Hands-on review: Logitech 4k Pro Webcam

These days, especially when working from home, your standard laptop webcam just won't cut it.

Most built-in webcams on laptops are HD (high definition). This means they are recording video at 1,280 pixels wide and 720 pixels high. This is typically at 30 fps (frames per second).

The Logitech 4k Pro Webcam is a totally different level. It is UHD (ultra high definition) which means the video is 4,096 pixels wide and 2,160 pixels high at 30 fps.

You also can choose an in-between mode called FHD (full high definition), which is 1,920 pixels wide by 1,080 pixels high. This is available at a high frame rate of 60 fps.

These three different sizes are known as 720p, 4k and 1,080p, respectively.

The webcam has a shiny piano black look, which sits nicely on top of any external monitor or laptop screen. The clip that sits on your screen is actually connected to the webcam with a standard camera fitting. This means you could mount the webcam on a camera tripod if you wanted to. This could be useful for full body video or vodcasting.

In our experience, it coped exceptionally well with either very low light or very bright scenarios. These can be difficult for most webcams. Logitech puts this down to its RightLight 3 and high dynamic range (HDR) technology which adjusts to highlight the person in the shot.

It also supports Windows Hello facial recognition technology with its built-in infrared detection, saving Windows users from entering passwords each time they sit down.

A zoom of up to 5 x, as well as auto-focus, can be used in conjunction with a background replacement technology so you can have video meetings virtually anywhere.

Field of view is an interesting advantage. Most webcams have a field of view of around 70 degrees, while this device takes that right up to 90 degrees. This could mean you could have multiple people sitting in front of the webcam side by side and still in the picture.

The built-in omnidirectional microphones worked incredibly well and were seriously better than our built-in laptops option.

The back of the webcam has a USB-C connector on it. Then included in the box is a USB-C to USB-B cable. For most people, that's fine, but if you want to plug it in over USB-C, you will need a USB-C to USB-C cable. We found the cable included to be the perfect length at just over two metres long.

It supports Windows, Chromebooks and macOS devices.

In summary, this is a superb quality high-end webcam, which is incredibly versatile and easy to set up. It took great video in all lighting scenarios and is worth the price point. Stock is expected in stores in April.