Bottom line: Dell released its flagship 4K webcam last summer to fairly good reception. Critics praised its physical design, image quality, and 60 fps option. This year’s cheaper model may sacrifice 4K imaging, but it corrects its predecessor’s primary omission.
Dell just released a new webcam that’s essentially a younger brother to its $200 UltraSharp 4K model from last year. If you don’t need 4K and want to save money, the Pro 2K WB5023 at $135 might be a good option.
Despite the lower price, Dell’s new webcam adds an integrated noise reduction mic to ensure your speech sounds clear. Arguably the biggest mark against the 4K model is its lack of a mic.
The new model makes a few notable sacrifices compared to Dell’s top-end variant. First is the obvious reduction in maximum resolution from 4K to 2K (2,560 x 1,440 pixels, AKA QHD). Both models can only stream in their respective top resolutions at 30 frames per second but can reach 60fps in 1080p or 720p.
While the newer webcam retains its precursor’s digital overlap HDR functionality for improved auto exposure and light correction, it only features this at 1080p. Users worried about FOV should also note that the Pro 2K loses the UltraSharp’s 90-degree option, only maintaining the 65 and 70-degree modes. Additionally, its max zoom level is only 4x as opposed to the flagship model’s 5x.
A final, much smaller compromise is that the Pro 2K’s only USB connection is standard USB-A, whereas its predecessor came with a detachable USB-C to USB-A adapter. Pro buyers using USB-C connections should remember to buy a separate converter.
The newer model retains 3DNR temporal and 2DNR spatial noise reduction to remove grain and motion blur. Auto framing, which pans and zooms the field of view instead of physically moving the camera, is also intact, along with the magnetic privacy cover for the lens.
Both cameras work with software like Skype for Business, Google Hangouts, Cisco Webex, FaceTime, Slack, GoToMeeting, BlueJeans, Google Meet, and Lifesize. They’re compatible with macOS as well as Windows, but the integrated Dell Peripheral Manager software is Windows-only.