PC accessories like webcams don’t exactly progress at the same breakneck pace as, say, CPUs or smartphones. In fact, Logitech’s top-of-the-line Brio 4K design has seen only a few mild adjustments since it was first announced more than seven years ago. Today, the company is updating that design and bringing it into the “MX” line alongside such well-regarded staples as the MX Master mouse and MX Keys keyboard.
The MX Brio webcam boasts a new 8.5 megapixel 4K sensor, a physical privacy shutter, and the ability to quickly flip down to show off your desktop. On that last point, it was technically possible with the latest Brio design (I can do it right now since I own one), but it was far from easy.
Logitech’s promotional video for the MX Brio shows the user flipping the camera down 90 degrees, at which point the streamed image rotates by 180 degrees to show off the desktop from the perspective of the person facing the camera. It’s a neat and intuitive little trick, to be sure, especially handy if you want to show off your fancy mechanical keyboard. Just as a completely random example, of course.
The spec list claims more advanced lighting correction to illuminate both you and your office, with “2X finer image detail and face visibility vs [the previous] Brio 4K,” though the 4K/30fps sensor isn’t any more capable as a matter of pure numbers. Users have access to more advanced image control via software, and the dual beamforming microphones with noise reduction return from the last high-end design.
A new trick is the built-in privacy shutter, which is activated with the knurled ring surrounding the glass lens, instead of requiring a separate plastic piece. Windows Hello face recognition is built-in… but of course you’ll need to leave the shutter open for that. The promotional page is littered with mentions of “AI enhancement,” but at this point I honestly don’t know what that buzzword even applies to anymore.
Logitech is positioning the $200 MX Brio as the ultimate webcam for both work-from-home pros and streamers. And while I can certainly see it being a hit with the former, I think the latter will be a tougher sell. A high-end webcam is okay to start streaming, but those who want a more professional setup generally go with a separate DSLR or mirrorless camera plugged into their PC, or even a high-end smartphone with some management software. Coincidentally, just last week Microsoft just made Android phones work as webcams in Windows 11 without requiring any extra drivers.
The MX Brio is shipping now from Logitech’s online store, and should be showing up at pretty much every major electronics retailer soon. It looks like an identical design is being sold as the “MX Brio 705 for business,” which is what you might want to call it if you’re asking for one from your IT manager.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.
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