HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Two-minute review
Most of my experience with the HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam was overwhelmingly positive. It began as soon as I took the device out of the box and the theme continued right through all of my testing.
The first thing I noticed was that this doesn't look like your standard webcam. Rather than the longest side being its width, this webcam is actually much longer in depth. This provides the necessary room for the lens and sensor that are required to deliver a superior image quality.
The camera itself boasts a very capable f/2.0 18mm lens that really is the star of the show. The pill-shaped metal case guarantees not just aesthetic appeal but also the required strength to withstand any knocks that come its way. The rest of the unit is made of plastic, but it's strong enough to ensure nothing is going to easily break.
Everything about the design oozes class, with beautiful trims and details added to the front and back of the head of the webcam itself. I also love the simple color palette featuring a mix of grey, black, and white - it really looks the part.
The webcam tilts a full 90 degrees, making it possible to focus on the subject no matter what the angle of your laptop screen or monitor. The hinge has just the right level of friction to move smoothly but also stay in a fixed position. The hinge quality continues across the main leg, ensuring it can clamp securely onto any display. It is also able to rotate 360 degrees for extra flexibility in terms of pointing toward the subject, wherever it may be.
And now I come to pretty much the only negative thing about this webcam. Because of its depth and overall weight, the center of gravity is actually a lot further back than most webcams. This means you'll want to make sure you have a substantial enough display to avoid it getting pulled down by the weight. You'll be absolutely fine with a standard monitor and most laptops, but unfortunately, I had problems with it on my MacBook Pro 14-inch. My notebook's display just wasn't beefy enough to hold it in place.
The USB-C port for the cable is located at the back of the webcam, and the lead is detachable. This is perfect for travel purposes and for mitigating the impact of a broken cable (you can just replace the cord, rather than the device being as good as done for with an integrated cable). The cable goes from the USB-C port at the webcam end to a USB-A port at the computer. If you only have USB-C ports on your PC, then you'll need an adapter.
The webcam also has a nice detachable privacy cover that fits over the entire front panel. This connects magnetically, making snapping it into place an oddly satisfying experience. It's good that the cover is removable, because otherwise it would ruin the appearance rather, but on the downside, this also means there's a risk of the cover getting lost.
Other than a standard mount on top of a monitor, the webcam can also be mounted on a tripod using the 1/4-inch 20 thread that is located underneath. Considering this is a webcam for live streaming and video clip recording, the presence of this tripod thread is indeed very welcome.
Regarding this HP webcam's image quality, suffice it to say that I was very impressed. The camera is able to handle almost all lighting conditions incredibly well. My main test was to compare natural lighting conditions versus low light, and the camera was able to deliver an impressive image in both situations. This demonstrates the quality of both the lens and the sensor.
The webcam is also able to deliver fantastic results when the shot includes a wide dynamic range between highlights and lowlights. With the HDR setting activated in the software, AI is able to bring back detail where it would otherwise be blown out or lost.
The camera supports three fields of view, including 78, 90, and 100 degrees. This level of flexibility enables users to focus or zoom out where needed. Framing can also be controlled automatically using the impressive AI-powered auto-framing feature. This is one of the best abilities provided by the webcam, as it's able to track between head, head and shoulder, or upper body, with the software deciding where to crop.
This framing feature is both smooth and reliable, although it does take a couple of seconds to react to you moving in the shot. In future versions, I would love to see it be able to instantly respond and smoothly track the subject without this delay.
Audio quality follows in much the same vein as video quality. There are two microphones, one located on each side of the webcam. The dual-mic setup allows for distortion- and noise-free output that is far superior to what you would expect from most webcams. It does a fantastic job of canceling out background noise and instead focusing on the voice of the subject. You won't need a separate microphone when using the HP 960.
This is the webcam that has it all. There are a few improvements to be made, including the overall weight, and the response time of the auto-framing feature, but I'm being pretty picky on those points. The HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam is one of the best in its class - it's well-designed and built, plus it delivers excellent video and audio quality. If you need a webcam that doubles up as a capable video camera, then this is well worth considering.
HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Price & availability
- How much does it cost? $219.99 / £180 / AU$295
- When is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? It's on sale globally
The HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam is available worldwide for $219.99 / £180 / AU$295. The price puts it comfortably between the Opal Tadpole webcam and the Elgato Facecam Pro. In other words, HP's 960 is a premium offering towards the top end of the webcam market.
It is yet to be seen whether this device will knock the Osbot Tiny 2 off the 'best premium' spot in our best webcams buying guide but it's certainly in with a chance. For the money, you get a 4K resolution, high-quality noise-free audio, and a ton of software features for pushing the camera to its highest level.
If you're hunting for something more budget-friendly then take a look at either the Logitech C920 or the HP 325 FHD webcam.
- Value: 4 / 5
HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Specs
Should you buy the HP 960 4K Streaming webcam?
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HP 960 4K Streaming webcam: Also consider
How I tested the HP 960 4K Streaming webcam
- I used the webcam with FaceTime and Google Meet
- I tested general performance as well as special features
- I made sure to test it under a variety of lighting conditions
From the moment of unboxing, I loved testing the HP 960 4K Streaming Webcam. It feels great in the hand, is a premium product, and is a joy to use.
I tested the webcam with popular video call apps FaceTime and Google Meet to put the device through its paces. I tried the HP 960 on both my small MacBook Pro 14-inch laptop as well as an MSI Prestige 16 alternative. This helped me determine how the weight of the device would affect different laptops.
I was also sure to test the webcam across different lighting conditions, including bright and low-lit rooms.
