Best of · Webcams
Best webcams for laptops in 2026
Your laptop's camera is worse than you think it is. What an external webcam fixes, and which ones clip on without fuss.
Our pick: A Logitech Brio 101 or 300, or a phone on a mount for free
Logitech
Brio 101
8.4≈$40-$50
The simplest upgrade from a laptop camera: better angle, better exposure, and a physical privacy shutter.
Pros
- • Genuinely plug-and-play over USB-A or USB-C
- • Privacy shutter, unlike most built-in laptop cameras
- • Significantly better than typical laptop sensors in dim light
Cons
- • Fixed focus
- • 1080p30 only
Logitech
Brio 300
8.3≈$50-$60
A little more money for better exposure handling — worthwhile on a laptop that lives in different rooms.
Pros
- • Improved low-light behaviour over the 101
- • Compact enough to carry with a laptop sleeve
- • Privacy shutter and a stable clip
Cons
- • Still 1080p30 and no autofocus on some variants
- • Clip fits thick laptop lids awkwardly
Insta360
Link 2C
8.7≈$150
If your laptop is also your streaming rig, this is where the image quality jump happens.
Pros
- • 4K capture that downscales to a sharp 1080p
- • AI framing for when you move around
- • Small enough to sit on a laptop lid or a tripod
Cons
- • Costs three times a Brio 101
- • Software required for the framing features
Any smartphone
Phone on a mount (Continuity Camera or an app)
8.5Free or a few dollars
The best free upgrade: phone cameras have far larger sensors than any webcam.
Pros
- • Dramatically better image quality than a laptop camera
- • Free if you already own the phone
- • Works over USB or Wi-Fi depending on the platform
Cons
- • Occupies your phone during calls
- • Battery drain and heat in long sessions
- • Needs a mount, and Apple's version requires a Mac
Laptop webcams are the weakest component in almost every laptop, and manufacturers know it. They sit at the wrong height, use small sensors, and offer few controls. Replacing one is the cheapest visible improvement you can make to how you appear on calls — and in some cases it is free.
What an external camera actually fixes
- Angle: an external camera can sit at eye level on a monitor, rather than looking up from the keyboard.
- Light gathering: even a $45 webcam has a larger sensor than most laptop cameras.
- Privacy: a physical shutter, which built-in cameras rarely have.
- Consistency: fixed framing, rather than moving with the lid every time you open the laptop.
The free option most people overlook
A modern phone has a far larger sensor than any webcam, and both Apple and Android support using it as a camera. On a Mac, Continuity Camera makes an iPhone appear as a video source with no configuration; on Windows, apps like DroidCam or Iriun bridge the phone over USB or Wi-Fi. The result is better than a $300 webcam in most rooms. The costs are battery, heat, and needing a mount.
| Option | Approx. cost | Quality | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in laptop camera | Free | Poor | Bad angle, small sensor |
| Brio 101 / 300 | $40-$60 | Good | Fixed focus, 1080p30 |
| Insta360 Link 2C | $150 | Very good | Needs software for AI framing |
| Phone on a mount | Free to $30 | Excellent | Occupies the phone, battery drain |
The fastest way to look better on a call is to stop using the camera that watches your keyboard.
Device Radar
The verdict
Buy the Brio 101 for about $40 if you mostly take meetings, the Brio 300 if your rooms are dim, or the Link 2C if you stream from the same machine. And if you own a modern phone, try it as a webcam first — it may save you the purchase entirely.
Questions we get
Is an external webcam better than a laptop camera?
Almost always, for three reasons: angle, sensor, and privacy. Laptop cameras sit below eye level looking up your nose, use small sensors that struggle in poor light, and rarely include a physical shutter. An external camera fixes all three for $40 to $60. The exception is a modern phone used as a webcam, which beats both.
What webcam fits an ASUS or MSI laptop?
Any USB webcam fits any laptop — there is no brand-specific compatibility for USB video devices, because they follow the standard UVC protocol. What varies is the mount: some clips struggle with very thick or tapered lids, and an inexpensive tripod avoids the problem entirely. Check the connector type, since thin laptops may need USB-C.
Do I need a privacy cover for my laptop webcam?
A physical cover is the only reliable way to guarantee the camera is not capturing, since software indicators can be wrong. Built-in cameras rarely have them, which is another argument for an external webcam with a shutter. Sliding covers for built-in cameras cost a few dollars if you prefer to keep using the laptop camera.
Should I use my phone as a webcam instead?
If you have a recent iPhone and a Mac, Apple's Continuity Camera makes it nearly automatic and the quality is far better than any webcam. On Windows, apps like DroidCam or Iriun work over USB or Wi-Fi. The trade-offs are battery drain, heat, and losing use of the phone — our phone as a webcam guide covers the details.