I can see clearly now that I’ve got the Logitech Brio webcam. This is one of the best webcams around thanks to its high quality video capture, which goes up to 4K resolution and supports HDR. The dual microphones offer impressive audio quality to match the picture, making this an excellent choice for video conferencing. Video professionals can also use the Logitech Capture software to finetune camera settings and produce top notch footage, and the camera even supports 4K video streaming to YouTube.
As great as the Logitech Brio is, there are a couple of lurking disappointments, including a dodgy clip and privacy cover. Though it’s primarily sold for video conferencing, few services support 4K video, and the Brio is more than you reasonably need for video calls. This webcam also comes at the high price of $215, which is more than most people would likely spend just to improve the quality of their video calls.
Specifications
Video Resolution: 2160p at 30 fps, 1080p at 30 or 60 fps, 720p at 30, 60, or 90 fps
Field of view: 90, 78, or 65 degrees
Image resolution: 4096 x 2160 still images
Connection: USB 3.0
Cable: 1.5-meter (4.9 feet) cable
Mount options: L-shape joint or Tripod (not included)
Compatibility: Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.10 or later, Chrome OS Version 29.0.1547.70 or later
Design
The lozenge-shaped Brio webcam is a classy and reassuringly solidly-designed webcam with a glossy black front section and a gray metallic body. The front is made of glass with the camera lens in the center, an LED indicator light to the left, an infrared sensor to the right, and omni-directional microphones at the bottom on each side.
Simon Hill/Business Insider
Relatively lightweight at 63 grams, the Brio features a tripod screw mount in the bottom with a USB-C port around back. Most people will slot the L-shaped clip into the screw mount and use it to balance the Brio on top of a monitor or laptop screen. There’s also a privacy cover that slots onto the top and has a flap that can swing down to cover the lens. Sadly, the clip and cover don’t match the premium look and feel of the webcam itself. Both are made of black rubbery plastic that feels a bit flimsy and are great at attracting dust.
The cable is thick and plugs into the USB-C port on the back of the Brio. At just shy of five feet, it’s long enough to accommodate a standing desk setup. Since it’s detachable, you also have the option of switching it.
While I’m not a big fan of the clip’s look or the fact that it hooks over the top of my monitor and covers a browser tab, that’s par for the course with webcams. I didn’t have any issues adjusting it to the angle I wanted, and it stayed securely in place, but it doesn’t work quite so well with thin laptop screens where it’s easily bumped out of position.
Setup and interface
The Logitech Brio is a plug and play webcam. Connect one end of the cable into a USB-A port on your PC or laptop and the other to the USB-C port on the webcam and you’re good to go. The webcam offers solid auto-focus, great color accuracy, and automatic white balance straight out of the box. I used the Brio for video calls in Google Meet and Skype without installing anything extra and it worked fine.
If you want to dig into the camera settings, you need to install Logitech’s Capture software. It’s a straightforward app that allows you to tweak the resolution, frame rate, exposure, field of view, zoom, anti-flicker, and a few other settings. If you want to crank the resolution up to 4K, just be aware that you need to connect via a USB 3.0 port and use software that supports a 4K resolution. You can also use the Logitech Capture app to record 4K video, and the app also offers the option to capture your screen with a second source and four different presets for picture-in-picture.
Performance and features
The Logitech Brio webcam’s big selling point is its ability to capture video at a resolution of up to 4,096 x 2,160 pixels, which it does very capably, resulting in a crisp and richly detailed picture. If you want 4K support in your webcam, there are very few options right now. However, it’s important to note that very few services support 4K today. None of the usual suspects, including Skype, Zoom, or Google Meet support 4K right now. In fact, the only services we know of that do are TrueConf and Vidyo. It’s also worth remembering that if you want to stream in 4K, you’ll need a lot of bandwidth. For people seeking a webcam for video calls, 1080p is likely more than enough since most services run video at 720p or lower. The Brio offers 1080p at up to 60 fps and 720p at up to 90 fps.
I found the quality of the video and still images with the Logitech Brio to be excellent. The color accuracy was spot on, but it was the HDR support that really impressed me. HDR enables the Brio to handle extreme lighting or mixed lighting impressively well. For example, even with a shaft of bright sunlight hitting my face in an otherwise darkened room, the camera didn’t blow out the brightly lit area and the detail level remained high. Graininess inevitably creptin as it became dark, but the Brio handled low light very well compared to other webcams I’ve tested.
Simon Hill/Business Insider
The Brio offered great quality for video calls, although it was the audio that grabbed my attention, or rather the other caller’s attention. Since the Brio has dual omni-directional microphones, the audio quality remained high with my voice coming through crystal clear even when there was background noise in my house.
The resolution will depend on the app you’re using, but you can also install the Logitech Capture software to open the full range of camera settings. If you’re looking to record videos, this should suit you nicely since it balances a good range of options without veering into overly complex territory. The ability to add a second source and overlay your webcam feed makes it a potentially handy app for seasoned and budding streamers alike.
The Capture app also enables a 5x zoom, though it’s only digital, and you can pan around with directional controls. The field of view can be set to a very wide 90 degrees, a more familiar 78 degrees, which is the most common field of view for webcams, or a tighter 65 degrees. You can also play around with different backgrounds, overlay text and effects, and there’s a chroma key option for people with a green screen.
The only thing I had an issue with was the autofocus when using the Logitech Capture app. I had to turn it off and on again quite frequently to get it to work properly, but thankfully that was never an issue in video calls.
Windows Hello support is another bonus here, though setup was a little flaky and required a couple of restarts for me. After that, it was convenient to unlock the PC automatically using facial recognition, though you obviously have to remember to lift the privacy cover for it to work. The Brio has an infrared sensor, so it recognizes you even when it’s dark.
Should you buy it?
Yes, but only if you demand the very best and don’t care about the price, or if you plan to record or stream 4K video.
What are your alternatives?
There isn’t really anything that matches the Brio right now, but that illustrates the fact that it’s more than most people need in a webcam.
Video streamers might consider the Razer Kiyo, which is around the half the price of the Brio. It can’t handle 4K or high frame rates, but it does offer a respectable 1080p at 30 fps and 720p at 60 fps, and it also has a built-in ring light.
If you mainly just want something for video calls, the Logitech C920S is much cheaper, offers 1080p or 720p at 30 fps, and has a privacy shutter, and two integrated microphones for good audio quality.
The bottom line
Simon Hill/Business Insider
The Logitech Brio is an excellent webcam that captures video at a range of resolutions and frame rates with great color accuracy and HDR support for enhancing the overall image quality. The dual microphones guarantee clear audio, making this a great webcam for recording presentations or video conferencing. The Brio may also be the best choice right now for anyone looking to stream in 4K.
Pros: 4K resolution, high quality audio, HDR support, up to 90-degree field of view, works with Windows Hello
Cons: Expensive, lacks optical zoom, clip and privacy cover don’t match build quality of camera