Internal laptop webcams are just the absolute worst.
It has gotten to the point where people do not even care to look at the webcam specs when buying a laptop because they know whatever tech has been built into the machine is going to be budget at best.
Try speaking to anyone using an internal webcam and you will find poor grainy video, a low frame rate, and coloration that looks like everyone is sat in a darkened cave somewhere in the middle of a mountain range.
Buying an external webcam for your laptop is essential whether you want to make video calls or record content to post online.
Here we take a look at the options for the best external webcam for laptop.
Hopefully, you will find one that suits your needs.
Our List Of Top External Webcam For Laptop
Comparison Table for Top External Webcam for Laptop
IMAGE
PRODUCT
Svcouok Professional Full HD 1080P Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 110 degrees
- Dimensions: 4.9 x 3 x 2.5 inches
Amcrest 1080P Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 70 degrees
- Dimensions: 4.8 x 2.7 x 2.3 inches
TAOTUO Full HD 1080P Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 90 degrees
- Dimensions: 118.5 x 26.5 x 74.5mm
Youlisn HD 1080P Streaming Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 90 degrees
- Dimensions: 5.51 x 3.54 x 1.97 inches
AUSDOM AW615 Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 120 degrees
- Dimensions: 4.9 x 4.7 x 2 inches
ZLINK 1080P Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 70 degrees
- Dimensions: 4.88 x 2.99 x 2.51 inches
LifBetter Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 110 degrees
- Dimensions: 5.5 x 3.3 x 1.7 inches
intpw HD 1080P Streaming Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: 100 degrees
- Dimensions: 4 x 2.5 x 2.3 inches
Crosstour 1080P HD Webcam
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: Wide
- Dimensions: 2.76 x 0.79 x 0.98inches
Yarkor Premium 1080p Web Camera
- Frames per second: 30
- Vision Angle: Fisheye (not wide)
- Dimensions: 4.4 x 3.3 x 2.7 inches
Best External Webcams for Laptop Reviews
1. Svcouok Professional Full HD 1080P Webcam | Best Webcam For Laptop
The first webcam on our list is a brilliant model from Svcouok that, for a very affordable price, provides incredible picture quality and easy usability.
Of all the features this webcam boasts, the most notable is the wide-angle view of 110 degrees which is more than a lot of similarly priced webcams.
The wide-angle makes this webcam ideal if you want to share the screen with multiple people or are creating videos that will require you to be mobile and move around the room a bit more.
It is also useful for getting everybody in picture if you are sitting at something like a conference table.
This webcam will give you much higher definition than an internal webcam, with a crystal-clear FULL HD 1080P image ensuring you can see someone with the same clarity as if they were there in front of you.
30 frames per second ensure that you do not get a jerky picture with people jumping around the screen due to missing frames.
Even on dull winter days, or in rooms with dim lights, you will be seen clearly as the webcam has automatic low light correction to keep everything looking its best.
Highlighted Features
- Webcam is suitable for live streaming on most platforms including YouTube, Twitch and Facebook Live
- Perfect for use while online gaming with no frame lag
- Professional 5-glass lens enhances sharpness and corrects colors
- Easy to use plug and play set up
2. Amcrest 1080P Webcam | Best Webcams For Pc
If you are privacy minded, and find yourself using whatever you have available to block off your webcam so that hackers cannot spy on you, then this Amcrest webcam could be just what you have been looking for.
Amcrest have built this webcam with your privacy in mind, including a Privacy Cover so that when you are not using the camera, you can ensure that your privacy is not being invaded.
This webcam has a 3.6mm wide angle lens that will cover a full 70 degree viewing angle in Full 1080p HD quality.
If you have ever had the misfortune of using built-in laptop microphones you will know that they pick up sound very poorly and you usually end up plugging in your headphones just to be heard on their mic.
And the mic on a pair of cheap headphones is only marginally better.
The Amcrest has a built-in microphone that picks up sound and makes you sound like your natural self. This microphone also has the dual role of reducing other noise.
Perhaps you live in an area with heavy traffic, or the heat is such that you require a fan. This webcam negates all that outside interference so that your voice can be focused on.
Highlighted Features
- Compatible with most video sharing and live streaming platforms
- Mounting clip to easily attach to laptop
- ¼ tripod thread to easily set up on surfaces other than laptop
- 5 ft USB cable allows set up away from laptop if needed
3. TAOTUO FULL HD 1080P Webcam | Best Laptop Camera
This webcam from Taotuo has all the specs of the other high-quality webcams on this list but comes in at a fraction of the price.
Similar to the other webcams we have already seen, you will get a clean image from Full HD 1080P resolution and a 30 frames per second rate.
You will not be getting inferior image quality just because you have paid less money for the webcam.
Equally, this the Taotuo camera comes with a built-in microphone that cancels unwanted noise so that your voice is picked up cleanly.
You will even be heard with crystal clear clarity from a distance of 10 feet, which makes this camera ideal for a set up where you won’t be sat directly in front of it at all times.
Automatic low light corrections mean you will not have to go through the hassle of adjusting settings or moving your camera around the room to get the optimum position to ensure enough light gets on you.
Finally, this webcam has a 90-degree viewing angle, which is not the widest viewing angle you will find on this list but is not the lowest you will find either.
Highlighted Features
- Simple plug and play usage so no hassle of downloading drivers
- Contains 2 stereo omnidirectional microphones to better pick up sound
- Wide angle perfect for group video calls and the conference room
- Crisp HD images for professional looking live calls and video creation
4. Youlisn HD 1080P Streaming Webcam | Best Usb Webcam
Whether video calling, conference calling, live streaming or recording a video to post on an online platform, the Youlisn webcam has all the specs that really matter when looking for an external webcam for your laptop.
As you will have noticed from the other webcams on this list, the standard resolution for webcams at this price is Full HD 1080P with a frames per second rate of 30. The Youlisn webcam matches up to this expectation.
When livestreaming or conference calling you do not want your audience to see you messing around with the webcam to make it focus – it doesn’t send out a great impression.
This webcam will instantly focus on you, while also using facial enhancement technology to ensure that you are looking your best.
The microphone technology in this webcam will ensure that you are heard properly from a distance of up to 8 meters, with all extra noises detected and removed from the equation so that you have an improved in-call sound quality.
A 90 degree recording angle allows you to get a large section of the room you are in into shot, making this camera perfect for recording videos or live streaming where you don’t want to just sit head and shoulders in front of a camera.
Highlighted Features
- Extremely easy to use and set up through plug and play
- Adjustable clip allows you to securely to connect webcam to laptop
- Compatible with most popular video apps including Skype, ZOOM, and WhatsApp
5. AUSDOM AW615 Webcam | Best HD Webcams
The final webcam on this list of five is the rather sleek looking AUSDOM AW615.
While the other webcams on this list appear to be fairly box like, this model has a much more aesthetically pleasing cylindrical design. It certainly looks much more stylish.
Performance wise this webcam matches up to the others on the list.
With 1920*1080 HD quality images at a 30-fps rate from a 5-layer lens this webcam brings great pictures no matter what time of day it is, and whatever the light quality may be due to its BSI sensor.
One of the highlights of this webcam is the 360-degree rotation which allows you to film yourself from multiple angles and locations in a room, without having to completely reset the webcam.
Sometimes auto-focus can lead to a dizzying feeling as the webcam tries adjusting itself. If you are one of those people who does not like the device doing everything for you, then this webcam has a manual focus function.
Finally, a foldable metal memory clip conveniently allows you to connect this webcam to monitors other than your laptop, if you require a device that will be used with televisions and other forms of technology.
Highlighted Features
- Anti-distortion feature corrects images to keep the looking clear
- Video recording and video calling in 16:0 widescreen perfect for groups and conferences
- Omnidirectional microphone to clearly pick up sound
- Compatible with most social media platforms and video conferencing apps
Top External Webcam for Laptops Buyer’s Guide
The best laptop external webcam has a few features that are a must have in order for you to get the best possible video whether livestreamed or recorded. Here we give you some idea about what you should be looking for.
1. Resolution
The main reason why you need an external webcam is because even the cheapest best external webcam for laptop on the market these days provide a far superior resolution to the internal webcams on standard laptops.
With all the webcams you are looking at, 1080P full HD resolution is the only resolution you should be looking to get. It is what most entry level external webcams are packing.
2.Frames per second
One of the reasons that internal webcams are very jerky in how they broadcast images is because they have an exceptionally low frames per rate second.
Most external webcams negate frame lag by ensuring that there is a 30 frames per second rate.
That 30 frames per second now seems to be standard even on the most entry level webcam.
3.Viewing angle
Before buying a webcam, you need to think about what you will be using it for.
If you are one of those people who just needs their face on the screen to converse with people around the world, then a normal angle webcam of around 70 degrees is suitable for your needs. The focus will be absolutely on you.
Should you like getting your family members into the picture, or you record videos with a lot of movement involved then a wider angle will be needed. 90, 100 or even 110 degrees is readily available on affordable webcams.
Try to pair this with something that has a good auto-focus quality. Sometimes focusing is more difficult on with wide angle webcams.
4.Auto light correction
One thing you always want to do is look your best in your videos. You can try really hard getting ready for a video only to end up looking unwell because of the lighting.
Auto light correction will ensure that the webcam adjusts its settings to make sure the light in the room, even when it is dull and not at its best, does not lead to inferior picture quality.
5.Sound quality
Many people look at the visual aspects of a webcam and completely forget that audio issues can hamper what they are doing negating any positives of having a great visual look.
Ensure you look for webcams that reduce the amount of background noise by removing it. This way your voice is the focus of the livestream or recording.
Check how far away from the webcam you can get before it loses your voice. The distance is different from webcam to webcam with some not able to go past 6 meters.
Final Word
We are hopeful that you will have found a great external webcam in order to match your needs.
Without any shadow of a doubt the webcams on this list will provide a far superior video and sound quality than internal cameras and microphones do on standard laptops.
Buying one of these webcams will be cheaper than buying a higher end laptop, with a great camera, but lots of specs that you do not actually need.
Now, you can go with confidence and buy the best external webcam for laptop to record and stream in full HD quality.