The Razer Kiyo family of webcams has something for everyone

With the shift in work culture to more remote work, the webcam has become a ubiquitous and essential component of any home office setup. Since the webcam has come into vogue, brands left and right are showing off their wares as remote working consumers seek the perfect product for those on-camera work meetings and huddles. Gaming peripheral company Razer is one such contender, and its Kiyo line of webcams promises to fit the bill for workers, streamers, and players alike.

I went hands-on with the full range of Razer’s Kiyo webcams to learn more about the different models offered, and help you understand which webcam suits your needs best.

What is the image quality like on the Razer webcams?

Three are pretty decent with one standout

In my testing I found that the video quality on the Razer Kiyo Pro, Razer Kiyo X, and Razer Kiyo, were all pretty similar. They all capture images at a maximum of 1080p, though the original Kiyo captures larger still images than the X and Pro. There is also some variance in max frame rate as the Kiyo Pro can capture 1080p at a max of 60fps as opposed to the max of 30fps found on the Kiyo X and original Kiyo. The real step up in clarity and image quality comes on the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, which bumps you up to 4K capture on a much larger sensor, capturing at greater than 8MP. Below you’ll see some images taken on each of these webcams.

When selecting a webcam, you may want to consider some performance aspects aside from just image quality, depending on your application. For instance the Razer Kiyo and Kiyo X feature a fixed FOV, while the Kiyo Pro and Kiyo Pro Ultra have adjustable FOV settings for a wider or narrower view. Additionally, while both the original Kiyo and Kiyo X feature auto-focus, the Kiyo Pro and Pro Ultra feature much more advanced auto-focus features that can be fine-tuned in Razer Synapse.

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The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is the best premium webcam I’ve ever used

This DSLR-quality webcam is perfect for streaming and zoom meetings.

How do I pick the right Razer webcam?

Work, play, or both?

Deciding on the right Razer Kiyo webcam depends a lot on how seriously you are willing to invest in your webcam. If you are not interested in spending over $100 then that takes two out of the equation right off the bat. For those that take a lot of work meetings where they are looking right at their monitors and trying to interface with colleagues or bosses, the ringlight on the original Kiyo is a great tool to have at your disposal. It can be easily turned off when you don’t need it, and set as bright or as dim as needed to enhance your image just a touch on those important calls. Once the ringlight is off, it performs equally or better than the Kiyo X depending on whether you are using it more for video or still images. This makes the Kiyo X altogether redundant in the current lineup.

If you are looking for a step up in versatility, viewing angle, and the ability to customize things like FOV, then you’ll want to consider the Pro end of the lineup. The Razer Kiyo Pro has similar still image and video quality to the lower end options, but has the added feature of 60fps capture on video at 1080p, which Kiyo and Kiyo X lack, as well as 3 different FOV settings to choose from.

Finally, if your goal is to simply have the best webcam image quality among your cohorts, gamer buddies, or work mates, then spring for the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra. It remains the best of the lineup, and the one I was most impressed with, but it will cost you significantly more than the other three put together.