Razer Kiyo Pro vs Logitech C920 vs AVerMedia PW513
Amazon links in this article are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
In this article, I will compare the Razer Kiyo Pro to the AVerMedia Live Streamer CAM 513 and Logitech C920. I’ll also include a section of the Kiyo Pro vs the C922.
Overview and Specifications
Image Quality
Audio Quality
Verdict
Overview and Specifications
Left to right: Razer Kiyo Pro, AVerMedia PW513, Logitech C920.
The Razer Kiyo Pro, Logitech C920, and AVerMedia PW513 are all plug and play USB webcams. These webcams install their drivers immediately when plugged in, so you can use them as video and microphone sources in OBS or Zoom. Razer, Logitech and AVerMedia also supply their own software that can be downloaded separately for free.
Each device can clip onto a monitor or be screwed onto a tripod with the 1/4th inch thread opening on the bottom of each.
Razer Kiyo Pro
Privacy cover included in the box.
Maximum Resolution: 1080p 60 FPS.
Field of view: adjustable 80, 90, or 103 degrees.
Video Format: YUY2 and NV12 at 1080p 60 FPS.
Wire length: 60 inches.
Privacy cap included (detachable).
Software: Razer Synapse.
Most of the Kiyo Pro's settings can be controlled in OBS, but the field of view adjustment and high dynamic range (HDR) setting can only be accessed in the Razer Synapse software. The HDR effect drops the image down to 1080p 30 FPS.
Razer Synapse crashes a lot, and you have to unplug the whole webcam to get it working again. I stay away from Razer Synapse whenever possible. The Kiyo Pro’s field of view defaults to 80 degrees, but it can be changed to 90 or 103 degrees. Unfortunately, those create a very pronounced fisheye effect.
I bought the Razer Kiyo Pro for its launch price of $200. Here is an Amazon link to see its current pricing.
AVerMedia Live Streamer CAM 513 (PW513)
Maximum Resolution: 4K 30 FPS or 1080p 60 FPS.
Field of view: 94 degrees.
Video Format: MJPEG. YUVY is available at 4K 15 FPS or 1080p 60 FPS.
Wire length: 60 inches.
Privacy cover built onto device.
Software: AVerMedia CamEngine.
The PW513's settings are accessible in OBS, but if you add AVerMedia's CamEngine software as a source, the settings will persist even after unplugging or rebooting. Also make sure to update the software and firmware of the PW513 to get access to all the advanced settings.
I bought the AVerMedia Live Streamer CAM 513 for its launch price of $250. Here is an Amazon link to its current pricing.
Logitech C920
Logitech C920.
Maximum Resolution: 1080p 30 FPS.
Field of view: 78 degrees.
Video Format: MJPEG. Can also record H.264.
Wire length: 60 inches.
No privacy cover, but the C920S variant includes one.
Software: Logitech Capture.
You get the most control over the C920 in OBS and I would avoid Logitech Capture since it doesn't provide any extra benefit for this device.
I bought my Logitech C920 for $50. Here is an Amazon link to see its current pricing.
Logitech C922
Logitech C922.
Logitech also sells the C922 which has the same build quality, image quality, and audio as the C920. Its only specs difference is it can also record in 720p 60 FPS. I’ve compared the C920 to the C922 directly in this article. For most of this review, I’ll just be showing the C920, but in the image quality section I’ll demonstrate a bit of the C922.
Below is a table comparing the basic specs of each device.
Webcam comparison table
| Webcam | Max Resolution and Frame Rate | Field of View | Video Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Razer Kiyo Pro | 1080p 60 FPS | 80, 90, or 103 degrees | YUY2, NV12 |
| AVerMedia PW513 | 4K 30 FPS or 1080p 60 FPS | 94 degrees | MJPEG (or UYVY at 4K 15FPS or 1080p 60 FPS)* |
| Logitech C920 | 1080p 30 FPS | 78 degrees | MJPEG |
| Logitech C922 | 1080p 30 FPS or 720p 60 FPS | 78 degrees | MJPEG |
* The AVerMedia PW513 has a bit confusing video format options. When used in OBS, you can select MJPEG or UYVY. UYVY is only selectable at 4K 15 FPS and 1080p 60 FPS or below. UYVY was very unstable in my experience.
When you use the CamEngine software as a source in OBS, the only option you can select in OBS is YUY2, but the colors look the same as when you select MJPEG in OBS.
PW513 as a source, UYVY accessible at 1080p 60 FPS.
PW513 as a source, UYVY accessible at 4K 15 FPS.
CamEngine as a source. YUY2 only.
Image Quality
In this section, I’ll demonstrate each webcam in multiple lighting scenarios and then compare each webcam in terms of:
sharpness
color accuracy
exposure and dynamic range
field of view
focus
The following stills are taken with manual settings. All settings are controlled by OBS except for the Kiyo Pro’s HDR and field of view which are only accessible in Razer Synapse. I’ll be showing Logitech’s C920 until the very end where I’ll quickly compare the Kiyo Pro to the C922.
Daytime, Daylight Only
In the daytime with daylight only, the exposure and gain settings have to be set pretty high so the image isn't too dark. The result is a lot of motion blur on the Kiyo Pro and PW513 and a lot of grain on the PW513, but they are sufficiently bright. I’ll address the extra green in the PW513 later.
The C920 is the darkest, but it doesn't fall too far behind the premium devices. It’s not really a great choice with daylight only.
Kiyo Pro HDR demonstration
Being lit from a window behind you is a suboptimal lighting setup, but here's the only real instance where the HDR is beneficial on the Kiyo Pro.
The HDR effect evens out the bright background with the shadowy subject. It’s a really cool effect, and I like Razer's innovation here. However, as I mentioned in my previous Kiyo Pro article, the shortcomings of HDR are:
loss of detail.
artifacting when there's lots of movement or when the exposure and gain aren't in a precise range.
a blurry outline around objects.
frame rate reduced to 30 FPS
So overall, I'd avoid the HDR if possible by putting your brightest light in front of you instead.
Night, Overhead Light Only
At night with room lighting only, the Razer Kiyo Pro and AVerMedia PW513 again require their exposure and gain settings cranked up pretty high to get a usable image. Neither of them look good here, but with this little light they both salvage the shot pretty well.
The C920 is basically a brick at night time with room lighting. The shot is just way too dim to get any use out of it. I recommend buying a light to supplement any of these webcams. I've compared several lights on my website, and the two main lights in the following shot are the Elgato Ring Light and the Neewer 18" Advanced Ring Light (Amazon links).
Studio Lighting
With each webcam at optimal lighting conditions, I can properly break down how well the Kiyo Pro, PW513, and C920 perform in each category.
Sharpness
The AVerMedia PW513 is the sharpest of the three when set to 4K. Textures and text are very clear. You can enlarge the images below to compare the text on the back of my mic.
The PW513’s 1080p mode puts it about even with the Kiyo Pro at its maximum resolution. The softness on these two webcams at 1080p isn’t terrible, but it’s very noticable at full screen. The Kiyo Pro has the least noise in the image which is most noticeable the less light there is.
The C920 is the softest, but just barely. The original Razer Kiyo is actually sharper than all of these devices at 1080p.
Exposure and Dynamic Range
In regards to dynamic range - how well each device can display both light and dark areas of a shot - the Kiyo Pro and PW513 are about even when lit from the front. Nothing is too blown out on either device unless you set them to automatic settings. In that case, you’ll just have to hope.
The problem with the PW513’s exposure is it basically has to be set at -3 to be useable or -4 with the gain increased super high. This means there’s almost always going to be a lot of motion blur with this device. The Kiyo Pro is far more flexible with exposure and gain levels, so it’s much easier to get a smooth, well exposed image without much motion blur.
The C920 requires a ton of light at night, and it starts to struggle a bit with banding and graininess from the light hitting the back wall in the day time. It’s still not nearly as bad as the Logitech Streamcam or the original Razer Kiyo as I demonstrated in another comparison.
Of course, the HDR on the Kiyo Pro gives it a clear advantage here if you’re okay with its drawbacks.
Color Accuracy
All 3 of these webcams have some shortcomings in regards to colors, but in order I'd say the Kiyo Pro is the best overall, C920 is second, and the AVerMedia PW513 is last.
The Kiyo Pro has pretty good colors overall, but there's too much orange added to the shot which really shows up whenever something bright red is in frame. Of all the webcams I've used, this does the best job with my skin tone by far. The white balance is also really good.
Some colors are straight up missing on the C920, so the shot looks dull. Certain shades of red and brown just aren't really there. Still, the C920 gets my neon Nintendo Switch closest to what it really looks like.
The PW513's weakness is linked to its hue setting. By default, the entire image has way too much extra green. When the hue is dropped down from 0 to -1000, pinks and reds get too bright. The best I could get it was about -700.
Colors have been the biggest weakness of the AVerMedia Live Streamer CAM 513 since its launch, and it's the main reason I recommended the Logitech Brio over it when I put them head to head.
Field of View
The Kiyo Pro technically has the widest field of view possible, but the warped GoPro effect at 90 and 103 degrees is super distracting. So I leave it at 80 degrees. The AVerMedia Live Streamer CAM 513 is plenty wide at 94 degrees, but straight lines are still straight so I give it the win here.
The tightest shot at 78 degrees is the Logitech C920. It’s not as close up as a lot of camcorders like the Canon VIXIA HF R800 (my review), so it will still be fine for most use cases.
Autofocus
This is the one category where the C920 gets a clean win. It has functioning autofocus. The PW513 is fixed focus (meaning it can't be changed). The Kiyo Pro pulses like crazy even if you’re being completely still with lots of light in the shot. It's really distracting.
I recommend keeping autofocus off whenever using a webcam unless you're going to be bringing objects close to the screen.
Razer Kiyo Pro vs Logitech C922
The Razer Kiyo Pro matches up to the C922 in mostly the same ways as the C920.
At 1080p 60 FPS, the Razer Kiyo Pro beats out the smoothness of the C922 when set to its maximum resolution (1080p, 30 FPS). The two devices are about even in sharpness, but the Kiyo Pro has much less noise. When set to 720p 60 FPS, the C922 catches up in smoothness, but the image quality overall drops, and you can barely read text or make out fine details at all.
Razer Kiyo Pro (1080p/60) on top, Logitech C922 (1080p/30) on the bottom.
Razer Kiyo Pro (1080/60) on top, Logitech C922 (720p/60) on the bottom.
Microphone audio quality
Here is sample audio from each device.
The best microphone is the Razer Kiyo Pro. It has the fullest sound even just over arm's length away. Its biggest weakness is there's no noise cancelation so when my computer fan kicks on in a game or if there's background noise, it's problematic.
The PW513 is in the middle. It's tinny and sounds like one of those mics that come with earbuds from the gas station. It’s not particularly offensive for a webcam mic though.
The C920 definitely has the worst mic of these three. It's muffled and the fan turns into a high pitched whine in the background. The noise cancellation is hit or miss on this thing, but sometimes it works pretty well.
Two of my favorite mics, Razer Seiren Elite and Samson Q2U.
I wouldn't get any webcam for the mic, and instead supplement them with a separate USB mic. My current favorite mic is the Razer Seiren Elite (my review), but for a great budget option I’ve also reviewed the Fifine K669B.
Verdict
Here is a summary table of how each device performed in comparison to each other.
| Webcam | Sharpness | Color Accuracy | Exposure | Microphone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Razer Kiyo Pro | Decent | Great | Great | Good |
| AVerMedia PW513 | Great | Bad | Good | Decent |
| Logitech C920 | Decent | Decent | Good | Bad |
Now which one of these should you buy? There's two categories. If you're on a budget, it's a no brainer to get the C920. It's far cheaper than the Kiyo Pro and PW513, but it holds its own as far as overall quality if you have enough light. It's still the best budget webcam on the market.
If you have $200+ to spend on a webcam, you should be getting the best of the best. But I think you're compromising on either colors or sharpness whether you get the Kiyo Pro or the PW513.
Personally, I would look into the Logitech Brio (my review) because it's the best of both worlds. It's almost as sharp as the PW513, has almost as wide of a field of view, but it destroys its colors. The Brio's color accuracy at 4K doesn't match up to the Kiyo Pro, but it can be dropped down to 1080p 30 FPS at YUY2 and the colors sometimes look better than the Kiyo Pro at that setting.
Amazon Listings
Razer Kiyo Pro: https://amzn.to/3ss5ViH
AVerMedia PW513: https://amzn.to/3kL0kQE
Logitech C920: https://amzn.to/3cTUoCX
Logitech C922: https://amzn.to/3vW7mZw
