option from Jelly comes in at just under £30 and is packed with features including a privacy cover, 1080p HD video and dual mics with noise-cancellation. Like our other webcams it connects via USB and is Windows and Mac compatible.
4. Aukey Webcam 1080p Full HD
Our final choice comes from Aukey, a company who we know from their great smartphone accessories. This one sits at £37 and is a great performer.
The Aukey webcam has 1080p Full HD video, can clip to your laptop or sit on your desk and works with Windows, Mac and Android.
Aukey have also packed in some colour correction technology and dual stereo microphones.
Which budget webcam is right for you?
Each of our top picks would make a great choice but if we had to choose one we’d choose the Aukey as it packs the most features and looks great. However, don’t just take our advice, check out our favourite webcams below.
