Webcams are a hot commodity these days, and if your laptop’s built-in camera doesn’t do you any favors, Razer’s new Kiyo Pro promises to keep you looking good, even in poor lighting.
The $ 200 Kiyo Pro focuses on popular premium webcams like Logitech’s Brio and SteamCam, among others, but also has a few major upgrades from Razer’s older webcam.
The biggest change is that in contrast to the standard $ 100 Kiyothe Kiyo Pro does not have a built-in ring light. Instead, Razer has upgraded the Kiyo Pro with a larger 1 / 2.8-inch full HD CMOS Sony Starvis back-lit sensor, which has been tweaked to deliver improved image quality even in harsh conditions, such as low light or a background with backlight. The ultimate goal of the Kiyo Pro is to deliver solid image quality without the need for additional lighting.
The Kiyo Pro can record video at up to 1080p / 60 fps or 1080p / 30 fps with HDR for enhanced color and lighting. The webcam also offers three fields of view: 80 degrees, 90 degrees or 103 degrees. And for audio, the Kiyo Pro also comes with a 16-bit stereo microphone with an omnidirectional polar pattern, which seems fine for general use, but isn’t really meant to replace a high-quality external standard microphone.
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While I haven’t had a chance to fully test the Kiyo Pro yet, I have to say I like the design. It’s simple and surprisingly understated in a way that should work for gamers and people working from home alike, and it comes with a detachable stand that can be used to mount the Kiyo Pro on a desk or on the back of a monitor. support. I also appreciate that Razer has included two tripod mounts for added flexibility: one on the bottom of the camera itself and another on the bottom of the detachable stand.
Razer even throws in a plastic lens cap, which is nice, but I have to admit, it seems a bit like an afterthought. Unlike privacy shutters, which are becoming more common on new laptops, the Kiyo Pro’s cover is closer to what you’d get on a DSLR or mirrorless camera, and if you remove it there’s not really a place to put it on. store, so it eventually becomes extra clutter on your desk. I wish Razer had made the case to flip up or behind the camera when not in use.
Video of the Kiyo looked a bit sharper and more colorful in my early tests than the Logitech Brio I’ve used for the past year. Razer said it specifically designed the Kiyo Pro to handle more gamer-like environments, including setups with RGB lighting, but I haven’t been able to compare the quality with a number of different lighting conditions yet.
Logitech still dominates when it comes to high-end webcams, but it’s good to see a competitive alternative from Razer. Many jobs are expected to move to partial remote work permanently after the pandemic, so it’s probably time for many people to consider upgrading the panic placeholder gadgets they bought last year.
The Razer Kiyo Pro is available directly online from Razer starting today for $ 200, with additional availability from third-party retailers sometime before the end of Q1.