Review: The Logitech Streamcam is a Fantastic But Pricey Webcam
I was recently in the market for a new webcam for my desktop. I wanted one that would be good quality and have a good picture. I don’t stream, but am in an online graduate school program with a weekly Zoom meeting for each class and I play D&D and other games on a weekly basis with friends. I don’t care about having 4K, but would rather have a higher frames-per-second. I talked with Logitech and they were kind enough to send me a Logi Streamcam to review. Over the last several weeks, I’ve greatly enjoyed having this camera.
Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect with the Streamcam. First, the MSRP is currently about $169.99 and it’s available from Logitech and many other outlets. It’s available in White (the option I was sent) or Graphite which is a dark grey. The Streamcam has a built-in cable to connect to your computer via USB-C and is designed to handle up to 1080p video at 60fps. It comes with a mount for your monitor, but also has a mount to use with a tripod. I found this to be very thoughtful as it opens up a bit of versatility with no additional purchase. You can use the Logitech Capture software if you run a Mac or Windows 10 although it appears Windows 11 users do not have the luxury. That being said, Logitech G Hub is able to adjust settings for the camera on Windows 10, Windows 11 and Mac devices. G Hub integration is especially nice if you have other Logitech products like I do with a gaming keyboard and gaming mouse.
Out the gate, I was sad because the webcam does not come with any kind of adapter for people still limited to USB-A ports on their computers. Thankfully, I was able to find one on Amazon that was able to deliver 1080p with 60fps. You do need to be careful when getting an adapter because other adapters I tried weren’t fast enough and would get stuck at either 720p/30fps or 1080p/30fps. I just wish an appropriate adapter had been included in the box.
Once I got the adapter, setup was a breeze. I plugged it in, used Logitech Capture to check my frame rate and resolution, and was good to go in a matter of minutes. Of course, with the software, you can really dive into settings and tweak a considerable amount. If you’re curious about quality, I’ve made a brief video that walks you through a number of resolutions, frame rates, lighting conditions, and even a test of the built-in mic that can be compared with my dedicated mic.
One area that the Streamcam seems to struggle in is general video content. I’ve been using it to record a number of videos lately as an overhead camera and it seems to struggle with giving a clear and crisp picture of the subjects of the videos if it’s not a person. Of course, you can tweak settings and get better results, but the auto-focus appears to really only work when human flesh is involved.
Overall, I think the Streamcam is fantastic. It does feel pricey at over $150. It is really nice, but I think it should be closer to $100 personally. After watching the video, what are your thoughts on the Streamcam? What’s your webcam of choice?
