Built-in webcams have gotten pretty proficient in recent times – and for good reason. More people today than ever before rely on webcams to communicate for work, school, and creative endeavors.
So that got me thinking: does anyone really need an external webcam anymore? Maybe skating by with your laptop or phone is good enough. The more I dug into it, though, the more reasons I saw for some of us to have a webcam, and for others to stick with what they already have.
Are laptop cameras good enough?
Built-in laptop cameras are the strongest argument for no longer needing a webcam in 2025. Just about every laptop webcam you’ll see today either has a resolution of 720p or 1080p, which matches the quality you’ll find in the majority of external webcams.
Combine that resolution with the suite of ever-evolving software for making the laptop image look sharper, blurring your background, and tracking your movements, and it may seem like your laptop webcam is good enough to save you from having to pay for a new camera.
And for many people, it is.
If you primarily use your webcam for the occasional video chat with family and friends, or a quick daily standup at work, you probably don’t need the added benefits of a new webcam and are better off saving your money.
But as I’ll delve into more later, there are a number of reasons why you may need something with a little more kick to it than what’s already in your laptop.
But first, let’s talk about the external webcam you already have in your pocket.
Using your phone as a webcam
I’ve seen this trend more and more as phone cameras improve and receive a lot of those same software benefits that laptops have gotten. It’s a savvy idea: hook your iPhone or Android up to your laptop or PC and let it act as an external webcam for an easy quality boost.
TechRadar contributor Alex Blake wrote a great piece that dives into whether you should ditch the webcam for your phone, and as he discusses in the article, your phone camera is going to beat your laptop webcam almost every time.
If you’re using an iPhone and a computer running macOS, this is as simple as using the Continuity Camera. For Android users (or iPhone users who want to sync up with a Windows machine) you can use one of the best webcam apps instead.
This solution does come with its own host of trials and tribulations, though.
Namely, you’re going to need to position your phone somehow. The best way to do so is with a phone tripod or gimbal, though these can be tough to adjust and some are rather expensive.
Plus, you’ll have to set your phone up all over again when you’re done with the call or stream, whereas you can sit a webcam atop a monitor and easily reset its position.
And what if you need to use your phone during the video call, or your phone runs low on battery? You’re out of luck.
Using your phone as a webcam is a solid answer for a quality upgrade, but it’s not the right choice for everyone.
If you see yourself here, you may still need a webcam
There are a few main reasons I’d recommend opting for an external webcam.
If you often participate in long meetings, meet with new clients, or give presentations at work, looking your best will make a good impression and improve the quality and clarity of the call for others.
Similarly, if your laptop camera isn’t quite up to snuff and you frequently work on group projects or create content and video assignments for school, a new webcam can be a boon for your classmates and grade.
Speaking of creating content, streaming has absolutely blown up in popularity in recent years, and if you’re trying to stand out from the crowd, a high-quality cam can definitely set you apart.
It’s also a good idea for prospecting YouTubers to look clear and presentable. It’s not entirely necessary, but if you’re serious about content creation, picking one of the best webcams in your budget will really improve the caliber of your content.
There are a number of features a good webcam will have that your laptop and phone simply won’t, such as an adjustable mount and superior autofocus and low-light balance capabilities. Some even have excellent built-in microphones that will blow your laptop mic out of the water.
So if any of these sound like you, there’s a good chance you’ll benefit from picking up a new webcam. However, if your video needs consist of you jumping on a call with a friend now and then, the webcam in your laptop is very likely good enough to suffice.
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