Logitech C920 webcam review

Having a reliable webcam is becoming increasingly more important, especially with the rise of remote working. And although most laptops right now come with built-in cameras, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that you might want to invest in an upgrade to enhance your video conferencing or game streaming experience.

Despite its age, the Logitech C920 webcam is still among the best webcams available. Plus, if you want some earbuds alongside your webcam the Logitech G333 earbuds are a great pairing with this webcam. 

In our Logitech C920 webcam review below, we’ve highlighted what we thought of its design and features, as well as how it’s been able to compete with newer webcams which have launched since its release almost a decade ago.

• Best microphones
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Logitech C920 webcam: Price and availability

The Logitech C920 webcam, which initially launched in 2012, is priced at $80 (or a little less with one of our Logitech promo codes). However, stock shortages,  increased demand and price gouging have all affected webcam availability, so finding one for a fair price might prove to be a bit of a challenge. Be sure to check out our story on where to buy webcams if you’re having trouble locating a particular model.

Logitech C920 webcam: Video and audio quality

The C920 can record and stream video with crisp full HD images at 1080p up to 30 frames per second, which can also be reduced to 720p at 30 fps.

Overall, this is a noticeable improvement over the vast majority of built-in laptop cameras. In a comparison between the Logitech C920 and the built-in camera installed on my 2019 Razer Blade 15 Quartz, you can clearly see the difference in image quality:

As you can see, despite having identical camera angles and lighting conditions, the quality of the image produced using Logitech C920 is noticeably better than the built-in camera on my laptop. The colors appear more vibrant on the image captured on the C920 while also producing a much sharper image.

There’s also noticeable improvement in the way the C920 captures the background as well, preserving most of the clarity that you risk losing out on a native laptop camera. This is evident particularly when paying attention to details of the star projection on my office wall.

While testing the webcam’s performance during one of my regular Twitch streams, I was reasonably impressed with how well the C920 handled itself, maintaining a smooth frame rate and sharp images throughout the duration of the test.

The C920’s  wide angle lens offers a 78-degree field of view. This makes it a solid choice for family video calls as the Logitech C920 is able to comfortably fit several people in a single video frame.

The webcam’s autofocus feature is also very reliable, easily adjusting its focus whenever I needed to shift around my desk.

However, if you’re looking to use this particular webcam as part of a streaming setup, you might want to consider investing in either a standalone microphone or a gaming headset. The Logitech C920’s dual audio sensors are not very good, and I’ve personally found that in most cases, even using a laptop’s built-in microphone yielded better results.

Logitech’s G Hub is no-nonsense and straightforward to use, allowing you to adjust basic settings such as digital zoom, focus, exposure, brightness, contrast, sharpness, white balance and saturation.

Logitech C920 webcam review: Design

As is the case with many webcams, the Logitech C920 webcam is a bulky piece of equipment. The device measures in at 5.71 ounces in weight, with dimensions of 3.7 x 2.8 x 1.7 inches. Unlike the newer C920s though, the Logitech C920 lacks a privacy cover for its lens.

This webcam has a versatile plastic clip, which allows you to prop it up on your desk, attach it to a tripod using the mount located at the bottom of the device or place it on top of a computer monitor.

However, the C920’s bulky build can sometimes result in the webcam covering up a small portion of the computer screen if your monitor has a thin bezel:

Logitech C920 webcam review: Verdict

Overall, the Logitech C920 webcam is one of the best affordable webcam options available. Thanks to its great 1080p video, it’s a quality replacement for your laptop’s built-in webcam for an improved video conferencing experience. The C920 is also a good addition to any beginner Twitch setup.

The downside is, with low availability for the time being, it might be a bit tricky to get a hold of. But if you’re able to find one for a reasonable price, it’s bound to improve your work-from-home setup.