Overall and Final Verdict

Being happy with the PowerConf C200 that I previously took a look at from AnkerWork I was interested in seeing what was different with the B600 Video Bar that would justify its larger size and much higher price. For the camera itself, the B600 Video bar has basically the same image sensor as the C200. Its 1440p or 2k resolution like with the C200 helped it stand out against the Logitech StreamCam which capped out at 1080p. It is limited to 30 FPS which if you are a gaming streamer may not be ideal, but it is perfect for business or even school use, zoom and similar software is typically limited to 30 FPS anyhow. AnkerWork did a good job with their software making the B600 easy to use and specific to the B600 the software allows you even more FOV options than the C200 had, specifically what they call Solo-Frame which uses AI to keep your face centered in the frame. The B600 has a base FOV of 95 degrees which allows you to be set up extremely close to the camera if needed or can work well for a presentation or if you need a full body shot.

Where the B600 Video Bar stands out is with the built-in lighting which has adjustable brightness settings as well as can be set between cool and warm color temperatures. Having the lighting right on the camera means fewer shadows and you don’t need to worry about setting up any other lighting to get started. Like with the solo-frame FOV setting, you can also set the lighting to adjust automatically as needed if you would prefer. The flip-up light bar also doubles as a privacy guard, when it is folded down it completely covers the camera. The B600 has four built-in microphones which did improve on one of the weaknesses of the C200 and the multiple microphone design is also used to cut out background noise and focus in on your voice. In my testing, it was an improvement, but it didn’t cut out keyboard noise but it did cut out some other background noise. The B600 also has two 2-watt speakers built in which would be an improvement on a lot of laptop speakers.

As for issues that I ran into, like with the C200 the USB cord for the B600 was surprisingly short. I ended up having to get a USB extension cord to get the camera up on my monitor even with my PC sitting right next to that monitor. The B600 due to its extra features also needs AC power to run everything so plan on having to plug that in as well, thankfully that cord was at least a little longer and I didn’t have issues there. The only other issue I ran into was with the status LED for the camera and microphone mute. When you mute the microphone it turns on a red LED and when the camera is on you have a blue LED but they are in the same location. As it turns out, when the microphone is muted it overrides the camera status so you don’t know if the camera is on or not. I like to keep the microphone muted when not in use, during that time I would have no idea if the camera was in use which is important. Thankfully there is the privacy guard, but having both the microphone and camera status LEDs visible at the same time would be a nice improvement in the future. I would also put the overall size of the B600 down as a con, it is huge.

So the AnkerWork B600 Video Bar has an MSRP of $219.99 and from looking at the pricing history on Amazon it has stayed there a majority of the time. The combination of a 2k webcam, the adjustable lighting, multiple microphones, and built-in speakers without a doubt makes this a simple all-in-one solution for someone needing a portable “studio” so to speak for zoom use. With the business focus, I can see this being an easy pickup for IT to get some people rolling with work from home without having to walk them through too many steps. So I was a little torn on the pricing and let me break down what I’m seeing. If you just need a basic webcam with an integrated light there are a few options for that that are cheaper like the Razer Kiyo but you aren’t going to get 1440p/2K. Elgato’s ring light alone is $199 or Logitech has a light for $59.99 that goes with the StreamCam which is between $100 and $150. So as much as I feel like the B600 is too expensive, it isn’t THAT far off from the current competition. Of course, we could argue that they are all too expensive and that is true. Overall the B600 is more than I would want to spend on a webcam even though it is a cool all-in-one studio setup. But when the cost is less of a concern like in a business when your CEO wants a good camera for their work from home setup and you don’t want to set up multiple products this may still be the way to go. Just be sure to get a longer USB cord along with it or you are going to be stuck with the camera sitting on top of their PC.

fv5

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Author Bio
garfi3ld
Author: garfi3ldWebsite: http://lanoc.org
Editor-in-chief
You might call him obsessed or just a hardcore geek. Wes's obsession with gaming hardware and gadgets isn't anything new, he could be found taking things apart even as a child. When not poking around in PC's he can be found playing League of Legends, Awesomenauts, or Civilization 5 or watching a wide variety of TV shows and Movies. A car guy at heart, the same things that draw him into tweaking cars apply when building good looking fast computers. If you are interested in writing for Wes here at LanOC you can reach out to him directly using our contact form.

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