Elgato Facecam review — A solid $200 webcam with useful software

Elgato has a new product for streamers and content creators. The Elgato Facecam is a $200 webcam that is out now. It does 1080p video at 60 frames per second, which puts it up against the $200 Razer Kiyo Pro as well as options from Logitech and AVerMedia. And while that is pricey for an USB camera device, Elgato tries to earn its value proposition with a high-quality image sensor, easy setup, and simple-yet-powerful software.

If you’re a content creator, it’s possible to get better video quality for a similar price if you are willing to put in some effort. That would come down to pairing something like a GoPro with a capture card. But webcams aren’t appealing just because of their price. I like them because they are generally more headache-free than attempting to work with a dedicated camera. And the Facecam is an especially easy device to work with.

One of the key things I want from a webcam is the capability to fire and forget. And the Facecam provides some of the best image quality if you simply plug it in and then never adjust any settings. Another way of putting that is it is trivial to get great video out of the Facecam.

Elgato’s Facecam also looks sharp and professional. I don’t think it matches the Razer Kiyo Pro, but a lot of that comes down to taste. The Kiyo Pro is more saturated and does more image-processing, and I like its results. The Facecam’s video, meanwhile, looks more natural.

Elgato Facecam also has great software

I also appreciate Elgato’s Camera Hub software, which is much easier to use than Razer’s Synapse. Camera Hub gives creators control over brightness and contrast, but it also has ISO and shutter speed. That is unusual for a webcam, but it’s also a welcome surprise.

And really, software is a major area where webcams can have an advantage over external cameras. You can control everything about your Facecam from the computer you’re using to stream or capture video. That centralizes your controls compared to having to use a remote or a smartphone app to control a camera on a tripod. So I’m glad that Elgato seems like it wanted to get the Camera Hub software right from the start.

Finally, Facecam’s big Sony CMOS sensor is excellent for 1080p60. I’ve never encountered any challenges getting Elgato’s camera to look good at 60 frames per second.

Simplicity matters when streaming

Making content for Twitch and YouTube is often about finding tools that just work. And Elgato emphasized that with the Facecam. I think it’s the second best-looking USB camera that I’ve tested behind only the Razer Kiyo Pro. But it’s the top webcam in terms of ease-of-use. And I think that might make it the best camera for a lot of people reading this.

The Elgato Facecam is available now for $200. Elgato Gaming provided GamesBeat with a sample unit for the purpose of this review.