Dell’s new UltraSharp 4K webcam with AI could finally overthrow Logitech’s BRIO 4K
Featuring a large 4K Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor, HDR, and some intelligent software, all for $199, the UltraSharp could be a winner.
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What you need to know
Logitech is still the king with its popularBRIO 4K, offering the best image quality we have seen when it comes to webcams, even 4 years after its debut. Of course, since the pandemic of 2020, the webcam market has suddenly become much more critical, and we are starting to see that heat up with theKonftel Cam10and now Dell.
Today, Dell is unveiling its new $199.99 UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022), which is now on sale.
The camera can do 4K like BRIO, but it uses a high-end Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor to do so with an elongated body to house all the components. Dell, effectively, wanted to have a DSLR-like camera experience, and that was the challenge they sought to conquer.
Like other 4K cameras, the UltraSharp can shoot video at 30 FPS in full resolution, but if you want 60 FPS, you must bump it down to full HD.
The UltraSharp is unique in a few ways. For one, it has no microphones on it, which is odd. But Dell makes a compelling case that people who needthiscamera will be using their own premium microphone setup. Not only does it save space, but it lets Dell keep the UltraSharp to just below $200.
The camera also features typical ranges for the field of view, including 65°, 78°, and a wide-angle 90°, similar to the BRIO 4K.
And yes, it not only has Windows Hello facial recognition for quick logins to Windows 10 orWindows 11but it also sports Dell’shuman-presence detection technology. Referred to as Dell ExpressSign-in, the cameradetectswhen you are in front of the camera to auto-wake the PC or auto-lock when you step away.
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For privacy, there is a magnetic cover that snaps into place. That cover sticks to the back of the camera when not in use for easy access. Speaking of magnets, Dell uses it for the stand and mount, too, which snaps onto the camera so users can place it on a PC or a tripod. Not only do you have many mounting options, but you also won’t have to spend a lot of time setting it up either.
But perhaps it is the AI that makes this camera interesting. Dell includes auto-framing, so the camera’s software auto-tracts your face and frames the video if you move during a video call. There is also sophisticated 3D/2D video noise reduction to make images less grainy and Digital Overlap HDR for “true-to-life colors and balance exposure.”
Of course, Logitech’s magic is really with its software, so it remains to be seen if Dell can outdo the BRIO 4K, but, at least on paper, it has all the right stuff. We’ll be reviewing the UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) to see it can replace our BRIO 4K on the weekly podcast.
The Dell UltraSharp Webcam brings a massive 4K Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor, AI, HDR, auto-framing, variable fields-of-view, Windows Hello, and Dell ExpressSign-In to what could be the best webcam of 2021.
Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer,podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.
