The PowerConf C200 was designed for personal workspaces, and it’s capable of shooting 2K video at an impressive 30 frames per second. Anker offers an adjustable field of view (65, 78, or 95 degrees), impressive AI noise cancellation, and dual stereo mics to pick up every nuance of every syllable. Ounce-for-ounce and pixel-for-pixel, is this one of the best webcams you can get right now? Keep reading our full Anker Webcam PowerConf C200 review to find out.
Anker PowerConf C200 webcam review: Availability and price
Anker PowerConf C200 webcam review: Design
At 2.4 x 2 x 1.6 inches and 2.9 ounces, the Anker PowerConf C200 is marginally (but noticeably) lighter than the 5.7-ounce Logitech C920s Pro HD Webcam, which can be found for a similar price at a variety of online retailers. The squarish look is a completely different aesthetic than what you’ll find on Logitech’s rectangular webcams with contoured edges, but I found it easy to perch the C200 on my laptop or external monitor during testing. Unlike the Logitech C920s, which features a removable flip-up privacy shutter when nose-picking urges arise, the C200’s sliding shutter is built into the webcam itself, which is simply a better design. The C200 also has an integrated tripod threading on the bottom; you can also just set the C200 right on your desk, and adjust the proper viewing angle from there. No such threading is found on the C920s. Akin the Logitech C920s, there’s no swiveling feature on the PowerConf C200, but such an absence is hardly a deal-breaker — especially at this price. The C200’s dual stereo microphones are rated for capturing audio up to three meters away, and are situated just below the autofocus lens. The privacy cover switch can be found up top, and I appreciated the James Bond-like effect when I slid this switch back and forth; it made my goodbyes way more dramatic whenever I peaced out of a Zoom meeting, that’s for sure. Once I unboxed the boxy C200, all I had to do was plug it in (via USB port), download the Anker software (opens in new tab) for my Windows 10 laptop, sit through a quick firmware update, and I was ready to rock.
Anker PowerConf C200 webcam review: Video and audio quality
As I tested out the PowerConf C200, I appreciated the wider-than-average viewing angles; 78 degrees seemed to be the sweet spot for most video calls, and 90 degrees was plenty wide for the bartending classes I teach over Zoom. I do like having the 65-degree option, however, for more intimate one-on-one conversations, especially in low lighting. To see how the C200 stacked up against the competition, I set the viewing angle to 78 degrees in the AnkerWork app, bumped the 2K resolution to the max, and used it for several Google Meet and Zoom room chats, comparing it against both the mediocre webcam on my laptop (an HP ZBook Fury 17 G8) and the Logitech C920s. I also compared still photos from each webcam to evaluate image quality. While video over the PowerConf C200 seemed a bit grainier than that taken with the 1080p Logitech C920s, the higher resolution seemed to expose more details, and colors popped just a bit more in daytime lighting. Image quality was undoubtedly superior to the Logitech C920s, which operated very well in low-light conditions during our testing, but not quite as well. (I’d also submit that the premium PowerConf C300 has a more responsive autofocus under dim lighting, but the C200’s performance is par for the course among even the best webcams, let alone those at this price point.) When I called a friend over Zoom with the PowerConf C200, I was pleased by the image clarity and color quality on my end, even without that HDR mode found on the premium C300 model. With my friend using a Logitech C930e Business Webcam from his MacBook Pro, his apartment looked a lot bluer than mine, and the details on my face (or anything else the lens autofocused on) seemed a bit sharper. Colors also seemed truer over the PowerConf C200 when compared to my laptop’s stock webcam, and I could even make out the stitching of my bright orange hat, and plenty of details from the bookshelf behind me. Anker uses a larger aperture size to augment the PowerConf C200’s low-light capabilities, so I made some of my test calls after dark. Frontlit by my 27-inch desktop display and keyboard lighting, the camera’s low-light tech illuminated plenty of detail as I sat at my desk, and it filtered out more background noise than the Logitech C920s. As advertised, the PowerConf C200 seems pretty capable of shooting in just about any lighting condition, even if you’re laptop-ing by candlelight. Regardless if you’re a Windows or Mac user, it’s compatible with Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Bluejeans, Cisco, Facetime for Mac, YouTube, Twitch, and more. When I chatted with a friend over Zoom, he said my voice came through crystal-clear via the C200’s dual omnidirectional mics. And while the overall audio quality is comparable to my laptop’s built-in mics, my friend said Anker had the edge in terms of reduced background noise. Though it’s rated for vocal pickup up to three meters away, the PowerConf 300’s super-sensitive mics could pick up my voice from across the apartment and into a whole separate room; during testing, my friend said he could hear me clear as day (even when speaking very, very low) from roughly 35 feet away.
Anker PowerConf C200 webcam review: Additional features
The plug-and-play PowerConf C200 is ready to use right out of the box, but you can tweak the video/audio settings from Anker’s dedicated desktop app. (This is the same software used by the C300, and you can toggle between multiple Anker webcams right from the app itself.)
Resolution – Toggles between 360p, 720p, 1080p, and a whopping 2K.Angle and Frame – Choose between 65, 78, or 95 degrees for your field of view. Anti-flicker – Helps reduce flicker when recording under artificial lighting (30Hz or 60Hz). Image Settings – Lets you tweak the contrast ratio, brightness, sharpness, and saturation levels. Horizontal flip – Flips the picture horizontally. Pick-up Mode – Allows you to choose between directional (90 degrees) and omnidirectional (180 degrees) vocal pickup; noises outside this general range are muted.
As mentioned above, you won’t find an HDR mode, auto-framing, or the ability to toggle between 30 and 60 frames per second, but if I didn’t know these features existed with another Anker product, I wouldn’t miss them.
Anker PowerConf C200 webcam review: Verdict
As the budget model among Anker’s lineup of business-friendly webcams, the PowerConf C200 is as unassuming as it is illuminating, and from everything we’ve seen so far, it’s a lot of value in a small package. At $70, the PowerConf C200 is also more affordable than other HD webcams you’ll find on the market today, such as the Logitech C930e, which offer a lower resolution (1080p) at a higher price ($130), but comparable low-light performance in a tidy package. More expensive webcams might offer more bells and whistles under the hood, but for no-nonsense hi-res video that won’t break the bank, there’s a lot to like about the PowerConf C200, and it’s sure to give any computer an instant upgrade.
