Logitech webcams have become a staple over the years for anyone looking for an affordable camera from a trusted brand. Since I tend to observe (and judge) every piece of PC hardware I can find in my travels, I'm often surprised at how diverse people's choices are when it comes to monitors, speakers, headsets, and more goes.
Take a look up at the display, though, and yes, that's another Logitech webcam nestled above it, more often than you might expect.
Well, here comes something a little more premium than the average Logitech offering that will delight you: The Logitech MX Brio. And Premium immediately comes to the fore as soon as you see the price. At $200/£220 This puts it clearly at the top end of the market for an all-in-one camera and is priced right next to the best overall selection in our best webcam guide, the Elgato Facecam.
Then it would be better to be good, right?
MX Brio specifications
The first signs are promising. This is the first Logitech webcam to receive the “MX” branding, and Logitech says it is the most advanced camera the company has made to date. On paper, the specs look good, including 4K recording capabilities at 30fps (or 60fps at 1080p) with an 8.5MP Sony STARVIS image sensor, dual beamforming microphones and reportedly twice as fine image detail compared to the regular Brio 4K .
The scope of delivery includes the camera unit itself, a removable mount and a 1.5 m long USB-C to USB-C cable. I'm not entirely sure what else I would have expected, but for such a high-priced product it feels a bit of a coincidence, although there may be a few eco-qualities on display.
Not only does the paper packaging come from controlled sources, the plastic parts used also consist of up to 82% recycled material, according to Logitech. And the aluminum camera housing is apparently made with renewable energy.
The camera itself is surprisingly heavy and quite massive in its proportions. Attached to the aluminum housing is a circular glass-fronted lens surrounded by a ring that activates an integrated privacy screen. Twist the outer edge of the ring (stop giggling at the back) and a privacy shutter closes over the lens as if you were gently falling asleep.
It's a pleasant emotional mechanism, and the curious 10-year-old boy in me spent some time turning it back and forth. Mmm, smooth.
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The mounting clip is also large and sturdy and the camera unit attaches to it with a strong magnetic clasp. So you don't have to worry about the camera falling off the mount or the top of your screen, as every care seems to have been taken to make things as sturdy as possible.
If you prefer to use the MX Brio on a tripod, there is a hidden thread underneath the magnetic mount.
In terms of software, the MX Brio can be integrated with Logitech G-hub and Logi Options +, and after a short firmware update I worked intensively with the settings. Crop, zoom and field of view settings are front and center, followed by exposure compensation, auto exposure options, low light compensation and HDR. On the Image tab you'll find plenty of controls for brightness, temperature and saturation before finally getting to the focus controls.
The autofocus is definitely a highlight here. Anyone who has ever experimented with a budget camera has experienced brief moments of blurry focus when moving quickly or holding a subject close to the lens, but try as I might, I couldn't quite get the MX Brio to work. It's very responsive, even though I'm playing peek-a-boo with it and various objects on my desk or moving around in the shot as if someone is desperate to end a meeting to use the restroom.
Settings groups have a variety of presets, although most useful features like low-light reduction and HDR are enabled by default. However, I ended up primarily adjusting the color temperature, which to my eyes looked much better in the warmer setting.
Years of sitting in darkened rooms didn't have a positive effect on my complexion, but I did feel like the default settings made me look a little more vampiric than with other cameras. It wasn't flattering, although the warm environment at least made me look more like a sociable creature with enough vitamin D.
Overall, video capture was good and the software optimization options allow for a lot of flexibility. While it didn't blow me away with incredible detail or a super-vivid shot, it's definitely a heck of a lot better than most, although for that kind of money I might have expected a bit more from the camera itself and less reliance on the settings I'm showing my stunning face truly at its best.
The HDR on/off option is…interesting. With HDR enabled, the shadows look reasonably contrasty, but with the setting the blacks became so dark that they were indistinguishable. Given that it's on by default, this isn't much of a problem, but I can't imagine many people using the webcam turned off as the range of blacks is so small that it's distracting.
Take a close look at the bookshelf next to me in the image below, with HDR disabled. For reference, I regularly use a non-HDR 1080p webcam in the same lighting conditions and the bookshelf doesn't look nearly as dark.
There's something like an MX Brio party trick in the options: show mode. When you mount the camera on top of your screen, it can tilt down independently from the rest of the mount to show your desk while rotating the image so it's the right way up. This means that if you're sketching notes or drawings in a meeting, you can use this feature to show your colleagues what you're working on right in front of your eyes, without having to fiddle with the settings.
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This works well in practice, although in terms of overall utility I can't imagine using it all that often. Still a bonus and a well-thought-out feature for creatives or streamers who want to put their keyboard skills to the test.
You don't hear this often: the microphones on this webcam are actually quite good. Like everyone else, I've gotten used to the poor, tinny sound of a webcam microphone, but while the sound quality here probably won't blow you away – and I'd always recommend a good desktop microphone for streaming or podcast purposes –, the devices are here to give a good representation of yourself and record your singing clearly for audio recording or similar.
Buy if…
✅ If you want a relatively straightforward setup: The MX Brio is easy to configure, with clear and simple settings menus.
✅ If you're looking for great built-in audio: The two beamforming microphones record vocals well, have a good range and a solid, round sound for a webcam.
Don't buy if…
❌ If you don't want to spend too much: While the MX Brio performs well, there are much cheaper options if you just want a standard webcam with good image quality.
❌ If you are looking for impressive features: The Show feature is a nice touch and the software settings are very useful, but there's not much here that makes you feel like you're getting more for the money.
It's a good overall package, the MX Brio, but when you compare it to similarly priced competitors, things look a little less rosy. The Elgato Facecam may not be a 4K device, but its ability to record great video in uncompressed 1080p at 60fps is probably its biggest selling point for someone looking for a high-quality webcam for streaming with a beautiful, vibrant image to boot.
Ultimately, you have to ask yourself the question of whether you really need 4K recording, and my answer would be: probably not. However, once you've done that, you might also want to look at the Dell Ultrasharp WB7022, which initially retailed for the same price but is now often cheaper found for less money.
It also features a large Sony STARVIS sensor which, in my opinion, captures an image that looks much more vibrant and natural than the MX Brio by default, and although the design is perhaps a little more intrusive when it comes to the 4K image quality, the You prioritize It's definitely the better call.
Also check out the OBSBot Tiny 2. While it's significantly more expensive than the MX Brio, it also has lightning-fast autofocus, 4K recording capability and you get a truly excellent 1.5-inch CMOS sensor and a motorized 2-axis sensor. A gimbal mount that your Tracking movements and responding to voice commands is a feature worth paying for in my opinion.
The Logitech MX Brio is undoubtedly a solid 4K device, but for that much money it's priced into dangerous high-end waters. A good all-rounder, but you can't shake the feeling that you should get a little more for your money than you end up with.
