The webcam business is booming, thanks to the fact that many people are now telecommuting, and Anker has announced a new product to compete with category leaders like the Logitech C920. [This week, Anker announced the PowerConf C300 Smart HD webcam, a $130 1080p webcam; the PowerConf C300 is part of Anker's new AnkerWork series of home office products, and if it performs well, it could be the most It will be in fierce competition with the best webcams on the market.

But that means going up against Logitech and Microsoft, the latter of which just announced its own 1080p Microsoft Modern webcam for $70.

Anker's new Powerconf C300 is available from your favorite online retailer or from Anker's website for $130.

This is Anker's first webcam and looks like a premium piece of kit that may have a hard time competing with lower-priced 1080p competitors like the $70 Microsoft Modern Webcam (available in June) and the $80 Logitech C920.

The Anker PowerConf C300 has a 2MP CMOS sensor and can capture 1080p video at 60 or 30 frames per second. It has three viewing angles: 115, 90, and 78 degrees, which can be used to show an entire room or to squeeze people, pets, and unsightly small objects out of the frame.

The PowerConf C300 also has dual stereo microphones, better than Microsoft's modern camera (which has only one microphone) and a strong competitor to the Logitech C920 with its dual microphones.

Anker also includes an optional privacy cover that can be attached to the PowerConf C300 to hide its camera, but this cover does not hide the microphone or the webcam's LED light.

A key feature of the PowerConf C300 is what Anker calls "smart framing." This basically means that the webcam uses its built-in AI chipset to recognize faces and automatically tracks the movements of the person on the screen, keeping them centered in the frame.

Anker claims that its smart framing algorithm can recognize minor movements (like reaching for a glass of water) and filter them out.

The PowerConf C300 also has autofocus, automatic low-light correction, and automatic color correction to compete with the best webcams available today; it connects via USB-C, which is worth noting if your current work setup is outdated and lacks a USB-C port. It deserves attention if your current work setup is outdated and lacks a USB-C port.

We won't know how well the PowerConf C300 stacks up against the competition until we test it, but purely on specs alone, Anker's new webcam may be one of the best you can buy. However, purely on specs alone, Anker's new webcam may be one of the best you can buy. While the hardware looks top-notch and the smart framing technology may be useful, it is unlikely to be worth twice the price of its top competitor.