OBSBOT Tiny 4K webcam review: An absolute joy to use

Price When Reviewed

$269.99

Best Prices Today: OBSBOT Tiny PTZ 4K

$239.00

$269.00

The OBSBOT Tiny 4K definitely ranks among the many finest webcams you should purchase, 4K or not, interval. It provides a lot: 4K video, a 60fps choice (albeit at 1080p), and the true magic: an automatic gimbal that bodily rotates and dips the webcam to middle your face.

It will get higher. The OBSBOT Tiny 4K (generally bought because the OBSBOT Tiny PTZ 4K) will quickly be supplemented by the Tiny 2, with a bigger sensor for improved video. That ought to assist remedy one of many Tiny 4K’s solely shortcomings: video high quality is nice, simply not excellent. On the opposite hand, OBSBOT is discounting the Tiny PTZ 4K in anticipation of the Tiny 2’s launch, so it can save you a big chunk off of its common $269.99 MSRP.

The Tiny 4K ships in two items: a magnetic mount, and the digicam meeting itself, packaged collectively inside a zipped carrying case that OBSBOT gives. OBSBOT additionally gives the selection between a 4.92ft/1.5m USB-C to USB-C cable, or a USB-C to USB-A cable inside the identical field. Just remember to join the latter to a USB 3.1 port (versus USB 2.0) to make sure that the webcam has sufficient energy.

The OSBBOT Tiny 4K feels exceptionally well-designed, with touches that you simply won’t want but are supplied anyway. The magnetic mount holds the digicam meeting quick, with the folding “jaws” being lengthy and pronounced sufficient to deal with even thicker shows. The mount meeting even comes with a small, sticky floor that may be peeled off to affix the mount, although you most likely received’t want it.

Further studying: See our roundup of the best webcams to study competing merchandise.

Mark Hachman / IDG

All instructed, the webcam and its mount measures 5.59 inches tall, and a couple of.28 inches huge and deep. The gimbal and separate mount weigh 0.37lbs collectively.

The Tiny 4K has unbelievable, easy configurability

This is without doubt one of the few cameras whose utility software program, downloadable from the OBSBOT web site, feels actually needed. OBSBOT provides the normal picture controls: brightness, publicity, white stability, and anti-flicker controls, but in addition auto-focus and publicity controls (metered globally, or else particularly in your face).

The premium options the OBSBOT Tiny 4K contains are additionally controllable. The actual magic of the Tiny 4K is the way it locks on and tracks your face, and this may be triggered through the OBSBOT Webcam utility. OBSBOT, nonetheless, goes additional: Not solely are you able to set the auto-focusing digicam to routinely orient itself in your face, you possibly can manually configure the way you seem on digicam, too.

A “headroom” setting tilts the digicam up a bit to create “space” above your head, in case you so choose. You may even manually modify the automated gimbal in order that the digicam positions your face to at least one facet or the opposite, for captioning or graphics. (While the digicam will monitor you round a room, for a full 360 levels, you possibly can manually configure the gimbal 150 levels with 45 levels of tilt.) You can even set the sector of view (86, 78, or 65 levels) and optically zoom between 1X and 4X. The Tiny 4K’s stage of configurability is just above and past most competing webcams available on the market right now.

Mark Hachman / IDG

OBSBOT even lets you lock the digicam in your face by gestures: holding your hand out, palm up, identifies you because the “target”. Holding your fingers within the form of an “L” zooms out and in. All of those gestures labored completely out of the field, although I discovered that I wanted to re-identify myself on one event.

There isn’t any privateness shutter, although the system will enter sleep mode if not actively getting used. You can even manually push the digicam down; when it’s pointed down it enters sleep mode, turning off the mic and digicam. (Windows’ Sound Recorder and Camera apps confirmed this.) The digicam tends to overlook your preferences in case you unplug it or shut your PC down, although it can save you them as a preset, too.

How does the OBSBOT Tiny 4K carry out?

The Tiny PTZ 4K’s face monitoring is fairly superb. The Tiny 4K is gradual, however dogged; you possibly can actually stroll round your show and the digicam will comply with you, albeit slowly. That’s one of many solely knocks in opposition to this webcam, as you’ll develop used to it monitoring you as you shift about in your seat and even tempo the room. (Just beware in case you lean away to blow your nostril!) It’s slightly gimmicky in the truth that most of us don’t tempo the room whereas on a video name—and in case you do, your viewers might even see some odd angles because the digicam tracks you.

Mark Hachman / IDG

If it loses sight of you, the Tiny 4K will search out the final recognized location of your face, then swivel left and proper and up and down till it re-acquires you. A small array of LEDs on the entrance sign if every little thing’s okay (inexperienced) and whether or not it’s acknowledged any gesture instructions you’ve made.

The OBSBOT Tiny 4K’s video high quality is fairly good, on par if barely inferior to the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, which seems about pretty much as good as any webcam delivers. About the one complaints I’ve is that the video decision is simply adjustable within the preview mode, and the HDR adjustment can’t work wonders in a backlit room. Keep in thoughts, too, that 4K decision is simply achievable in 30Hz. If you need to seize or broadcast in 60Hz, you’ll must step all the way down to 1080p.

As you possibly can see within the screenshot beneath, the autofocusing may stand to enhance, too. The twin noise-cancelling mics, nonetheless, filtered out background sounds fairly successfully, although they did a greater job paired with the noise-cancelling algorithms in Zoom, for exampe.

Mark Hachman / IDG

OBSBOT has simply launched the Tiny 2, which provides a number of new options: voice management, sooner focusing, and a bigger picture sensor, for $329. We’ll seemingly be reviewing it quickly. Still, the easy configurability of the OBSBOT Tiny 4K elevates it to among the finest webcams we’ve ever seen, and a terrific product in its personal proper. We strongly advocate the Tiny PTZ 4K.