Are 4K webcams worth it? The pros and cons to consider

I always thought that buying a 4K webcam was only something that streamers and influencers should care about. I mean, how much better am I really going to look when I’m on a Teams call with my editors, or on a Skype call with my mom? It seemed quite silly to think about.

But I’ve been playing around with several webcam options to see what difference they actually make to everyday video calls and meetings — and as it turns out, there are some real positives with 4K webcams. There are some negatives, too. (And I don’t just mean that suddenly everyone can see that pimple you didn’t bother to cover up.)

Here’s what I’ve learned about why 4K webcams can be worth buying (and why they might not be) depending on your needs and use cases.

Related: How we test webcams at PCWorld

Pro: 4K image quality is indeed better

I know, mind-blowing take here… but bear with me.

Yes, 4K webcams obviously look nicer than their 1080p or 720p counterparts, and that’s thanks to more details captured in their images. The improved sensor quality in 4K webcams makes a massive difference to how you and your environment look on camera.

Take a look at my selfie shots below, which were taken with three different webcam resolutions, all in the same lighting condition. The first shot comes from the built-in 720p camera on a 2019 Acer Predator Triton 500 laptop. The second is from a 1080p Logitech C920s Pro. The third is from a 4K Logitech MX Brio.

Selfie shot taken with 720p Acer Predator Triton 500 laptop webcam — Taken with 720p Acer Predator Triton 500 laptop webcam.

Jon Martindale / IDG

Selfie shot taken with 1080p Logitech C920s webcam — Taken with 1080p Logitech C920s Pro webcam.

Jon Martindale / IDG

Selfie shot taken with 4K Logitech MX Brio webcam — Taken with 4K Logitech MX Brio webcam.

Jon Martindale / IDG

These were taken with ambient light, with the two main sources being the window (behind me) and a static ceiling light (above me).

It’s fair to say that the 4K webcam looks substantially better than the 720p option, and even quite noticeably better than the 1080p alternative. It has a much wider field of view, plus greater detail and clarity. The colors are more natural and nuanced, and it’s better at handling the contrast of a bright backdrop (the window) with a darker foreground.

Sure, going from a 720p built-in webcam to a 1080p standalone webcam still offers the biggest bump, but there’s definitely an argument to be made that the image quality of a modern 4K webcam stands out.

Related: Why are laptop webcams so bad?

Con: 4K webcams are silly expensive

With most laptops — and even some monitors — coming with their own built-in webcams, it can seem silly to spend any money on a separate webcam, let alone a lot of cash. But if you’re thinking of buying a 4K webcam, then you will have to spend quite a bit for one.

The Logitech C920s Pro webcam (1080p) that I used in these comparisons is available for around $70 at most retailers, which is fairly affordable and maybe even justifiable. But the Logitech MX Brio webcam (4K) is sold for around $200. That’s… not cheap.

Throw in that anyone spending this much on a webcam should also consider some kind of external lighting setup — see below — and the price for looking hot on camera starts to seem kind of mad, especially if you’re only using it to chat with relatives or for your virtual D&D game.

Pro: Software adjustments make a big difference with 4K webcams

Logitech MX Brio webcam settings dashboard presets

Jon Martindale / IDG

With a 4K webcam, you actually get more than just the physical hardware for your money. For example, the Logitech MX Brio comes with a range of software features that help make it (more) worth it.

Also, keep in mind that with a 4K resolution, you have more pixels to work with — and that means digital zoom is far more capable. You can zoom in or crop down to whatever shape and size you like, all without compromising on image quality. Meanwhile, zooming in on a 1080p video is pretty noticeable, and don’t even think about zooming in on a 720p image. (Many built-in webcams don’t even have this functionality.)

In the case of the MX Brio — and some other 4K webcams — you can also adjust exposure (automatically or manually), switch on HDR mode, enable low-light compensation, adjust color balance and temperature, and even change focus manually. That can be awesome if you don’t want autofocus overreacting every time you adjust your positioning.

Con: A non-4K webcam can be just as good with proper lighting

Remember when I said it was worth getting an external light for use with your webcam? Well, it turns out you can get a pretty great-looking picture even with a cheaper webcam as long as you have good lighting.

That’s because cheaper cameras cut corners in areas like low light compensation and high dynamic range. If you can provide enough light for the webcam to work with, and if you position those lights to illuminate you the right way, then your webcam will produce a far better image.

The best part? The price of a good lighting setup plus a modest webcam is usually cheaper than a high-end webcam.