While the MX series from Logitech aims to deliver incredible products for creatives, the line-up’s debut webcam, the MX Brio, is close to perfect regardless of your use case. Whether you're a professional or amateur streamer, a remote worker, or something else entirely, if you need a webcam, the MX Brio aims to be the one you need right now.
Releasing at the somewhat high price of $199.99 / £219.99, the Logitech MX Brio makes up for the price by outputting multiple resolutions and framerates, capping out at 4k30, thanks to an 8.5MP Sony STARVIS sensor. It certainly won't fit into the budget category alongside the best webcams under $50, but it proves to be a worthy investment in a range of other ways.
Despite appealing to remote workers and gamers alike, the Logitech MX Brio uses a sleek, cylindrical gunmetal shell rather than the Razer Kiyo's line of circle-shaped webcams. It comes in at 27 mm x 102 mm x 27mm, barely taking up any of the space on the best curved monitors, where I have it placed on the top-right corner and aimed toward me.
Resolution | 4K @ 30FPS
1080p @ 60 FPS |
|---|---|
Lens type | Glass |
Microphone | Dual Beamforming microphone for noise reduction (range: 1.2m) |
FOV | 90°/78°/65° |
Privacy shutter | Yes (physical, built-in) |
Connectivity | 1.5m detachable USB-C to USB-C cable |
Software | Logi Options+ / Logitech G HUB / Tune + Sync (enterprises) |
For the privacy geeks out there like myself, rather than a virtual shutter that can be switched on by software, turning the disc of the MX Brio will close or open a physical shutter. Of course, that does mean that you'll need to remind yourself to open it prior to meetings or streaming, but its a lot safer than the camera being switched on by software, or losing a magnetic cap like some brands offer.
The MX Brio is powered by a hefty USB-C cable, so you'll need to have a USB-C port on your laptop or computer handy. However, a USB-C to USB-A dongle still works fine, as during my testing, my USB-C port on my case has decided to play up, and using a dongle gave me the exact same results.
The webcam itself is magnetically attached between the camera and the mounting clip, giving you the ability to rotate it to perfect your shot. It doesn't require much force, but if the mounting clip isn't stuck to your monitor well enough, which happens to the best of us, then you might need to be careful.
Logitech promises high quality video whether you're in standard lighting or low light conditions, thanks to our new favourite trend - AI. Logitech didn't give too many details on the Artificial Intelligence within the device, but it reportedly detects your face and adjusts the image parameters to suit your needs, so you hopefully don't need to mess with Logitech's software too much to get the meeting-ready conditions you need.
It can't pick up more than two people with its face detection, but from experience, the webcam worked extremely well. My setup is, unfortunately, right next to a window, and without the curtains open, it can get dark very quickly. But the MX Brio had great results no matter the lighting, and I can say I'm impressed. In fact, both of the shots below didn't require me to adjust any settings myself.
The automatic colour balance works wonders, helping the colours pop on your clothing or your skin tone look similar whether or not you're in good lighting. Thankfully, you can mess with this yourself in the software (more on that in a few), but I rarely had to finetune any settings, unless you're wanting to look perfect in your meetings.
Another one of the gimmicks that Logitech MX Brio can use is Show Mode, where you can physically rotate the webcam toward your desk to show what you've been working on. The camera will detect that you're putting the device into Show Mode, and automatically rotate the image on your computer accordingly, similar to MacOS’ iPhone camera support. It's certainly nifty, and will work well for people who need it, but it can be tricky to get right and it won't be used for most buyers.
It also comes with Dual Beamforming microphones, which is handy if you're in a rush and your best wireless headphones aren't charged. They do the trick, but they're not the best of quality, picking up lots of echo in most cases, and most people looking to purchase this, especially streamers, will likely have a better microphone setup already.
When it comes to the software itself, Logitech has opened up the MX Brio to any of its software you need. If you're a creator that uses a variety of MX products, the Logi Options+ is ready to pair all of your peripherals together. However, if you're a streamer or a gamer, the Logitech G HUB also works with the MX Brio, and same for enterprises using the Tune and Sync software.
Overall, the Logitech MX Brio is a very sleek and subtle webcam that packs a punch where it matters most - the video quality. The AI within the hardware is actually handy, unlike most AI marketing gimmicks, and while the Dual Beamforming microphone doesn't retain the same quality, it is handy to have. The price may be a bit higher than most want to shell out, but if you're looking to avoid fiddling about with settings or perfecting your lighting, the MX Brio is a perfect investment.
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