With the best laptop webcam built into your computer, you can enjoy great image quality, silky smooth performance and innovative features. And with remote work and virtual meetings as commonplace as ever, for many webcam quality is an essential consideration when choosing a new laptop.
Of course, you don't just buy a laptop for its in-built webcam: you want it to do all sorts of other things too. That's why we test all aspects of the best laptops, to make sure they deliver on all fronts.
In this article we've listed the best laptops that feature great webcams as well as fast performance, great picture quality, and more besides. However, if you'd prefer to stick with your current laptop, then you could alternatively connect a separate exterior webcam (or even mirrorless camera) to your PC, and perhaps use a ring light or other illumination device too.
Best webcam laptops
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The best laptop webcam overall
The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a 2-in-1 detachable tablet computer that blends the portability of a tablet with the versatility of a laptop, although the optional Pro Flex keyboard is a must, and it isn't cheap.
The Surface Pro 11 can be specced with a 2880 x 1800 OLED display so your images look the part. But where this 2-in-1 really takes some beating is webcam quality. It boasts camera with an incredible 12MP, 4032x3024 resolution. Thanks to the machine's AI-focused NPU, the webcam benefits from Windows Studio Effects - these provide handy video enhancements like automatic framing, eye contact correction, and advanced background blur during meetings.
Elsewhere, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X manages to be powerful without being power-hungry, and it can be specced with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, making the Surface Pro deceptively potent.
The best Apple laptop webcam
Our reviewer found a lot to love about the latest MacBook Pro 14 (M4, 2024). The screen is stunning, and the new M4 chip absolutely blows old Intel chip-equipped MacBooks out of the water. Plus when it comes to the webcam, it boasts a high quality 1080p camera.
Overall, this is a hugely powerful laptop, although may be overkill for some many, especially if you're not doing a lot of resource-intensive tasks like photo or video editing. So if you want a 1080p webcam, you may prefer to save a little money and opt for the previous 2023 M3 MacBook Pro, or even the latest M4 iMac.
See our full MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) review
The best laptop webcam for gamers
The Razer Blade series are all gaming laptops, but having those powerful CPU and GPU chips also makes them better for doing other things, like intensive image or video editing. The 1080p camera found at the top of the Blade 16’s screen should provide excellent image quality, plus it enables Windows Hello functionality. Naturally with so much performance on tap, you'll pay a high price to get your hands on a Blade 16 (and that's before you get tempted by the options list!). But if you want a Windows laptop that'll stay as future-proofed as possible, it may just be a worthwhile investment.
The best laptop webcam for business meetings
Lenovo’s ThinkPad line are business-oriented machines with a reputation for having everything you need to be an executive on the move, and that goes for the webcam too.
The display on the X1 Carbon Gen 14 is sharp and bright, with LCD or OLED options, and above it sits either a 5MP or 10MP webcam, depending on the spec you choose. It’s a Windows Hello compatible camera, so you can unlock your laptop with just your face, and it features a wide field of view, along with automatic distortion correction, so you and your colleagues should look your best in a meeting.
While this is far from the cheapest laptop out there, it has a very serious specification to match its serious status, easily performing all day in video conferences and office work.
FAQs
What is the typical resolution of laptop webcams?
Most laptops come with 720p HD webcams these days, though some higher-end models may have 1080p or even 4K webcams. The resolution offered will obvious impact on the quality of your videos, although bear in mind that some services won't support higher resolutions. For example, Zoom does not currently support 4K video. The highest possible resolution you can achieve on the platform is 1080p.
Can I disable or cover the built-in webcam for privacy?
Yes, you should be able to. Nearly all laptops allow you to disable the webcam through software settings. Many also have a physical privacy shutter or removable cover to block the camera lens. Ultimately, if neither of these things are available, you could simply place some sticky tape over the lens.
What's better: a built-in webcam or an external webcam?
Built-in webcams are more convenient because you don't have to attach anything to your laptop. However, external webcams tend to have better image quality, more features like autofocus, and greater adjustability for positioning. For more see our article on The best webcams.
How to choose the best laptop webcams
When choosing a laptop webcam, there are several key factors to consider. First, resolution: look for at least 1080p full HD resolution, as this will provide sharp, detailed video suitable for professional video calls and streaming. Low-light performance is important if you frequently have video calls in dimly lit rooms. Also, consider privacy features like camera shutters or kill switches to disable the webcam when not in use for security. Finally, prioritize laptops with high-quality microphones if you need excellent audio capture.
How we test the best laptop webcams
We put each webcam model through rigorous real-world testing to thoroughly evaluate its performance. We make video calls and participate in virtual conferences using each webcam to assess video and audio quality in real meeting environments. We stream live video using the webcams to judge their suitability for applications like game streaming. We record video of ourselves with the webcams under different scenarios to critically analyze footage quality. We don't just focus on video: audio quality from the webcam's built-in microphones is also carefully evaluated during testing for clarity and noise cancellation.
