WE RECENTLY REVIEWED AVerMedia’s
PW31 5 webcam and were pretty
impressed with the features and
performance we got for a relatively
affordable price tag. The Taiwanese
company specializes in webcams and the
AVerMedia PW51 3 is a more premium
version of the model we've already seen.
Quality is key to good video
communication. After all, there’s nothing
worse than your video call looking like
a game of Minecraft. Though we all
experience dodgy internet connections
from time to time, one way of improving
the quality is to upgrade your outdated
webcam. So, having given the PW 315 the
thumbs-up, we have high hopes that the
PW51 3 can improve on it.
One thing that the PW31 5 suffered
from was its build quality but, here,
AVerMedia has stepped up its game.
Instantly, you get a sense that this is
a more premium device—it's larger,
heftier, and feels more rugged. Though
you are unlikely to take it around with
you often, if you do want to throw it in a
bag for a Zoom meeting on-the-go, it's a
durable product that's built to last.
The mount is rubberized for better grip
and features a typical tripod screw hole to
make this compatible for other uses. The
PW51 3 is sturdy and the camera itself
sits on a 360° swivel ball mount that not
only allows you to find the perfect angle
but also gives you confidence that the
camera won’t slip down. With a superb
94° field-of-view, you will be sure to get
you and your room fully in frame.
The design is an all-black barrel look
that we like a lot. We also love the privacy
shutter, an arm that pivots and is super-
easy to use. Having a fixed privacy shutter
is much better than a removable cap, and
makes for less desk clutter. It also has a
cutout for the left microphone if you are
just using it for audio chat. The lens sits
in the middle and is a lot larger than the
PW315, but we will focus (sorry!) on that
later. There is a microphone on each side
of the camera and also on the right side
is a blue power indicator.For professional use,
streaming, or both?
AVerMedia
PW 513
9VERDICT AVerMedia PW 513CRYSTAL CLEAR Great 4K
image quality; wide FOV;
privacy shutter and great build quality
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED No HDR; fixed
focus and no 4K @60fps
$169.99, http://www.avermedia.comSPECIFICATIONS
Video resolution 4K @ 30 FPS, 1080p @ 60 FPS
Image resolution 8.0 megapixels
Video encoding MP4
Field of view 94°
Focus type Fixed
Connectivity USB 3.0 C-A
Weight 0.86lbsRound the back is the USB C 3. 0 port
and the camera also comes with a USB
A to C 3 .0 cable in the box. AVerMedia
claims that the PW51 3 has a ‘crystal
clear picture quality', but the company
happens to be right on the money with
this bold statement.
This is a plug-and-play webcam and
straight out of the box, the 4 K quality is
pretty impressive. Its stand-out feature
is its Sony 4K CMOS sensor and, used in
a well-lit room, the clarity was exactly
what we would have expected. Colors pop
and the fixed focus always seems to keep
you detailed in the shot. The smoothness
isn’t perfect, as the 4 K mode doesn't
shoot in 6 0fps, but the PW513's quality
overshadows the smoothness issues.ADJUSTABLE SETTINGS
Overall, the default setup is pretty
impressive, but to make matters better,
AVerMedia has a dedicated program
called CamEngine. This can be used to
adjust the camera's settings and includes
sliders for brightness, sharpness, and
filters. It saves your selections onto
the camera, which is perfect if you are
switching between different PCs. It also
shoots in 108 0p 60 fps for those who want
more frames, the quality is still great
and for most people, it will be more than
good enough—though the ability to shoot
4K 60 fps video would have made this an
almost ideal webcam.
Another plus for the PW51 3 is its built-
in microphones. While many will choose
to pair this webcam with a headset for
the best audio and microphone solution
for video calling or streaming, if you find
yourself without a headset, the built-in
mics will certainly do.This is a great webcam for either
streaming or professional purposes—
the CamEngine software even gives you
the choice to optimize the setup for either
usage. With a great build quality, sleek
design, a wide field-of-view, and a sharp
4K sensor, this webcam is the best of
both worlds. Our only reservation is that,
at $1 70 , it is quite pricey.
However, the PW51 3 does exactly
what you’d hope it would for that price.
Maybe an HDR mode could improve the
quality, but we had no issues with clarity
and color pickup. With the popularity of
both streaming and work video meetings,
now is a great time to invest in a high-
end webcam and this is certainly one to
consider. – SAM LEWIS