# Are there laptops without webcams? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2010, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441 "2010-07-21T09:21:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/1 "2010-07-21T09:21:57Z")
Due to totally unecessary security stupidity, I’m going to be working somwhere that bans all cameras. Even crappy littlecams on laptops. But all modern laptops seem to have them. Is there anyone out there that still makes a laptop without a camera. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/2 "2010-07-21T09:41:30Z")
Dell Vostro 1510? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/3 "2010-07-21T12:49:17Z")
Look at “corporate” or “enterprise” models. There’s no camera on my Dell Latitude, and I’d like to think that HP, Toshiba and whoever else is left in this market also have camera-free options. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/4 "2010-07-21T13:05:05Z")
Thinkpad enterprise model “[ThinkPad W701 laptop](http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/systemconfig.runtime.workflow:LoadRuntimeTree?sb=:00000025:00002A49:&smid=D25352CD4AE942EFAF2389A34E4DBC9A)” with discrete graphics has a “no camera” option. Pricey unit though. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/5 "2010-07-21T14:31:26Z")
I have an HP Compaq 6510b from a couple years ago; no webcam. ---
**Author:** ![moldybread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@moldybread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moldybread)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/6 "2010-07-21T14:34:11Z")
My Alienware does not have a webcam. Im pretty sure you can still get them with out one. They can be a little pricey though. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/7 "2010-07-21T14:46:47Z")
My Lenovo, which was already last years model when I bought it a year ago from a computer fair, doesn’t have a webcam. You shouldn’t have to pay more for one without a webcam, you just have to buy a really, really old model. I don’t remember the model number for mine off hand 'tho. It was one of the earliest dual-core laptops – but the reviews caution, the dual core doesn’t really improve the processing, I’m guessing the architecture wasn’t updated to support it. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/8 "2010-07-21T14:51:14Z")
The last several times I’ve customized a computer online, there was an option to NOT have a camera, although it is included by default. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/9 "2010-07-21T15:07:01Z")
I bought an HP laptop 18 months ago without one, but I don’t know if their current models all include them or not. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/10 "2010-07-21T15:32:30Z")
Why not cover the lens with paint or nail polish? Pick a color that match the case. One dab of black nail polish eliminates the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/11 "2010-07-21T16:05:06Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Why not cover the lens with paint or nail polish? > > Pick a color that match the case. One dab of black nail polish eliminates the problem. Because a dab of black nail polish can easily be removed thus defeating the purpose of not allowing cameras. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/12 "2010-07-21T16:36:42Z")
my dell inspiron 1520 has no web cam ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/13 "2010-07-21T17:18:52Z")
There are loads of them! You’re in the UK, aren’t you? Look on somewhere like ebuyer - most of the laptops don’t have webcams. Netbooks do, but there are even a few exceptions there. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/14 "2010-07-21T17:24:39Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > My Lenovo, which was already last years model when I bought it a year ago from a computer fair, doesn’t have a webcam. You shouldn’t have to pay more for one without a webcam, you just have to buy a really, really old model. I don’t remember the model number for mine off hand 'tho. It was one of the earliest dual-core laptops – but the reviews caution, the dual core doesn’t really improve the processing, I’m guessing the architecture wasn’t updated to support it. Same here. Mine is a T61 ThinkPad. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/15 "2010-07-21T17:26:01Z")
my Dell Latitude D520 has no web cam either. Any PC I own **will not** have a web cam. Removing the camera shouldn’t be difficult. It’s probably a press fit. Should be able to pry it out carefully. If nothing else, a screwdriver through the lens will blind it. There was something in the news a few months ago about a school incident. Web cams were activated on laptops given to students. The guy was caught with pictures of them in their dorm rooms. There’s no way in hell I’ll allow a web cam on my pc. I’ve read Orwell too many times. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/16 "2010-07-21T18:06:18Z")
Amusing anecdote about laptop webcams: At the company I work for, all of us on the project are issued laptops. A manager came over to me and asked me if I knew if we had any webcams. I gave a serious emotional shock to the manager when I told them that all of our laptops had webcams built in. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/17 "2010-07-21T18:26:54Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Any PC I own **will not** have a web cam. Why not? If your machine happens to have one, nobody can force you to use it - and they’re add no significant weight, inconvenience or cost to the machine? What I mean is… You appear to be expressing a strenuous objection here - I’m curious as to your rationale. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/18 "2010-07-21T18:39:52Z")
Web cams are already used by some security programs to retrieve stolen laptops. [http://www.hardwareguru.com/news/stolen-laptop-leads-victim-to-thieves-by-webcam/](http://www.hardwareguru.com/news/stolen-laptop-leads-victim-to-thieves-by-webcam/) That may seem like a good thing. But eventually the hacker community will find ways to activate the camera remotely too. this CNET article raises several concerns. It’s worth reading. > **[CNET: Product reviews, advice, how-tos and the latest news](https://www.cnet.com/)** > > Get full-length product reviews, the latest news, tech coverage, daily deals, and category deep dives from CNET experts worldwide. > [@](#): > > The Webcam spy case in the Lower Merion School District near Philadelphia has raised concern as to whether others with Webcams are vulnerable to remote spying. The school district admitted to activating the Webcams 42 times during a 14-month period, claiming that it did so only to track lost or stolen laptops. > [@](#): > > Malware can turn on Webcam > There are also Trojan horses and other malware programs that can be used to take remote control of a computer. According to Mike Geide, senior security researcher at cloud security company Zscaler, “there are several exploit kits out there that include rootkit functionality that allow (people) to interact with the operating system however they want, and that includes turning on specific services or running applications in the background that would include applications to report Webcams, record audio, or turn on a built-in internal microphone.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/19 "2010-07-21T19:30:14Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Why not? If your machine happens to have one, nobody can force you to use it - and they’re add no significant weight, inconvenience or cost to the machine? > > What I mean is… You appear to be expressing a strenuous objection here - I’m curious as to your rationale. What if they’re remotely activated, like in that high school incident? What if your mom keeps bugging you to turn it on – “Why won’t you turn it on? What are you hiding?” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441/20 "2010-07-21T19:59:49Z")
Then put a piece of tape over it, if you’re paranoid, and at least you have a webcam you can use when you need it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-laptops-without-webcams/547441.md?page=2)