The AVerMedia PW313D Dual Cam is a one-of-a-kind webcam that features not one, but two cameras built into a single webcam body. This allows the user to stream from two different angles at the same time, opening up creative possibilities for live streaming, teaching online classes, video conferencing, and more.

In this comprehensive review, we’ll dive deep into the standout features of this innovative dual-camera webcam, compare the video quality of each camera, look at the powerful included software, and ultimately help you decide if the AVerMedia Dual Cam is worth the $149.99 price tag.

An Overview of the AVerMedia PW313D Dual Cam Webcam

• Two cameras in one – It has a 1080p camera on the left, and a higher resolution 2K camera on the right. So you get a standard webcam plus an upgraded webcam in one device.
• Flexible positioning – The right camera can rotate 195° upwards and 75° downwards, allowing you to point it at your face, desk, a whiteboard, etc. The left camera has less movement at 90° upwards and 15° downwards rotation.
• CANENGINE 4 software – This full-featured software gives you control over camera settings, and lets you arrange multiple video feeds in creative layouts and more.
• Virtual camera output – The software makes the Dual Cam act as a virtual webcam for apps like Zoom, OBS, Skype, etc. So any effects or layouts you configure will be carried over to those apps.
• Privacy shutters – Each camera has a manual privacy shutter you can slide closed.
• Tripod and accessories – The Dual Cam comes with a tabletop tripod and USB-C to USB-A cable.

Unpacking the Webcam and Setup

When you first unbox the AVerMedia Dual Cam webcam, you’ll find the webcam itself, a tripod, a USB cable, and a quick start guide.

The included tripod has a metal ball head and rubberized feet to prevent slipping. It can extend from 13cm up to 16.5cm in height. This gives you some height flexibility when positioning the webcam on your desk.

Diving Into the Specs of Each Camera

Now let’s take a close look at the specifications of each camera and how they compare:

As you can see, the right camera has a faster aperture, a higher resolution 2K sensor, and a wider field of view compared to the left 1080p camera. This results in noticeably better image quality, especially in low light.

Later we’ll dive into some sample footage comparing the two cameras. But first, let’s look at some of the Dual Cam’s key features.

Key Features and Benefits of the Dual Camera Design

There are several handy features and creative possibilities that the dual camera approach enables:

• Picture in picture – Show both camera feeds simultaneously side-by-side or one inside the other. Great for reactions/overlays.
• Multi-angle shots – Easily switch between front-facing and angled top-down shots of objects with the movable cameras.
• Over-the-shoulder shots – Rotate the right camera 195° to film someone sitting next to you. Handy for interviews and collaborations.
• Flexible camera positioning – Point the higher quality 2K camera at your face, and the 1080p camera down at your desk to demonstrate crafts, drawings, devices, etc.
• Two-mic audio – Having a mic on each side allows directional audio capture.
• Auto white balance – Ensure natural coloring in changing conditions.
• Independent privacy – Shutters give private control over each camera.

As you can see, the dual camera design unlocks many useful options for live streaming, conferencing, and creating videos. 

Next, let’s compare the video quality.

Video Quality Comparison – 1080p vs 2K Camera

To best demonstrate the differences in video quality, here are some side-by-side examples of the left 1080p camera vs the right 2K camera under different lighting conditions.

Low Light Performance

In dim lighting, the right 2K camera provides noticeably cleaner footage with better color accuracy. While the left 1080p camera exhibits more noise, graininess, and inaccurate exposure levels. This is thanks to the right camera’s faster f/2.0 aperture letting in more light. The 1080p camera suffers from its slower f/2.2 aperture in low light.

Standard Indoor Lighting

With normal indoor room lighting or an artificial light source, the right 2K camera still has a noticeable edge in sharpness, color vibrance, and accurate auto exposure compared to the left. However, the 1080p footage alone is fairly decent quality if lighting is sufficient.

Bright Natural Light

In bright natural daylight, both cameras look great and are very usable with crisp detail and accurate colors. The 2K camera still has a slight edge in dynamic range.

Autofocus Performance

The autofocus capabilities of both cameras are relatively quick and accurate in normal lighting conditions. The cameras use contrast detection autofocus, assessing contrast to find the correct focus point. In low light, autofocus gets slower and struggles more to lock focus, as is typical with most webcams. But at normal brightness levels, autofocus performance is solid.

Frame Rate Limitations

A downside of both cameras is their max 30fps frame rate, which can introduce motion blur, especially in low light. A higher 60fps or 120fps would reduce motion blur substantially. Overall, while the 1080p camera is decent, the 2K webcam is far superior in image quality, especially in sub-optimal lighting. This makes it the clear choice for the primary-facing camera. Next, let’s explore the powerful companion software.

Camera Engine Software Unlocks the Webcam’s Full Potential

The included Camera Engine software is the control center for unlocking all the capabilities of the Dual Cam. It enables you to fully customize your dual camera setup.

Here are some of the key features it provides:

• Virtual camera output – Makes the Dual Cam available to apps like OBS, Zoom, and Skype as a video input source with all software effects applied.
• Flexible layouts – Choose from various multi-camera picture-in-picture layouts. Swap which camera is primary.
• Resolution and frame rate – Set each camera’s resolution and frame rate up to their maximum capabilities.
• Manual exposure – Override auto exposure with manual ISO and shutter settings.
• White balance – Set custom white balance or use auto white balance. Ensure colors look natural.
• Image adjustments – Modify brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and other image attributes.
• Filters – Overlay filters like green screen backgrounds, augmented reality effects, and more for creative shots.
• Pan/tilt/rotate – Remotely pan, tilt, and rotate each camera’s position. Useful for off-angle shots.
• Audio settings – Control volume levels, mute mics, and enable noise reduction.
• Profiles – Save customized application profiles for say Zoom, OBS, Skype, etc.

As you can see, the Camera Engine software expands its capabilities tremendously compared to default driver software. It’s easy to use and unlocks so many creative options.

Ideal Uses Cases for the Dual Cam Webcam

So who can really benefit from the AVerMedia Dual Cam webcam? Here are some of the best use cases:

For Live Streamers:

• Picture-in-picture reactions/overlays
• Multi-angle shots
• Green screen background effects
• Guest interviews/collaborations

For Online Teachers & Presenters:

• Show your face + whiteboard
• Over-the-shoulder views of devices
• Top-down view of paper/workbook
• PiP slides/demos and teacher view

For Conference Calls:

• Show your face + whiteboard
• Show prototypes, designs, and products
• Give virtual office tours
• Image adjustments for a professional look

For Gaming:

• Face cam + view of peripherals
• Over-the-shoulder view of monitors
• PiP game screen and player cam

As you can see, the flexibility of two independent cameras opens up many creative possibilities that aren’t easily achievable with a traditional single webcam.

Final Verdict – A Compelling Choice with Limitations

To summarize this review, the AVerMedia PW313D Dual Cam is an innovative webcam packed with useful features:

Pros:

• Dual camera flexibility
• Higher quality 2K camera option
• Powerful Camera Engine software
• Cool capabilities like picture-in-picture
• Good autofocus in normal lighting

Cons:

• Max 30fps frame rate
• Mediocre low-light performance
• Limited left camera positioning
• Plastic build doesn’t feel premium

So is the AVerMedia Dual Cam worth $149.99? In my opinion, yes – if you will utilize its dual camera capabilities and Camera Engine software features for live production, content creation, and teaching.

The creative possibilities enabled by this webcam’s flexible dual-camera design are incredibly unique. Image quality and low light performance could be better, but for this innovative feature set, the Dual Cam is a compelling option with high value.

For streamers, online teachers, and anyone wanting to easily produce multi-angle videos, the is definitely worth considering!

I hope this review gave you a comprehensive overview of the standout features, video quality, software capabilities, ideal use cases, and overall value proposition of the one-of-a-kind AVerMedia Dual Cam webcam. Let me know if you have any other questions!