TECH REVIEW: Logitech’s high quality webcam

Logitech Brio 4K PRO

Cool factor 4½/5
Usability 5/5
Value for money 3½/5

Whether you’re working remotely or in an office, video meetings are the norm. And if there’s one area laptops tend to overlook, it’s the resolution of webcams.

Even Apple’s Macbook Air is known for its grainy webcam, which is a problem even in good light.

So the best way to address this oversight is to get hold of a good-quality webcam.

We’ve been testing the Logi-tech Brio 4K Pro, the company’s best-quality webcam. It comes in a travel bag with a separate compartment for the 2.2m USB-C cable. It includes a separate privacy shutter.

If your laptop only has USB-C ports, you will need an adaptor as the other end of its cable is a USB-A port. The webcam is almost plug-and-play; additional software is not compulsory, but you need to select the camera as the default choice on the video app that you use. For those who prefer granular controls, you can download the Logi Tune Desktop app.

When I tested it on my Air for the first time, I opened FaceTime and went into video settings to choose the Brio instead of the default one.

The difference was startling; you can compare the two against each other on the preview window on Zoom, Webex, Google Meet, and so on. It is also certified for Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business and you can log in to Windows 10 with facial recognition through its infrared sensors.

The Brio offers various fields of view: 65° for just a head-and-shoulders, or 78° and 90° which include more of your workspace and room. It is optimised for streaming, has 5x digital zoom support and can be mounted on a tripod.

It does 4K video at 30fps; 1080p at 30/60fps; and 720p at 30/60/90fps. The omnidirectional mic features noise cancellation.

The Logitech Capture software makes it easier for video content creation as it includes studio controls, live text overlays, multisource recordings and 9:16 vertical videos for mobile viewing.

The Logitech Brio 4K Pro is aimed at professionals who rely on video meetings in high quality, streamers, content creators and webinar presenters. For everyone else, an entry-level webcam will suffice.

On FirstShop.co.za it costs R3,695.