CNN Underscored brings you all the best from CES 2023 all week long. Check out the CES 2023 Coverage Hub for a hands-on preview of this year’s biggest tech straight from the show floor.
reviewed many The number of webcams rarely makes a strong first impression on me. maybe.
Available now for $300, the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra builds on our current high-end webcam picks, with an even larger sensor that promises to be the largest webcam ever. This means more detail and better colors. This is why it’s the new webcam that beats serious content creators and broadcasters.
• release date: Available on Razer.com
• product: Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra
• price: $300
• Notable reasons: The Kiyo Pro Ultra builds on one of our top webcam picks with an even better sensor that approaches the quality of a true dedicated camera. $300 for a webcam isn’t cheap, but it’s much more affordable than getting a high-end DSLR and the equipment you need to connect it to your computer, and it’s easy to set up.
As soon as I settled on the Kiyo Pro Ultra demo, I knew this was no ordinary webcam. Even the sharpest webcams produce an overall dull image, but the Kiyo Pro Ultra produced a striking cinematic bokeh effect that made me feel like I was sitting in front of a professional camera. I was able to capture every single detail of my beard with great clarity, and the camera was able to keep my face in focus as I moved around.
All this is made possible thanks to the camera’s Sony Starvis 2 sensor. According to Razer, this is the largest webcam ever. The company says the camera captures almost four times more light than other webcams. This means much better overall clarity and detail. Thanks to the powerful processor inside, you can capture true him 4K video at 30 frames per second, or 1080p video at a smoother 60 fps.
Like the Kiyo Pro before it, the Ultra is plug-and-play via USB-C, so you can enjoy great image quality with minimal fuss. This is much easier and cheaper than buying a DSLR like the $549 Canon EOS Rebel T7 and getting an adapter like the Elgato Cam Link 4K to work with your PC.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra works great out of the box, but if you want to change every setting possible, you can do so via the Razer Synapse app. You can manually adjust the , adjust resolution and frame rate, and toggle HDR for crystal clear images.
All this power comes at the cost of size. The Pro Ultra is the biggest webcam I’ve seen, even bigger than the already chunky Kiyo Pro. But it’s pretty polished for how big it is, and I appreciate the new physical shutter that lets you block the camera completely with a quick twist of the lens. There is also a separate cap that can be used to cover the and keep the lens safe.
If you want to enhance your YouTube videos and Twitch streams with DSLR-like image quality without paying DSLR prices, the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra belongs on your radar. It’s much cheaper and easier than running your camera on your PC. Viewers may not notice the difference.The Pro Ultra is available now and we’ll try its paces for a full review as soon as possible.
