Do Monitors Have Cameras? (Explained)

Online video conferencing has made our lives much easier, allowing us to work from home and communicate with people around the world.

You only need a decent-quality webcam to transmit sound and video without distortion.

However, getting different components may be challenging if you’re not technologically savvy.

If you’re in the market for a new monitor, you could be looking for something you can use for videoconferencing and online meetings.

Therefore, you may wonder if you can find a monitor that already comes with a built-in camera, reducing the cost and hassle of getting a separate webcam.

Do Monitors Have Cameras?

Traditionally, a built-in webcam hasn’t been a feature of most standalone monitors.

Unlike laptops, which almost always come with a built-in camera, you won’t see many monitors with integrated cameras.

However, the growth of videoconferencing and Zoom meetings has increased the number of monitors with built-in cameras.

These monitors feature cameras like what we see on laptops.

The camera is on the upper bezel in the shape of a small hole inside the bezel or a lens that pops out and goes back in when you don’t need it.

However, computers that focus on performance typically don’t come with a built-in camera because they can’t offer the same performance as an external one.

Do You Need A Monitor With A Built-In Camera?

If you’re in the market for a monitor, you may see several devices with built-in cameras, although they’re not that common.

As a new feature added to modern monitors, you may wonder if a built-in camera is worth it.

Here are the biggest advantages of monitors with cameras.

1. Easy Setup

The most important benefit of a built-in camera is that it eliminates the hassle of looking for a separate webcam if you need one.

That’s particularly handy if you don’t care about image quality and only want something to help you communicate visually.

A built-in camera is perfect for those who don’t know how to choose a separate webcam for their setup.

In addition, it doesn’t require any setup processes like attaching the camera to the computer or installing its software.

The monitor comes pre-installed with the monitor, and you can use it out of the box.

In addition, it has the perfect placement, the center of the top bezel, giving you the best angle relative to your face.

On the other hand, a separate webcam needs to be adjusted and moved in different directions to find the perfect location.

2. Aesthetics

An all-in-one device is always a great idea for people with space limitations.

Its clutter-free design means you don’t need to think of a dedicated place for your external camera.

That also means you’ll have fewer cables and better workspace aesthetics.

3. Cost

Another great benefit of having a built-in camera on your monitor is that you don’t need to pay extra for a separate camera.

Although the price is built into the overall cost of the monitor, you may end up paying less with the added benefit of convenience and easy setup.

However, since an overwhelmingly large selection of monitors and external webcams is available, you may find a perfect monitor and external webcam at a better price than a monitor with a built-in camera.

Who Shouldn’t Get A Monitor With A Built-In Camera?

Although a monitor with a built-in camera is a convenient choice for users who don’t want to put a lot of effort into purchasing a separate device, it comes with disadvantages.

One of the biggest pitfalls of such monitors is the limited choice.

Although the number of monitors with embedded cameras is on the rise due to the increased demand, it still makes up a tiny portion of the market.

As a result, you may have difficulty finding your perfect monitor since you should consider many other factors when choosing one.

The disadvantages of built-in cameras make people with laptops use external webcams to match their purposes.

You shouldn’t get a monitor with an embedded camera if:

1. You Need A High-Quality Camera

Like any other device with embedded components, the quality of a built-in camera is generally lower than its external counterparts.

Consider the form factor and the space allocated to a camera in external and internal setups.

A built-in camera has a much smaller space, limiting the components used in it and affecting its quality.

Finding a built-in camera that can produce 4K images is difficult, and you should be happy finding an HD one.

In addition, the fixed nature of the built-in camera means you can’t adjust it to fit your physical conditions.

For example, if your space has low light levels, an external camera allows you to change its direction to get better lighting.

Also, you can adjust its software settings to tweak resolution, brightness, and other image features, which is rare with built-in cameras.

2. You Have Specific Purposes

If you need your camera for purposes that require images from different viewing angles, a built-in camera isn’t for you.

Since a built-in camera is confined inside a fixed space, you can’t rotate it to get different angles.

Some external cameras support AI tracking, meaning you don’t need to change the direction of the webcam to fit your position.

They adjust their lens position automatically to match your sitting place and light conditions.

In addition, the sound quality in monitors with built-in cameras is subpar and unsuitable for gaming, videoconferencing, or content creation.

The sound quality is mostly good for making casual Zoom calls or general purposes rather than projects that require a crisp and high-def sound.

3. You Need To Cover A Large Room

Monitors with built-in cameras are typically business monitors designed for work, not those focused on high performance.

You may want to purchase one for your workspace to use the added feature for occasional videoconferencing.

However, if you plan to use the webcam to cover your entire room and several people in the same room, these monitors may not be the right choice.

A built-in camera has a limited field of view due to its fixed position, so it may not be able to cover everything you need.

4. You Use The Webcam Regularly

If you use your webcam daily or often, you may face maintenance issues with a built-in webcam.

For example, if the webcam breaks, you’ll have a harder time fixing it.

An external webcam is a standalone device you can take to a technician for repair.

However, fixing an embedded camera requires opening the bezel or taking the entire monitor for repair.

What To Look For In A Monitor With A Built-In Camera

If you decide that a monitor with an embedded camera is the best choice for your purposes, you have more features to consider.

In addition to considering the monitor’s specs, you should decide whether the webcam is good enough for your purposes.

In fact, the monitor’s specs are much more important than the camera features because you can easily find a high-quality external webcam at a good price if the built-in webcam doesn’t suit your needs.

However, if the monitor specs don’t match your requirements, you’ll be stuck with an unfavorable purchase.

The monitor’s size, resolution, refresh rate, color gamut and accuracy, and panel technology (LED, LCD, etc.) are essential features that should fit your purpose.

You should also consider the mounting options, the design (flat or curved), and even the panel material.

Connectivity options are also vital because they determine how many devices you can attach to the monitor.

After deciding on the monitor specs, it’s time to consider the webcam.

You may want to look for the following features:

Webcam resolution. As mentioned, getting a built-in webcam with 4K resolution is difficult, but you should try to get the highest resolution available if it matters for your purposes.

Webcam design. Although most built-in cameras are fixed inside the bezel, you may find removable ones that give you higher flexibility. For example, they have a pop-up design that can even rotate and give a better viewing angle.

Webcam size. If you don’t mind the image quality, a small webcam like a laptop’s is great. However, bigger ones have bigger lenses that take in more light and can offer better-quality images.

Sound quality. A monitor with a built-in camera also comes with an embedded speaker. If the sound quality is important for your purposes, you should consider how powerful the speakers are and whether you’ll need external ones.

Best Monitors With Embedded Webcams

Since manufacturers have recently started to include cameras in monitors, there aren’t many options.

Still, you can find decent monitors from reliable brands.

Here are the best ones:

1. Philips Brilliance 329P9H/27

This monitor packs multiple technologies to give you everything you want in a workspace monitor.

The IPS technology gives you wide viewing angles, making it perfect for workspaces.

The 4K resolution makes it perfect for high-quality graphical projects, and its slim design makes it ideal for small spaces.

The best thing about the integrated webcam is that you can hide it and pop it out when needed.

The camera also comes with a microphone, giving clear images and sound for your work meetings.

It also has multiple connection ports, giving you several options to connect other devices to it.

2. Asus VK278Q

This 27” monitor is equipped with AI technology to adjust brightness, color, sharpness, and contrast based on ambient light.

The 2MP webcam and its built-in speakers make it an ideal all-in-one monitor that becomes a great space saver in a cramped office space.

In addition, the webcam is detachable and rotatable, with a 2.0 aperture, making it perfect for low-light conditions and offering high-quality images thanks to its auto image control.

The picture-in-picture function can improve productivity by allowing you to work on different projects simultaneously.

3. Acer CB242YD

This 23.8” Full HD monitor is packed with multiple features like AMD FreeSync Technology, no-frame design, Black Boost Technology to increase visibility in low-light scenes, and VRB (Visual Response Boost) to reduce motion blur.

More importantly, it has an IPS panel, offering great picture quality at a wide viewing angle.

The 1ms response time makes it perfect for other purposes like gaming, and the ErgoStand technology makes the ergonomic stand perfect for office space.

Most importantly, the webcam is adjustable and offers Full HD quality, making it a great option for content creation and gaming.

In addition, you can use it for face recognition with Windows Hello.

It also has an integrated microphone, eliminating the need to add anything else to the setup.