Dell’s fancy new webcam records in 4K and supports Windows Hello

There has been almost no competition in the PC webcam space for years, with Logitech being the only company releasing new models, and even Logitech was mostly just adding minor changes to its existing products. The uptick in working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic finally convinced technology companies that many people are interested in high-quality webcams, and now Dell has released its own model with a high-quality 4K sensor and other helpful features.

The Dell UltraSharp Webcam has a price tag of $199.99, placing it in the same category as the Logitech Brio. Just like Logitech’s webcam, the Dell UltraSharp has a maximum resolution of 4K and support for Windows Hello (so you can log into Windows with face scanning). The camera also has a magnetic mount, a 4K Sony Starvis CMOS censor for higher image quality, three field of view settings, a detachable privacy shutter, auto-framing, and a USB Type-C port.

Design was also an important factor for Dell. “This Dell UltraSharp webcam,” the company said, “delivers a sleek design and premium all-aluminum cylindrical body. While most traditional webcams are rectangular, the UltraSharp Webcam’s thoughtful circular form factor and slim monitor mount ensures minimal front-of-screen distractions so you can focus on your presentation – not your equipment.”

Early reviews for the webcam appear to be mostly positive. PCMag rated it 3.5/5 stars, noting that the video quality is excellent, but exposure can be tricky and there’s no built-in microphone. ShortCircuit (owned by LinusTechTips) also liked the Dell UltraSharp. Still, $200 is a lot for a webcam, especially when the compression on most video chat platforms is the limiting factor for image quality, not the hardware.