The HyperX Vision S webcam marks the company’s inaugural venture into creating a device tailored for streamers. The question that arises: does its performance justify the price tag?
HyperX has undergone significant growth in recent years, establishing a reputation for crafting top-notch gaming accessories such as the Pulsefire Haste 2 mouse and Cloud III headset.
Venturing into the content creation arena, HyperX introduced the Vision S webcam in October as a solution for individuals seeking excellent camera quality without the expense associated with mirrorless cameras and accessories.
Priced at $199, the HyperX Vision S webcam boasts a 4K resolution capture capability at a frame rate of 30fps. The crucial inquiry remains: does the performance merit the price?
HyperX Vision S Key Specs
- Recording resolution: 4K30, 1080p60
- Field of view: 90-degrees
- Resolution: 8mp
- MSRP: $199.99
HyperX Vision S Design
The HyperX Vision S webcam stands out with its distinctive squared-off barrel shape, setting it apart from other webcams on the market.
Positioned atop a robust mount with three pivot points and a front lip, the webcam offers versatile placement on virtually any monitor without complications. If your monitor’s top bezel is smaller than the Vision S’s lip, there’s a threaded tripod screw hole on the mount’s bottom.
The combined weight of the webcam and mount is approximately 259g, making it relatively lightweight. Its dimensions are around three inches in length and just under two inches in width. For privacy considerations, HyperX has incorporated a magnetic cover that can be conveniently stored on the webcam’s back when not in use.
Internally, the webcam features an 8-megapixel Sony Starvis IMX415 sensor, enabling video capture at up to 4K resolution at 30fps. To access the 4K capability, however, direct connection to a USB 3.0 port is required. Notably, HyperX opted not to include a microphone in the Vision S, a decision aligning with its target audience of creators and streamers.
In terms of aesthetics, the Vision S is an attractive piece of hardware that is likely to endure the test of time in various setups.
HyperX Vision S Features
Accompanying this impressive hardware is HyperX’s NGENUITY software, which, as per usual, excels in offering a multitude of options.
Through the software, users can make a myriad of adjustments to the Vision S, ensuring it appears outstanding under diverse lighting conditions.
NGENUITY provides toggles for Auto Focus, Exposure, and White Balance, along with the flexibility to manually fine-tune each aspect using dedicated sliders. The app grants users the ability to select their preferred framing within the camera.
Additionally, the software features checkboxes for backlight and low light compensation, HDR, and other customizations. It’s worth noting that HyperX’s software may experience occasional glitches when altering resolution or framing, but a swift restart of the application resolves the issue seamlessly.
HyperX has integrated support for Windows Hello, enabling users to unlock their computers using facial recognition. This feature operates smoothly, with only minor glitches observed during testing.
Image quality
Right out of the packaging, I immediately observed a substantial enhancement when comparing my reliable Logitech C920 to the HyperX Vision S.
Primarily targeted at content creators and streamers, a demographic that has increasingly adopted Mirrorless cameras for webcam use in recent years to enhance stream quality, the Vision S, while lacking some of the versatile features of a standard camera, notably the ability to detach for real-world content creation, delivers comparable quality thanks to its Sony sensor.
The webcam excels in low-light settings and accurately reproduces colors that closely resemble real-life hues. It effectively captures fine details in both 1080p and 4K resolutions, maintaining consistent quality even when utilized with third-party software such as OBS or Streamlabs Desktop.
Microphone Quality
Webcam microphones are frequently subpar, and HyperX appears to be well aware of this, evident in the absence of a microphone in the Vision S.
This decision aligns with HyperX’s strategy of positioning the webcam as a top-tier choice for content creation, an arena where professionals typically opt for a dedicated, higher-quality microphone.
For users seeking a standalone microphone, HyperX provides various alternatives, including the user-friendly Duocast USB mic and the more advanced Procast XLR option.
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