Most laptops still ship with 720p webcams, and a higher-resolution webcam will make you look better than your colleagues. Windows Hello can also read your fingerprint with a separate Windows Hello fingerprint reader, but these webcams are all you need. The process itself is fast: It takes just a second or two for a Windows Hello webcam to recognize you, verify your identity to the PC it’s connected to via a USB cable, and log you in. (A normal webcam doesn’t understand that it’s looking at a 3D image.) The image is then compared with a reference image which is stored during setup. Typically, Windows Hello is associated with depth-camera technology, which recognizes the various contours of your face, identifying you and only you.

It replaces the need to type your password to log in every time you sit down at your desk, providing a speedy yet secure compromise to secure your PC. Windows Hello dates back to 2015, and the introduction of Windows 10 running on Microsoft’s Surface hardware. What to look for in a Windows Hello webcam You may consider the USB-A to USB-C cable a bit finicky and short, but that’s a small knock on an otherwise solid value. NexiGo does require its utility software to be installed. Interestingly, the privacy shutter is software-controlled, but the lens cover is orange - in other words, it should be obvious when your camera can and can’t see you. There’s a privacy cover, too, for when this webcam is not in use. This webcam ships with both noise-cancelling mics as well as auto-exposure capabilities, which should leave you looking and sounding professional on your next Zoom call or Teams meeting.

The field of view is a relatively narrow 90 degrees. About the only feature you may miss in this 1080p, 30fps webcam is autofocus capability, and most fixed-focus webcams are tuned for the average distance (in the HelloCam’s case, between 12.4 and 47.2 inches) that someone sits from their laptop or display. Honestly, many of you will probably buy this Windows Hello webcam and simply not miss the more expensive alternatives.

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