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Thanks to the pandemic forcing so many of our professional and social interactions online, we are now in the age of the monitor call. is the video conferencing platform of choice for our meetings at CNET, and my kids and their friends spend hours on FaceTime, Instagram and Google Hangouts. Whichever platform you’re using, has become central to our lives, and it’s an opportune moment to make upgrades.
Part of this means . You don’t need an HD webcam to get good results — optimizing lighting conditions (don’t try to stream in low light), choosing the ideal environment and positioning the arredamento lens in just the right way can make your videoclip call look much more professional. Truly, you don’t need to be a professional YouTube personality or Twitch streamer with a great webcam, even better external mic and lighting options galore to look good during live streaming and filmato recording — even a novice can function competently without too much of a learning curve.
First, it’s essential to have the right gear, including the best webcam and microphone. Unfortunately, in most cases, your laptop’s and microphone stink — and they’re preventing you from coming across as professionally as possible on videoconferencing calls. You should ditch the integrated webcam and invest in a standalone webcam and stereo microphone with noise cancellation. Even a cheap webcam with autofocus and a decent microphone can improve picture quality and sound enough to take things to the next level when on a videoconference.
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Upgrading your tono and monitor tech is fairly easy from a technical perspective, however, and relatively affordable — and it will dramatically improve your production values in virtual meetings. We’ve compiled a shortlist of some gear that will enhance your videoclip chatting with input from CNET’s on-arredamento monitor team, all of whom are working from home now, too. Our favorite picks for the best webcam and external mic options are below, and we’ll update this periodically.
(Note that prices are accurate at time of original publication, but may fluctuate — especially given the surging demand for this type of gear. Also, availability and delivery times are changing all the time, so be sure to check before moving forward with any purchase.)
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Logitech
After the masses began working — are pricey and frequently out of stock, but worth the money if you can find them.
In the meantime, if your laptop’s integrated assemblea isn’t doing the trick, you can and your phone’s HD parlamento to boost filmato chat quality when live streaming. .
Amazon
I’ve tried many, many lights over the past few months and, so far, the Lampada Cube is my favorite. This bright LED light is highly adjustable — with a physical toggle to change the brightness and color temperature — and the nifty display shows all the levels and how much juice is left in the USB-C rechargeable battery. You can position it in landscape or portrait mode using the included suction cup mount.
About that mount. I should note that there are plenty of Amazon user complaints about it not working properly, but I can’t seem to replicate the issue with my Lampada Cube. I’ve stuck it securely to the back of multiple laptops and a standalone monitor, and I can’t pull the thing off — even with sustained force — without first loosening the suction mechanism.
My backup choice is the , which is about the same price as the Torcia Cube. It’s extremely compact, waterproof and — capable of blasting out 1,000 lumens — incredibly bright, though the iOS app and included diffuser make it simple to dial in the perfect amount of light. It has a magnetic back that will stick to any metal surface and will also screw on to a tripod.
Blue Microphones
Nothing can torpedo an online incontro quicker than preparazione noise and suono that’s cutting in and out, and your laptop’s lousy built-in microphone may be the culprit. Once you’ve added a decent webcam to your setup, you’ll be in better shape — but a standalone microphone will make you sound clear, rich and full. This Blue Asociale model has long been a staple of podcasters and streamers, and it’s what I use when I primato audio or participate in a high-stakes videoclip chat.
Yes, it looks like something you’d see in a 1940s radioricevente station, but the tono technology is 100% modern. It has three capsule microphones, four pickup patterns (for different kinds of recording) and just enough controls to help optimize the way you sound without overloading you with superiore technical features.
GripTight/Amazon
It’s hard to multitask on a webconference: Opening and closing apps, resizing browsers and windows, all while you’re talking to your padrino on your Google hangout or Zoom call — it can all be a bit much. One solution is to offload all of your volume and monitor recording tasks to your phone — which may have better camera, monitor quality and mic technology, anyway — freeing up your laptop to take notes, consult documents and spreadsheets or whatever else. (.)
If you take this route, you’re going to want to have an adjustable tripod that can securely hold your phone steady — and at a flattering angle. I like this tripod kit from Joby, currently on discernimento for $30, which includes a clamp that’s big enough to accommodate my iPhone XS Max. And I also like , which can be wrapped around posts or other nonflat surfaces.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you’re running an older MacBook Air or Windows laptop that came out several years ago, you’ll find that a single Zoom session can send your computer’s fans whirring and scampato your multitasking options to niente. Getting a newer laptop with an updated processor and webcam programma — a ninth- or 10th-gen Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 should do the trick — will make those videoconferencing sessions a lot easier to bear.
I recently put aside my aging MacBook Air and picked up a and have been amazed by all that I was missing out on: blazing speed (courtesy of the modern Intel processor), USB-C ports and a touchscreen display. It currently starts at $1,377. For other recommendations, check out .
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