还在为电脑自带摄像头效果不佳而烦恼吗？本文为你解读外置摄像头的优势，并提供选购要点。外置摄像头通常提供更清晰、更细腻的画质，以及更丰富的自定义选项。文章介绍了外置摄像头的基本概念，并解答了价格、功能、安全等常见问题。选购时，需要关注内置麦克风、视野范围、图像分辨率和帧率，以及在不同光线条件下的表现。此外，隐私安全也不容忽视，建议不使用时遮盖摄像头。最后，文章还提到市面上罗技、Anker、雷蛇等品牌的优秀摄像头型号，助你找到适合自己的最佳选择。

🎤内置麦克风：部分摄像头内置麦克风，若对音质有较高要求，建议选择外置USB麦克风。某些麦克风还具备降噪功能，可以有效减少环境噪音干扰。

🔭视野范围：视野范围决定了摄像头捕捉画面的宽度。标准视野范围在80度左右，适合单人或双人使用。选择合适的视野范围，确保画面能够舒适地容纳你或你的团队。

🖼️图像分辨率与帧率：图像分辨率越高，画面越清晰。常见的有720p(HD)、1080p(Full HD)和4K(UHD)。帧率越高，视频越流畅。通常60fps的帧率效果最佳，但30fps也能提供无延迟的视频体验。注意，多数平台支持1080p/30fps。

💡光线处理：关注摄像头在不同光线条件下的表现。如果面部常有过曝或过暗的情况，选择能良好处理光线变化的摄像头，或具备可调节对比度、曝光和白平衡的软件。

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

When it comes to webcams, there's one thing you can rely on: The webcam built into your computer isn't up to scratch. At least, not if you need it for professional purposes, whether that means video meetings or YouTube content creating.

The good news is that you don’t have settle for subpar video every time you hop on a call or drop your latest short. There is another way: an external webcam.

External webcams are clearer, more detailed, more advanced, and just, well, better. Before you buy one, however, there are a few basics you’ll need to know. Here's some helpful information, plus a selection of the best webcams, to put you in the picture.

What is an external webcam?

An external webcam clips on the top of your screen or sits on a little tripod and plugs in via USB or Thunderbolt, rather than being a part of your computer or laptop. Most external webcams — especially high-quality cams — come with software that lets you manually adjust features, resolution, frames rate, white balance, exposure, and so on. Ultimately, an external webcam can be an easy way to make your video quality better and more consistent.

Are external webcams expensive?

They don't have to be expensive. There are webcams on the cheaper end out there that are still a step up from built-in webcams. Of course, the more you pay, the clearer the image and greater the customisation options, but upgrading to an external webcam doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot.

What features do webcams have?

This isn't an exhaustive list, but it's useful to keep these things in mind when shopping for a webcam:

Built-in mics — Some cameras come with one built-in mic, two built-in mics, or no mics at all. If crisp sound quality is important to you, spring for an external USB microphone. Webcam mics are never really built to wow. However, if your computer setup has no mic at all, grab a webcam that comes with one so you can make sure you're being heard on your calls. Some mics also have noise cancelling capabilities to cut out ambient background interference.

Field of view — If you want a webcam that frames you nicely (as in, not so small that the smallest adjustment will cut you out of the picture, and not so big you see the whole room in the background) check out the field of view, which describes the width of the area a camera captures. The standard sweet spot on most webcams hovers around 80 degrees, which can fit about two people comfortably.

Image resolution and frame rate — There are a few image resolutions you’ll come across, including 720p (HD), 1080p (Full HD), and 4K (UHD). As you might have guessed, the higher the resolution, the higher the picture quality. While the image resolution is all about clarity, frame rate is all about smoothness. Typically, a higher frame rate like 60fps looks smoothest, though 30fps will still offer lag-free video. Only the highest quality webcams support 4K/30 fps and most video call/streaming platforms support 1080p/30fps.

Lighting — If you find that your facial features are almost always lost to overexposure or that your image looks so dark you're giving villain-in-a-found-film-horror-movie-energy (absolutely a vibe but maybe not the one you want on client calls), look out for webcams that handle changing light conditions well or have software that allows you to adjust contrast, exposure, and white balance.

Keep these things in mind when beginning your purchase process.

Are webcams a security risk?

There isn't a greater privacy risk with an external webcam than a built-in webcam. But with any webcams, external or otherwise, you should be aware that webcam hacks are very much a thing, even if you don’t have your camera on. The rule of thumb is that if you have a webcam, you should be covering it every time it’s not in use. There are external covers you can buy for most kinds of webcams and some webcams.

What is the best webcam?

We've searched high and low for the very best webcams and lined up a selection for you. There should be something for everyone and every budget in this roundup, including popular models from top brands such as Logitech, Anker, and Razer.

These are the best webcams in 2025.