The Best Mac Webcams in 2022

If you are looking for a new webcam for a Mac computer in 2022 or a better webcam than Apple gives in a MacBook or iMac, there are several options available. One of the leading names in webcams is Logitech, with two products making it into the best Mac webcams list. Another top pick is from Obsbot, with advanced AI face tracking built right into the hardware.

Whatever kind of camera you’re looking for, here are the best Mac webcams to buy in 2022.

Obsbot Tiny 4K

Motor-driven face tracking on the device

The Obsbot Tiny 4K is a pretty interesting alternative to the popular Logitech Brio. Matching the leading brand’s 4K resolution and with AI-guided motors that can pan and tilt the camera to frame your face, the full quality of the camera sensor is always used. The range of motion is unparalleled, with horizontal reach of up to 160 degrees and vertical angle adjustment of 90 degrees.

The face tracking feature is built into the hardware and works right out of the box with gesture control, without having to install the software first. There’s a Tinycam app for fine-tuning, and it works with MacOS, offering various options and manual control of image quality.

While it’s a bit more expensive than some 4K webcams, the unique physical-tracking capability is worth the extra cost for long meetings and video presentations where movement is inevitable. Obsbot Tiny 4K can zoom in up to four times to get a tighter shot, which is where the 4K resolution really helps so that the video stream doesn’t get grainy and blurry.

The Obsbot Tiny 4K is the best Mac webcam for high quality recordings, and like any 4K webcam, it can also stream.

Logitech Brio 4K Pro

The best of Logitech is crisp and clear

Logitech’s Brio 4K costs significantly more than a 1080p webcam, but its ability to record sharp, high-resolution video and serve as a standard webcam earns top marks. It comes with software that is compatible with a Mac computer, but the facial recognition feature requires Windows Hello software and is not compatible with MacOS.

The Logitech Brio is easy to attach to any monitor with a built-in clip and there is also a standard tripod mount, which is nice for laptops. Logitech also includes a Privacy Shield to ensure that video cannot be seen if the webcam is accidentally turned on.

Of course, a 4K webcam costs more than a 720p or 1080p model, but it has the potential to deliver much better results, especially when used for video recording. This is one of the best webcams on the market, following only the lesser known brand Obsbot with its new 4K webcam.

Logitech C920 HD Pro

It just works

Logitech’s C920 regularly appears in the top picks for webcams because it’s a very solid and inexpensive option. This is a 1080p webcam that lacks the advanced features of the top two picks, but has a robust feature set and quality image.

For owners of MacBook laptops 2021 or 2022 or iMac 2021, the 1080p camera built into these computers offers better quality, so don’t bother buying the Logitech C920. For any other Mac, this is a worthy option. It’s better than the 720p cameras of older models and a nice solution for desktop Mac computers without a webcam.

Razer Kiyo

Including own ring light

Razer’s Kiyo webcam is another 1080p option that offers a built-in ring light. This can be a nice option if you’re traveling with a MacBook, as there may not be an option to control the angle of the lighting. The light also makes it possible to use a webcam without other lights on. That means this can be taken camping or even ghost hunting, while still offering an option to use the webcam.

By turning the ring, you adjust the brightness of the light, giving you intuitive and practical control. It’s a decent overall webcam, but won’t hold up when compared to Apple’s 1080p FaceTime camera.

GoHzQ W8A

It’s a bit of a surprise that the cheapest webcam on this list is actually a 4K resolution. Chosen as one of the best webcams in our collection of five popular webcams on Amazonthis sleeper beat out four other under $70 webcams with its color accuracy and sharpness.

With no software required for Mac compatibility, it’s a great choice for desktop Mac computers without a webcam or even MacBook models that use a 720p webcam. It would be unfair to compare the GoHZQ W8A to webcams that cost a lot more, but at the bottom, it stands out above its weight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing a Mac webcam

When choosing a webcam for a Mac, the most expensive model is not always the best. Everyone wants nice, sharp video, but quality is often limited by software rather than hardware, as streaming video calls are compressed to work over lower bandwidth internet connections and to allow for multiple streams at once.

Is the webcam used for video recording or for conference calls and live streaming? If recording video is the primary use, it may be worth paying a little more and getting a better quality webcam. For streaming and video calls, many 1080p webcams can perform as well as the 4K resolution models.

What is the best webcam for Macs?

If you’re using a MacBook or iMac, there’s already a built-in webcam, and some of Apple’s latest models have 1080p FaceTime cameras that include Center Stage software to zoom in and track your face as you move. . While this is a nice feature, the quality suffers compared to the higher resolution 4K webcams available from Obsbot and Logitech. When looking for the very best quality with advanced face tracking, it can make sense to use one of these top-notch third-party 4K webcams.

Do MacBooks Have Good Webcams?

MacBook webcams are generally good enough for basic video calls, but most models can’t compete with the sharpness of third-party 1080p webcams. Even the latest M2 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro released in 2022 have outdated 720p webcams.

The 2021 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are exceptions. Both have an ultra-wide 1080p webcam that Center Stage uses to track faces digitally with automatic pan and zoom. Digital zoom reduces video quality, meaning 4K face-tracking webcams will beat the 1080p webcam of the 2021 MacBook Pro.

Do all webcams work on Macs?

While not every webcam will work with a Mac, most newer models will, and every webcam listed above is compatible with a Mac. MacOS now supports USB webcams without the need for a driver from the manufacturer. That could mean some special features won’t work unless the manufacturer specifically states it’s compatible with a Mac. In some cases, an adapter may be required to connect a USB-A cable to a USB-C port.

Is the iMac webcam good?

Apple’s latest iMac includes Center Stage, which uses artificial intelligence to detect faces. This allows macOS to automatically zoom and pan, tracking a person as they move within the ultra-wide camera’s view. While it’s nice to have a little more freedom during a video call, there is a compromise in quality.

This feature can be turned off, resulting in a beautiful 1080p webcam. Similar AI-enhanced features are included in many 4K webcams, and the extra resolution preserves quality better than trying this trick with the built-in iMac webcam.

Older iMac computers come with 720p webcams, which generally have good colors but look soft compared to cheap third-party 1080p webcams.

Many Mac owners also own an iPhone, which can be used as a premium webcam in conjunction with a third-party app such as the camo app, which is free to use and offers more options at a low cost. Apple has “Sherlocked” this developer by building a similar feature into iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, which will be released in Fall 2022. For occasional use, this can be a good choice and somewhat eliminate the need for a third-party product.

However, a dedicated webcam offers a faster option, as webcams can simply be clipped on and even mounted on a monitor or tripod. Any of the 4K webcams listed above will offer a noticeable upgrade over the webcam built into a MacBook, iMac, or even the new Studio Display, which still only has a 1080p webcam.

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