1080p webcams: Smarten up your video calls with these external cameras

While AVerMedia offers a more affordable 1080p webcam in the PW310P (£73 from Amazon), the PW315 is designed to attract demanding users. In particular, it’s aimed at people who present to others – teachers, streamers, YouTubers and business users who need to present in meetings.

Its key skills stem from a combination of hardware, flexible physical design and software. The camera hardware is a 2MP CMOS sensor with a 95° field of view . It streams 1080p at up to 60fps, so higher than the 30fps of almost every other camera out there. One exception is the Razer Kiyo Pro, but that has the notable disadvantage of costing £180.

Image quality is solid rather than exceptional, with good detail and vibrant (if a fraction oversaturated) colours, but it’s when you download the AI camera engine that the PW315 steps away from the webcam masses. Due to the wide FoV, it can keep you at the centre of the action if you move around, acting as a virtual film director. The engine is compatible with all major software platforms, too, including Skype and Zoom, and it means you can be more dynamic within calls.

There’s much to like about the stand too. You can easily twist the camera round 360°, while the two side-mounted mics include noise reduction for busy environments. While it perches happily on top of a monitor or laptop, there’s a tripod thread if you want it.

The downside is that high price, so only buy the PW315 if you’ll take advantage of all its advanced settings.

AVerMedia PW315 specifications