If you plan on using some of the more popular models for Vtubing besides a reactive PNG, you will need a webcam. Let’s go over some of your different options and why you might want one versus the other.
A webcam for a reactive image sounds counterintuitive. You’re not using yourself for the stream; you’re using your model. You still need to use yourself as the basis. Your movement. Your eye tracking. Your lips. With how advanced you can make your model, it matters.
We will go over the different webcam price points, features, and more.
Let’s get started!
All You Need
The Logitech C920 is the gold standard for an all-in-one webcam and a solid choice for vTubing. It has 1080p and 30fps; it has great tracking and auto-focus capabilities. It’s just an all-around great camera.
Usually it retails for about $70, which is a great deal for such a high-quality camera. It will do a great job if you need to use it for work or streaming purposes other than your actual face. Sometimes the most popular choice is the most popular for a reason.
If Money Is Tight
NexiGo N60
If you’re looking for something a bit more budget-conscious, try the NexiGo. Clocking in at $40, you’re going to be saving a good amount of scratch. Boasting a 110-degree field of view, you’ll get some wide shots, which is helpful if you try tracking.
Overall it’s not going to be as sharp as the C920. Still, you’re using it for tracking rather than image quality anyways.
Top 5 Webcams For Vtubers
1. Logitech C920 – Best Bang for Your Buck
As we said before, the C920 is the gold standard. It easily attaches to the top of your monitor, it’s reasonably priced, and it’s able to do everything in 1080P with good autofocusing. If you just need something that’s going to do everything and do it well, you can’t beat this option.
The only thing you really have to worry about is that the field of view isn’t super large, which could make spacing awkward, but that’s about it. Overall this is a great option for vtubers, and it gives you a ton of bang for your buck.
Pros
- Good Price Point
- High Quality
- Good Auto Focus
Cons
- Low FOV
- No 60fps
2. Logitech Brio 4K – Best 4K Option
Let’s say you want to go with something a little bit more expensive and with a higher resolution. The Logitech Brio 4K is our choice for 4K webcams. It offers a large amount of freedom with multiple FOV options, and the high resolution is going to allow for a lot more precise movement tracking.
So if you’ve got a live2d model with a lot of really intricate movements based off of how you move, you might want to spend a little bit of extra money and grab yourself a 4K cam. As a bonus, at lower resolutions you can go up to 90fps!
Pros
- Super High Quality
- Great Auto Focus
- Multiple FOV Options
- Up to 90 fps
Cons
- Most Expensive
- Poor software reviews
3. NexiGo N60 – Cheapest Option
If you’re in the market for something that’s not going to break the bank, we definitely recommend NexiGo. Coming in at only a $40 price tag, you’re getting a good camera with good quality that can help get you started.
The dip in quality compared to the C920 and especially the Logitech Brio is obvious, but it’s still pretty good. So if you’ve only got $40, definitely pick this one up.
Pros
- Super low price
- Decent picture quality
- Wide FOV
Cons
- Not great in low-light situations
- No 60fps
- Some reviews mentioned issues with autofocus
4. Razer Kiyo – Best For Low Lighting
Where you’re streaming might not have an optimal setup for lighting. Your room might be pretty dark because of only a few light sources. You might not have gotten a backlight yet, but with the Razer Kiyo streaming webcam you don’t have to worry about that. It has a ring light built into its design, so you won’t have to worry about your model going crazy because the lighting isn’t ideal.
Clocking in at a regular price of $100, you’re definitely paying for that extra bit of convenience. That, along with a 60fps setting at 720p, makes this a great deal. You won’t have to spend as much on other equipment, and you might be able to get smoother animations as well.
That being said, the camera quality does leave a little to be desired at this price, leaning more towards good than great clarity. All in all, this is another great ratio of features to price.
Pros
- Good Price Point
- Very High Quality
- Good Auto Focus
Cons
- Low FOV
- Still no 60fps
5. Logitech C922x – Best 60 FPS Option
If you’re looking for something that’s going to be a little bit better than the C920 but you’re not quite ready to jump in price to go to 4K, the C922x is that perfect sweet spot in the middle. This camera is a higher-quality version of the C920 with 60fps capabilities and higher clarity than the Razer Kiyo.
Right at $100 even, you’ll get a good mix of quality images, great autofocus, and doing well enough in low light to make this an easy pick for vtubing.
Pros
- 60 FPS option
- Great in low light
- Good Auto Focus
Cons
- Low FOV
- Some reviews mentioned poor build quality. (But not a ton)
Things to Consider When Buying a Webcam for Vtubing
Those are our top picks, but let’s dive a little bit deeper into the reasons why we picked the cameras that we did.
Eye & Face Tracking
If you’re a vtuber, it’s easy to forget why you need a good quality webcam. You’re not on the screen!
That’s true, but for your model to animate properly, it needs to be able to track your eyes and face. If you have a budget-friendly webcam, your vtuber software might not be able to clearly translate what you do over to your model.
Low Light Performance
Another easy-to-ignore consideration is lighting and how well your webcam performs under different lights. Just like eye and face tracking, if your webcam doesn’t do well in a low-light situation, you will need to shell out extra money for improved lighting.
It’s one of those cases where if you don’t invest properly now, you’ll wind up paying for it later. Otherwise, it won’t be able to tell between you, your eyes, your hands, and the wall behind you. (Or that giant collection of figurines and Funko Pops).
Frame Rate
Ah, yes, the eternal source of conflict between console and PC gamers. Frame rates. Simply put, your animation will be smoother if you have a higher FPS camera. It’s important to ensure that it’s capturing a true 60fps and that it’s not using AI to upscale fps. That could lead to some issues.
Budget
Not everybody is Mr. Beast! We don’t all have hundreds of thousands of dollars just lying around. It’s important to be budget-conscious when making these kinds of decisions.
Just because you’re going to go for a budget choice right now doesn’t mean you’re always going to. That’s why we made sure we went through various price points.
So, What Is The Best Vtubing Webcam?
It’s easy to look at all these options and get Choice Fatigue. You might have already been scouring dozens of choices on Amazon or a different electronics website (perhaps even hundreds!). But for us, there’s a pretty clear winner for your average vtuber: the C920.
Long considered the gold standard of price meets performance, we really can’t recommend this one enough. At such a budget-friendly price and genuinely great video quality, it’s the obvious pick. There’s a reason why it was the first thing you saw us recommend at the top and the first listed in our roundup.
Sometimes the popular choice is the popular choice because it’s the best choice. And in this case, that’s exactly what the C920 is.
WINNER
