Laptop Webcams

Lightweight webcams designed for notebook computers

Most webcams come with a little stand that allows you to place it on your desktop or on top of your monitor, and some have clips that can attach to notebook computers, too. However, a USB webcam specifically made for laptops is ideal if that will be its primary use. Dedicated laptop webcams attach more securely and easily, and are smaller and lighter than their desktop counterparts. Some newer laptop webcams perform as well as, or better than, many upscale desktop models. As noted earlier, many newer laptops come with integrated webcams, but those are not always as good as standalone models and are not as flexible.

According to reviews, the Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks (*Est. $80) is the best webcam for laptops and gives even the best standard webcams a run for their money. No other model earns as much recent support from reviewers. Logitech has revised this webcam with a very minor change to the name (QuickCam Pro for Notebooks instead of QuickCam for Notebooks Pro), so older reviews are less useful. EverythingUSB.com has an outstanding comprehensive review that is illustrated with webcam photos and screenshots, and it favors the QuickCam Pro for Notebooks over standard desktop webcams from Creative and Microsoft.

The QuickCam Pro for Notebooks is nearly identical to the QuickCam Pro 9000 in terms of specifications. It features a 2-megapixel sensor, glass Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, the ability to capture video at resolutions up to 1,600 pixels by 1,200 pixels, various software effects and both RightLight 2 technology, which automatically adjusts for light conditions and RightSound, which filters background noise.

The differences between notebook and desktop webcams are in the size and mounting mechanisms -- the QuickCam Pro for Notebooks has a clever attachment clip that maximizes maneuverability on a notebook or LCD desktop monitor. It also comes with a stand for desktop use, though reviewers warn that the USB cord is too short for most desktop users.

The Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks Deluxe (*Est. $40) and entry-level Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks (*Est. $35) do not impress most reviewers, though the Deluxe scores fairly well with Amazon.com customers. Unlike earlier models (released under the same name), these webcams include enhanced noise suppression and a snapshot button. In addition, the Deluxe now sports a glass rather than a plastic lens. Frank Harrell comments that with Logitech, you generally "get what you pay for," and according to reviews, this holds true for their notebook webcams. The QuickCam for Notebooks Deluxe delivers poorer video and audio quality than the QuickCam Pro for Notebooks, but it is also significantly lower in price and may be a good option for budget shoppers.

Other brands' laptop-specific webcams generally don't fare as well as Logitech models. VideoCallTips.com rates Microsoft's LifeCam NX-6000 (*Est. $55), along with other desktop Microsoft models, as mediocre, with the comment that there are better webcam models from Logitech and Philips available in the same price range. Laptop magazine's review of the NX-6000 finds that the webcam is difficult to adjust, produces bland colors and experiences video delays.

CNET covers the newer LifeCam NX-3000 (*Est. $45), one of the few review sites to do so. Matthew Elliott is unimpressed, finding that it "delivers acceptable video quality and little else." Elliott complains that the NX-3000 requires manual adjusting for image quality and that image suffers in low-light conditions. Yet he also reports that with some adjustments, the video output is superior to that of the Creative Live! Cam Notebook Ultra, though still far behind the Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks. Similarly, Frank Harrell at CowboyFrank.net writes that the NX-3000 is a better option than Creative's notebook webcams, but not as good as Logitech's models. Harrell adds that he prefers Microsoft's higher-end NX-6000 to the NX-3000, describing the NX-3000's output as "fuzzy."

Creative's top portable webcam, the Creative Live! Ultra for Notebooks (*Est. $65) is not highly recommended in any credible review. The Live! Ultra for Notebooks has a 640-by-480-pixel sensor, which positions it below the top Logitech and Microsoft models. Professional and user reviews cite problems with the software, with many users at Amazon.com saying they couldn't get the webcam to work. The Live! Ultra for Notebooks has a wide-angle lens. It doesn't have an integrated microphone, but you do get a headset.