JLab JBuds Cam USB HD Webcam | Black with Optional White Faceplate | 1080P/30 FPS, 2.1 Megapixels | Auto-Focus | Dual Omni-Directional Microphones | Compatible with PC, Mac and Chromebook

JLab is a brand I haven't been all that familiar with in the past, but I've test-driven several of their products and have been impressed, overall, with the quality-to-cost ratio. My main computer's camera is a Logitech C920 (with an aftermarket privacy cover I purchased for it!) I'm very happy, overall, with that camera, but less so with the fairly bulky camera-software-package required to have it fully functional. Logitech likes to provide BIG driver-and-application packages, while Jlab goes in the exact opposite direction... NO additional software, only the drivers you'll download from Windows Update when you connect it, or the ones already built in to Windows. This is no drawback to someone with their own software already installed, but it does mean that if you have no camera or capture software, you'll need to get some in order to do ANYTHING with this little guy. Functionally, once you get past the absence of software issue (which wasn't an issue for me, but may be for some!) this camera works very nicely providing a high-quality 1920 x 1080 image at 30 frames per second. It does occasionally get confused about focus, especially if there's activity or a complicated backdrop behind you. But most other webcams share this issue, so unless you frequently have a cat walk around behind you while using this, it'll likely be just fine. The cosmetic "bonus" of being able to alter the front face appearance is meaningless to me, but then again, all my computer hardware is in black already. If you have all white stuff, however, putting on the light-colored front face might be preferable to you. It captures audio in full stereo, though not with as much separation between the two channels as you'd get with a proper studio setup, of course. The blue LED is a nice touch... my Logitech unit has a red one, and blue light is a bit less visually distracted when on top of a monitor. The mounting base works nicely with any of my monitors, and even with a television set in my living room where I tested it. It's not really designed to do table-top use not on a monitor, but that's possible, as well, I suppose... just be careful not to bump it! This works well with Skype, with Microsoft Teams, and with one or two other 3rd-party programs I've tested it with. I have no experience with streaming to an audience, so I can't really speak to whether it would work well there, but I see no reason it wouldn't. Overall, I'm quite pleased. I'd still prefer a full driver set with a dedicated control panel where I could tweak it, like my Logitech units all have... but am pleased not to get all the bloatware Logitech usually packages in their drivers/app sets. So, it's a toss-up in this regard. But given that very affordable cost, if you are happy with a "bring your own software" approach to webcams, and have no need for ultra-high resolutions or framerates... this is a very good choice.

It's inexpensive and works. It also fits on odessey g9 which was a plus. Weirdly the aggressive curve has not worked with some web cams but this one works great. I also like the whitish style camera cover.

Great picture and audio quality. Durability still needs to be determined, these things tend to break after 6 or 12 months, so we'll see. I may come back here

My setup is a desktop computer with a very large curved Samsung monitor and a second smaller monitor to the side. I was replacing a video/mic camera I bought in March or April of 2020 when I realized I wasn't going anywhere for a long time and would have many zoom meetings. The mic never worked on it and I have always used an auxiliary headset with a mic on it. The sound was always good and projected thru my speakers. First, the mic works. Wow. No more headset! Can't wait for my next meeting! (Yes, I can) Ease of set up? Well, I took it out of the box it was nicely packaged in, plugged it into my computer and it worked. I had to take a bit of time to position it on my monitor but with the way it is constructed, it was easy to adjust on the top of the monitor. I secured it with a Command strip just to make sure I don't knock it off when dusting. The video doesn't appear as sharp as the other one, and the display is a wider format than I am used to. That's fine and I can work on the position of my monitor to adjust that. There are no adjustments to the camera that I could find. I went to the JLab website, and could find the webcam, but didn't find any instructions beyond what came in the box...which was to plug it in and adjust it on the monitor. To be fair it does say it is wide format. I can easily work with that. So, the 4-star rating is because the video isn't as sharp as my last one. I'm a bit fuzzy in the picture. Honestly, I don't care, I'm not watching myself and try not to be showing my video any more than I need to. Often times I can turn my video off as it is a presentation I am watching. Besides, I have a working mic!

The webcam became an essential tool for remote work during the COVID pandemic and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The 'video call' is going to be with us for a long time to come and having the right equipment is now a professional necessity. The camera is arguably the most important piece of equipment for this use case. You can make a case that it's the microphone but based on my experience, it sure seems like it's easier to find good microphones than cameras. Here we are in 2022 and people that want to be perceived as 'professionals' still use cameras that make them look like they're holed up in an underground bunker. The webcam market at one point was pretty much 'one size fits all'. If you're of a certain age you no doubt remember the first widely used webcams in their distinctive round shape. That has changed considerably and now the webcam market is highly specialized with dedicated cams for conference rooms, dedicated cams for streamers, gamers and just about everyone else. That said, you can still get a solid 'all around' webcam that will make you look human on video calls while lending itself to other uses. I'm very familiar with JLab--they've got a reputation for making high quality audio products at a decent price. I've used their microphones, speakers, headphones, etc. and have always been impressed with their ability to produce excellent products at a serious value price. They also make peripherals like keyboards and mice (mouses?) and now they're in the webcam market. Can they deliver the same amazing 'price to quality' ratio visually as they do audibly? It sure looks like it (no pun intended). I tested this camera on several computers in all of the major video chat/meeting apps. This is the midrange camera in the JLab line--there's the GoCam with fewer features at a lower price point and the Epic Cam which costs more but delivers 5 mega pixels, 2k video and 15 adjustable exposure settings. The camera we're discussing here has a 1080p resolution, 2.1 megapixels and a 93 degree auto focus. For many people, this will be all they need for a work/personal webcam. Setup couldn't be easier--just plug the attached USB cord into the appropriate port. It should work without any tinkering or configuration. I had it up and running in seconds on three computers running Ubuntu. One really cool feature is the interchangeable face plates. I'm of the opinion that aesthetics are very important in devices like this--they help make your outer world harmonious which has positive effects on your inner world. You can choose from light gray and dark gray depending on your equipment or mood. The JBuds webcam has dual built in microphones that deliver decent sound. Personally, I'd always go with a dedicated microphone for any type of professional use but for other uses the on-board mics will do the job. What was most impressive was the quality of both video and still photos. I compared it against two big name, substantially more expensive webcams and the JBuds hung right in there. You'd have to be extremely knowledgeable about this type of equipment to discern much of a difference. Unless you work in the visual arts like advertising, I can't imagine you'll encounter too many people in your professional life that would be able to guess that you're not running a high end webcam. The 'quality to cost' ratio of this camera is off the charts. If you don't need cutting edge specs, it's hard to go wrong with this camera. I'll be looking out for new webcam offerings from JLab. Don't be surprised if they're a major player in the space very soon. Highly recommended.