You need a webcam and you need it now. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but does need to be budget-friendly. In that case, the best webcam for Chromebook is the eStorees HD 720p With LED Night Lighting. If the name didn’t tip you off, it shoots in 720p, and built-in LED lighting helps set the stage for your face.
Why We Like It – eStorees USB HD 720p With LED Night Lighting
When money is really tight and you need a quick solution, the eStorees USB HD 720p With LED Night Lighting can solve that with 720p resolution and its plug and play nature.
- Four LED lights to help lighting
- Long 58-inch USB cable
- On-board quick access buttons
- It is NOT 1080p as advertised
- Clip-on is poorly design
Related: If you like these features, you will definitely enjoy reading the Creative Labs Senz3d review
Type, Lens, Size & Weight
To improve the image quality, a plastic lens was dropped for a glass one. It adds some much needed durability, too. It’s incredibly small—just 3.2-oz and 4.33 x 3.35 x 2.56 inches.
Resolution & Display
The eStorees USB HD 720p Microphone LED Night Lighting Flexible Portable External Web Camera is not 1080p as advertised. Its native resolution is actually 1280×720. A verified buyer even confirmed its true nature. Four LED lights can be found at the front to improve lighting in low-light settings. The Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 does record at 1080p as advertised, but downgrades to 720p during live calls.
Tripod & Image Stability
It doesn’t support tripods, relying solely on a poorly designed clip-on. Over time the webcam will slowly slide off; otherwise image stability is fine, at best.
Optical Zoom, Microphone, Audio & Storage
You won’t find optical zoom, but you will get a noise-canceling microphone that can pick up your voice clearly from 10 meters away. Along the side is a slot for a microSD card. It has an on-board button for the mic and for quickly taking photos.
Related: Check other innovative devices in our HP 5210 HD 1080P Webcam review
Value
It wouldn’t be true if we told you the eStorees USB HD 720p With LED Night Lighting was a good webcam. It’s a cheap webcam for $25. What do you expect? We will tell you to avoid it though; instead, seek out trusted brands, like Logitech for great, but affordable webcams. The Logitech Brio 4K is pricey, but shoots in 4K. The Logitech C615 isn’t as good, but perfect on a budget.
eStorees USB HD 720p With LED Night Lighting Wrap Up
A poorly made clip-on is the least of the eStorees USB HD 720p With LED Night Lighting’s problems. Confusing potential buyers definitely is. By not being clear with specs, you’ve lost trust. Aside from that, it’s otherwise a cheap webcam with 720p, long USB cord, and quick access buttons. If you’re tight on money, go for it; if not, look elsewhere.
