Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000

April 2009. Reviewers are enamored with Logitech's QuickCam Pro 9000, which they report to be a top-quality webcam with outstanding optics, user-friendly software and excellent audio. The QuickCam Pro 9000 is priced accordingly; it is more expensive than many others on the market, but reviewers write that it is worth the expense and is priced similarly to other high-end webcams (which it outperforms). A few quirks are noted in reviews -- the QuickCam Pro 9000's range of motion is lacking compared to competing models, and some reviewers note minor focus issues. Overall, though, critics work hard to find anything wrong with the QuickCam Pro 9000 and overwhelmingly list it as a top performer. If you don't want to spend so much and don't need the best video quality, the Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 (*est. $35) is the top budget pick.

PCMag.com and CNET both offer fantastic evaluations of the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000; these reviews are balanced and comparative, and cover all major performance, features and installation concerns. Frank Harrell of CowboyFrank.net isn't quite as thorough in his narrative review, but his site is the go-to place for actual examples of webcam performance and allows for direct comparison to footage from competing cameras. Rounding out expert reviews are Pocket-lint.co.uk and Webuser.com. Neither of these sites pens a comparative review, but they describe performance and offer ratings systems by which readers can compare different models.