Other than washing your damn hands more, if there's one thing we've all learnt over the past 18 months it's that a decent webcam is a God-send. As we continue to work remotely and video chat with friends and family, we've decided to check out one eye-catching cam that could up your face game. We review the AVerMedia PW315 Full HD Webcam.
We were recently reminded that even high-end, expensive laptops can often have rubbish built-in webcams. Many computer manufacturers still see webcam quality as an afterthought, meaning most us must look elsewhere for decent picture and video quality. Enter AVerMedia.
Better known for producing high-end, professional quality camera and streaming tech, AVerMedia have used that experience when putting the PW315 Full HD Webcam together. This is therefore a Full HD cam, boasting 1080p at up to 60fps, with two dedicated microphones and an adjustable, swivel mount.
Oh, and a full-sized USB cable, which we appreciated. Lately we've found that many webcam makers are bundling their products with USB-C cables, for pretty obvious reasons. However, USB-C ports are still fairy limited on laptops and desktops, and some require direct access to the port, so no sharing via a dock. That's why we were glad to discover the AVerMedia PW315 Full HD Webcam came with USB 2.0.
The cam itself is just 95mm wide and set inside a pleasing cylindrical body. The laptop clamp is tough enough to grip even the thinnest of screens, and there is a tripod screw port in the base, should you wish to mount it elsewhere. Flick the sliding cover over the camera and you've got your privacy guaranteed, while the 95 degree capture angle means you can use it for group calls.
The image quality from that 1080p sensor is great, especially in the correct lighting environment (meaning, if you care enough about a cam to fork out more than £100, you should definitely also be thinking about lighting). We found that although it was great right out of the box and plugged in, the functionality of the webcam increased hugely when used in conjunction with the app.
AVerMedia have a webcam app called CamEngine which is a free download for Windows and Mac. It offers a wealth of extras that can you get the very best from the PW315 Full HD Webcam, such as adjusting exposure, white balance and adding filters. It's a nice extra touch to help you get your money's worth.
All in all, this is a sound all-rounder. The AVerMedia PW315 Full HD Webcam offers great image quality, excellent sound pick up, and easy plug-and-play functionality. For a world which, for now at least, continues to require remote working and video calls, it's a must have bit of tech.
£109.80
Available from amazon.co.uk