Review of Logitech MX Brio

The plastic arm of the clip features a wide lip at the front and a rotating foot at the back. The foot has a slightly sticky texture to secure the clip on top of the screen, while an extra hinge allows you to adjust the webcam angle for the view-flipping Show Mode. When the webcam is tilted downwards, it becomes front-heavy, but the thick USB-C cable included acts as a necessary counterbalance in this scenario.

Specifications include 4K30 resolution paired with a wide lens.

The MX Brio utilizes a 4K Sony Starvis sensor, while Logitech does not disclose its size, only mentioning that it has 70% larger pixels compared to the previous Brio 4K webcam. The size of the sensor (and pixels) can significantly impact the quality of the image, particularly in low-light settings. Sony produces Starvis sensors in various sizes, such as the relatively large 1/1.2-inch sensor in the Kiyo Pro Ultra and the smaller 1/2.8-inch sensor in the Vision S. Both cameras perform well in capturing video under most conditions, including low light, although noise is more pronounced in dark scenes with the Vision S.

The 4K sensor of the MX Brio is combined with an f/2.0 lens featuring a 90-degree field of view that can be adjusted to 78 or 65 degrees. While the f/2.0 aperture is relatively wide, it is not as wide as the Kiyo Pro Ultra’s f/1.7 lens. Consequently, the MX Brio’s sensor receives less light, requiring the camera to boost sensitivity and introduce more noise to achieve a similar exposure level as the Razer camera in identical lighting conditions.

The MX Brio offers a much deeper focal plane in comparison to the Kiyo Pro Ultra. With its wider lens, the MX Brio, along with the Vision S, can maintain focus on both you and your background simultaneously. On the other hand, the Kiyo Pro creates a professional bokeh effect by focusing solely on you while blurring the background. However, achieving this effect with the Kiyo Pro is more challenging as it requires constant monitoring of the lens distance to ensure everything remains in focus. In contrast, the Logitech webcam allows for clear focus on subjects at varying distances, such as sitting two feet away, having a counter eight feet away, and holding a figurine just a foot away.

Software: Choose Your App

Logitech aims to target gamers, game streamers, remote workers, and businesses with the MX Brio webcam, which is why it is compatible with three different Logitech apps. Although all three apps allow for similar picture adjustments, they are designed for different purposes and Logitech product lines. Regardless of the app used, users can adjust the field of view, crop, zoom, and toggle various settings such as auto-exposure, auto-focus, auto-white balance, HDR, low-light compensation, and Show Modes. Additionally, users have the option to manually adjust picture settings including brightness, color temperature, contrast, exposure compensation, focus, and tint, and save these adjustments as presets for quick use.

The Logi Option + application offers a user-friendly interface for adjusting the webcam and other Logitech accessories, ideal for basic home office use. Additionally, if you own a Logitech MX keyboard or mouse, you can configure Smart Actions to customize key and button functions according to the software in use.

The Logitech G Hub is designed specifically for gamers and streamers, with a focus on managing Logitech G gaming peripherals and Astro gaming headsets. It introduces behavior profiles tailored for games, replacing Smart Actions which were previously geared towards productivity software.

The Logi Tune app serves as the enterprise software for the MX Brio, and it is the sole app that allows for an auto-framing feature known as RightSight. This feature keeps the camera digitally zoomed in on your face, even as you move around the scene. However, during testing with early software, RightSight appeared to be ineffective and left me with the same fixed frame as before.

Video Performance: Crisp and Properly Lit.

The video quality on the MX Brio is outstanding, particularly in brightly lit settings. When my apartment is fully illuminated, I can easily distinguish fine details such as individual beard hairs and the texture of my chair’s fabric. While background details are slightly less clear, they are not significantly diminished. For example, you can still clearly make out the Triforce logo on the Game Boy Advance SP in the glass case behind me in the photo below.

In dim lighting, with the lights in my apartment switched off and only my monitor casting light on my face, my beard and hair may lack some detail, but their textures remain visible, and my face appears well-exposed and crisp. The dark background shows noticeable noise, a common issue with all webcams we have tested. Using a fill light such as the Logitech Litra Glow can enhance those details and maintain sharpness on your face even in dark surroundings. However, even without an additional light source, the MX Brio performs admirably in poorly lit conditions.

The automatic color balance and exposure performed accurately regardless of whether the lights in my apartment were on or off, resulting in a natural skin tone in test captures even when only my monitor illuminated my face. In bright light, the camera achieved a remarkably precise white balance, showcasing my white ceiling as neutral and maintaining the slightly warmer off-white hue of my walls.

Show Mode is a straightforward yet ingenious function created to effortlessly display your work on your desk or table. Once activated, simply tilting the MX Brio forward by 90 degrees will automatically rotate the image, positioning the bottom of the frame towards you and the top towards the screen or the camera’s location. Essentially, this setting provides a viewpoint akin to looking down at your desk, as opposed to the inverted image produced by rotating a webcam downwards without Show Mode.

The concept seems promising in theory, but it causes the camera to be at risk of tilting forward and potentially falling. I managed to stabilize it in Show Mode by adjusting it to nearly 90 degrees and positioning the USB cable to prevent tipping, but this is not a dependable or secure fix. Additionally, the focus and exposure quality diminish in Show Mode. Even under optimal lighting conditions, the automatic features produced a blurry and overexposed image. If you intend to utilize this mode for showcasing purposes, be prepared to create a customized profile with manual adjustments.

High-quality webcams prioritize image quality over audio, to the extent that some models, such as the HyperX Vision S, do not even have a microphone. On the other hand, the MX Brio comes with a set of beamforming microphones that ensure clear voice transmission, although the sound quality is not the best. During test recordings, my voice was loud and clear, but the camera also captured a significant amount of room echo. While it is certainly an improvement over having no microphone at all and is probably better than the built-in microphone on your laptop for video calls, it still does not compare to the performance you would get from a good headset or a USB microphone.

An Excellent Webcam Suitable for All Users.

The Logitech MX Brio is a top-tier webcam suitable for video calls and streaming, providing clear, well-lit video and impressive performance in low-light conditions. It is comparable to the HyperX Vision S in terms of performance, but distinguishes itself with more reliable and versatile software, along with a built-in microphone and a unique Show Mode for showcasing your workspace and hands. While the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra stands out as the most precise webcam due to its large sensor, wide lens, and narrow focal plane, it is primarily recommended for content creators who livestream on platforms like YouTube or Twitch. For general users, the MX Brio is a more user-friendly and cost-effective option compared to the Kiyo Pro Ultra, making it the recipient of our Editors’ Choice award.