The Poly Studio P5 Webcam is a wonderful pairing for home-office and co-working spaces that can help you avoid embarrassing zooms. Compared to many top rated laptops, the Poly Studio P5 give the additional sensor size to capture more pleasant images. Though, it won’t compete with a DSLR with HDMI adapters, it will make you look better on Zoom.
Webcams have come a long way from the days of pixelated calls to my Canadian girlfriend on MSN Messager in the mid-2000s. Yet, integrated camera solutions often produce images the quality of a stored potato in a dark cabinet. While content creators might invest thousands in creamy Hollywood quality equipment, there is a middle ground need for a simple solution that can fit in a bag. That’s where the Poly Studio P5 comes in.
Disclaimer: Poly sent us this unit for review.
Poly, formerly Plantronics, produces easy accessories for better clarity. Mostly known for their line of headphones that can go 8-hour a day, everyday, everywhere – their video and conference phone line up has been refreshed for a post-COVID era. As co-working spaces refill, Poly is situated to retool the hybrid offices. Just as with a cell phone, the image is what we celebrate. Poly’s Webcam gets off to a good start with the 1080p resolution.
The one weakness of the Poly P5 Studio is the microphone. In open office environments it picks up noise like an overachiever picks up hobbies. The audio clarity is fine for home situations, unless you have birds. Poly, likely knows this and has paired the P5 with their superior line of Voyager headsets. The model we received to review had a Voyager 4220 UC. The combo not only fixes, but overall takes the package to a higher level. When combined, the Poly P5 Studio with a Voyager headset will get most startups off the ground.
For those looking to improve their zoom game, this is the mid-level kit that will satisfy most needs. The hidden USB-A port in the back is a nice touch. And for those concerned with privacy, there is a shutter that blocks the camera. You won’t have to put some sticker over it or hide it away in a closet doing whatever it is you need it for. You know, intellectual property meetings with investors.
The Poly Studio P5 hovers around $50 on Amazon. With the Voyager kit offering a slight discount around $180.
