Razer took an early lead when I began testing webcams back in 2020. Since then, it has continued to expand its lineup of Kiyo webcams, and that brings us to the Kiyo Pro Ultra. As the name suggests, this webcam takes aim at the very top end of the desktop camera market.
It nails most of the basics just fine—I would hope so at its $300 price—but fine visuals just aren’t enough to give it top marks.
Lookin’ Good, but Focus!
Photograph: Razer
Not to be confused with the 1,080p webcam, the Kiyo Pro, the Kiyo Pro Ultra has the ability to record in 4K resolution at 30 frames per second (fps) or 1,080p resolution at 60 fps. If you’re livestreaming, you can have it convert video to uncompressed 4K 24 fps, 1,440p 30 fps, or 1,080p 60 fps. Uncompressed just means you don’t lose video quality.
The picture quality of the Kiyo Pro Ultra is razor-sharp (pardon the pun), and the colors are rich. This is thanks to the 1/1.2-inch sensor, which is slightly larger than the main camera in the iPhone 14 Pro. Large camera sensors can simply capture more light, which in turn means sharper, more detailed images. The problem for Razer is the autofocus—I’ve always encountered jarring autofocus with Kiyo webcams. They do well to keep subjects looking sharp, even if they’re moving around, but the autofocus can dip in and out, and it’s just very noticeable.
White balance, which is more of a software concern, is excellent. Whether I was shooting in a nighttime room with lots of yellow light or a bright sunlit room or on an overcast day, the Kiyo Pro Ultra had no issues presenting me and my surroundings in tones that matched how the human eye sees. There were no weird colors or sickly skin tones here.
Photograph: Razer