LAPTOP! Looking for a Cheap / Reliable / Pretty Fast One. Mainly for Microsoft Teams & Zoom Meetings

OnAndUp

Hi all,

I currently have a desktop set up, which works well for most things I want to do.

However, even after buying a couple of different webcams to try over the last few years. I find they are not great in online meetings, it's quite difficult to find the perfect spot to place / rest them. So I end up looking as if I am at strange angles on the screen,   and just generally they are not as sharp / clear and bright, as you would hope.

So I was thinking to buy a cheap laptop, mainly just to use for the built in webcam, and Teams and Zoom meetings?

Currently looking at the refurbished ones with with an extra 25% off on eBay today.

There's quite a few, but I'm rather clueless re the spec! 

As an example. This one would be £80 odd with the discount.

ebay.co.uk/itm…488

Do people think it would be any good for mainly using for those purposes? I can't justify spending a lot, but equally don't see the point in getting one if it would be very sluggish / annoy me in other ways, and I would end up not using it, and reverting back to the rubbish webcams! 

These are the other ones on the current offer, could stretch to about £140 after the discount, at a push.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/e/_electronics/1403flash-laptops?mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&siteid=3&campid=5336549684&customid=2664285779&toolid=10001&_sop=2&rt=nc

Any help much appreciated!   

Emmia

What webcams have you bought? I've got a Logitech one, which works well (better quality than my laptop one) and came with a mini tripod. Logitech aren't cheap though.

Otherwise I've also done video conferencing with my smartphone, using a gooseneck phone holder to have it at the right height (and having it plugged in to a charging cable) that could be another option.

The phone holder might also be a solution to have your current camera at the correct height.

Edit: this is the gooseneck phone holder I have, it clamps on to the edge of a desk. The "neck" bit is quite stiff, so manipulating it into the right position can be a fiddle, but once in place it stays there. A phone can be held portrait or landscape as the head rotates.

Lamicall Gooseneck Phone Holder, Flexible Holder for Bed - Lazy Arm 360 Adjustable Clamp Bracket for iPhone 15 14 Pro Max Plus, 13 12 Pro Max Mini, 11 Pro Xs XR X 8, Samsung S23, Smartphones - Black https://amzn.eu/d/d6AjPLQ

DullGreyGuy

Generally external webcams are going to be better than the ones built into any laptop let alone your preferred cheap laptop. Depending on what you want to achieve they also are too low to get most people's best angle. 

As a Mac user my laptop can use my iPhone's cameras automatically as an alternative to the built in webcam which gives you the advantage of the three lenses depending on how wide/zoomed in you want it. Not tried to do similar with a Windows/Android setup but I am sure there will be software out there, a colleague uses his old Canon SLR for the same purpose. 

Get a laptop by all means but its probably not the solution to your image issues.

cerebus

You buy a cheap laptop and it will cone with a cheap webcam which will make things worse not better

Most PC webcam clip to the top of the monitor which is the same place a laptops camera is so I'm not sure what problem you're trying to solve by buying a laptop (unless of course you're just looking for an excuse to buy a laptop!)

Miser1964

Save your money on a cheap laptop with a grainy camera and slow performance and buy a Logitech C920 webcam

OnAndUp

Thanks everyone, genuinely appreciate your thoughts.   

I'm reconsidering what else I can do to improve the current set up!

MattMattMattUK

A cheap laptop webcam will be even worse, small lenses, 720p or lower and you have to tilt the screen to get the angle right.

Pretty much any 1080p or 1440p webcam will give you a better image, but as others have said a decent brand like Logitech makes a difference.

I have one of these at home
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Gaming-Webcam-Streaming-Compatible/dp/B0748NCPN5/
one of these at work
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Collaboration-Streaming-Reducing-Microsoft/dp/B0CSSVP435/
And both are great. 

Also remember that lighting plays a fairly big part, bright lights or windows with daylight flowing through that are behind or partially in view are always going to make things more difficult for any camera. Make sure you clean the lens (and remove the plastic protector that often comes on them when new). I generally find the best place to mount is on top of the screen, although for a full blown presentation with physical objects where I might be stood up, moving about etc. I will usually mount it higher, around shoulder height, but that is because I will be further back.

LightFlare

A desktop cam that attaches to the top of the monitor should give a much better view that a laptop camera.

I can usually tell pretty quickly in meetings who has which as the view from a laptop is typically angled up (and usually is not the most flattering angle)

Desktop cameras attached to the top of the monitor give a much more direct view - straight on and at the persons eyes (instead of up their nostrils)

bob2302

For teams and zoom I can't see why anyone would care about the quality of the camera, as long as it basically work.