Razer Kiyo X Review

We had in our hands the Kiyo Pro version FHD capable of recording at 60fps, and this time we bring the Razer Kiyo X . This is a lower-end variant to broadcast in 1080p @ 30 FPS or 720p @ 60 FPS. It has automatic focus , image customization from Synapse 3 and Plug and Play. Its support provides total ergonomics for placement on screens, desk or standard tripod. Thinking about getting started in the streaming world? Well, let’s see how this camera is going.

Before continuing, we thank Razer for their trust in us for giving us this camera for analysis.

Razer Kiyo X technical characteristics

Unboxing

We begin the analysis by carrying out the corresponding Unboxing of the Razer Kiyo X, which will arrive in a beautiful flexible cardboard box of compact dimensions. Their external faces show us information and images of the product, always accompanied by the corporate colors.

We enter the interior to find a rigid cardboard grip that keeps the camera fixed between a circular polyethylene foam mold that will prevent the lens from breaking when it falls.

This bundle will have the following elements:

• Razer Kiyo Xwebcam
• User documentation
• Razer Stickers

The manufacturer informs that it will soon be accompanied by a virtual light ring to improve recording conditions.

Design

The exterior design of this Razer Kiyo X will be very similar to the rest of the new generation Kiyo variants, although the performance cut will also be noticeable in this one by having the connection cable fixed at the back. The external finish will be plastic and metal in black, with the integrated ergonomic support .

Starting with the camera itself, a very characteristic and compact cylindrical design has been chosen , with the lens located in the central area and a large area of ​​glass around it . The outer plastic ring indicates some of its characteristics such as 1080p recording or its wide-angle field of view. The two small holes placed above and below the lens will contain, on the one hand, the LED that will light up when the camera is working, and on the other, the microphone to capture the audio .

To improve its resistance and allow a better grip, the outer edge will be made of aluminum with a rough finish. On the back we find the fixed connection of the USB cable and some of its characteristics and certifications. In no case does it offer the ability to rotate the lens or any type of manual mechanical adjustment.

Mounting system

The union with the support is made by a lower hinge with the ability to adjust the orientation. The plastic support is made up of two parts in a folding clamp type format . It will offer three types of settings:

• One part will be attached to the other, for example, to support it on a tableor flat support.
• We can place it on any screenif we deploy said support in the form of a clamp. The top half has a lip to hold onto the front frame of the display, while the bottom half will rest on the back. Depending on the extension we choose, it can be placed more vertical or stretched out.
• The third anchoring system is located in the lower half through a threaded hole compatible with universal tripods. For the example we have used a typical smartphone standard, which will be perfectly valid.

The Razer Kiyo X USB cable is 1.5m long and features a braided rubber finish for low flexibility.

Technical characteristics

This Razer Kiyo X reduces the level of performance compared to the Pro version, equipping a CMOS-type sensor with a resolution of 2.1 Mpx , that is, 1920x1080p. No size or focal aperture has been specified for this, so we only know that it supports a recording resolution of 1080p at 30 FPS, 720p at 60 FPS, 480p at 30 FPS and 360p at 30 FPS . The best option, therefore, will be 1080p at 30 FPS, which will give us good quality and detail in the image , although we do not obtain great fluidity. It will not have HDR technology either, but it will have automatic or manual focus , as we choose. It will be a good choice for bothdynamic recordings or broadcasts where there is movement, and also in static ones such as gameplay with our face or podcasts with a still image.

It supports the YUY2 and MJPEG video codecs , thus ensuring compatibility with Windows 10 and the OBS and Xsplit programs , at least in a guaranteed way. Being a Plug and Play camera we can say that there will be no compatibility problems with other casting programs.

It has a fixed field of view of 82 ^° , not too wide as we can see, but enough for standard recordings. And is that the Razer Kiyo X is clearly focused on broadcasts where we show our face on the big or small screen while we play. Its level does not fall within professional streamers, but rather those who are starting out or believe that 30 FPS is enough to prioritize other content as the main one.

Regarding the characteristics of the audio recording system , we will only have a microphone with an omnidirectional recording pattern in the far field. It is therefore not stereo, but the truth is that the audio quality is quite good . Once again, it is clearly intended for broadcasts with a single speaker showing their face in a gameplay or similar.

Installation, Synapse 3 software

The Razer Kiyo X does not require drivers to start working on our equipment, being therefore Plug and Play. This does not mean that we can manage the capture parameters from the Razer Synapse 3 software , which will be highly recommended.

We will only have a section associated with video quality management, which we will access by clicking on the camera image that will appear on the main screen of the software. In these modifications we have: video adjustment, contrast, saturation and white balance to modify the general color temperature of the image .

All of them will be included in a total of 4 predefined image modes in the upper part, and a custom mode to make our own adjustments without influencing the previous ones. A good detail is to have a preview of the image on our left, also being able to alternate between manual and automatic focus mode with a simple switch on the screen.

Use Experience

We have taken some static image captures both indoors and outdoors, with low and high lighting to see that the behavior of the camera is quite good in general.

With well-lit scenarios we will obtain captures with good white balance automatically, with the advantage of having Synapse 3 to adjust it as we want. The focal aperture of the sensor seems quite good judging by the good brightness of the images, offering good contrast without actually burning the image.

In the case of a Full HD webcam we cannot ask for completely clear images either and when the backlight is low we will begin to see a small amount of noise. It will depend a lot on the setting and the settings that we have set, since we see that in the captures inside our equipment the image is almost perfect even with very little light.

The truth is that we already expected good results, thus justifying its price and representing the high level that the peripherals of the American brand always have. The video sensations are just as good , with good detail, excellent focus and good white balance to give us a natural and well-lit image.

The audio capture even a certain distance to the camera is very good, and streaming the truth is that we are going to take too lack the stereo capability. The background noise suppression is excellent , so it will supply a mid-range or mid / low-range microphone quite well.

Razer Kiyo X conclusion and final words

Razer proves once again that the products it manufactures always guarantee the highest quality and performance. A priori, we have a webcam with quite normal image performance , when recording in Full HD and 30 FPS at most, but it does it really well.

Not much information is given about the sensor, but with those 2.1 MP it is capable of capturing images with an excellent white balance , high brightness and barely showing noise in dark scenarios. As soon as we use a headlight or some light in the background, we will get a fairly high-quality broadcast .

Take a look at our guide to the best webcams on the market

The image customization options that we have in Synapse 3 will be great to adapt the image to the best possible environment we want to generate. The autofocus is fast and precise , so we can not only broadcast with still image, but also in motion with good quality.

Versatility is also an important part, and this webcam works wonderfully with an extendable stand that allows placement on screens, the ground, or a generic tripod . It has a more compact design than the Kiyo Pro and also weighs little, although the cable in this case cannot be removed and is quite rigid.

The bad news comes when we talk about the price, because we find this Razer Kiyo X for 89.99 euros . It is not surprising seeing the 210 euros of the Pro version, but once again, we must say that due to the benefits it offers it is too expensive. More and more FHD @ 30 FPS cameras are on the market, at much lower prices. It is possibly the camera with the best image in this section, but its price is not competitive .

The Professional Review team awards him the Gold Medal:

Razer Kiyo X

DESIGN – 88%

IMAGE – 87% SOUND – 91% SOFTWARE – 90% PRICE – 80%