My previous webcam to this one was very old, and therefore the picture was extremely fuzzy. I used it for quite some time, but then I decided enough was enough; it was time for an upgrade!

I had a search on Play.com and found this camera on offer. I think it may have been £18 reduced from £30 or something similar. After reading a few reviews, I decided it seemed like a good purchase.

After ordering the VX-3000, I waited a few days before it arrived. I opened it up and was pleasantly surprised by how compact the webcam was. It looks very cute and isn't bulky, therefore doesn't get in the way.

When setting up the webcam, I noticed the stand folds out into a sort of clip. This allows the webcam to easily latch on to the top of your monitor. I thought that perhaps it would do the same as my old webcam, and keep falling off; however the clip seems fairly strong and has kept the camera stable on top of the monitor.

Once all was set up and good to go, I tested my webcam by hosting a video conversation over msn. Not only was I was very pleasantly surprised by how clear the picture was, but the built-in microphone seemed to work very well also. I don't have to lean in and shout into the camera for the sound to be picked up, although sometimes I do have to speak quite loudly. Also, I would imagine that others who want to place the camera a longer distance away may have trouble with the microphone feature.

The installation process for the webcam also included a Microsoft LifeCam software application which allows you to take pictures, videos and make recordings with. It also gives you a load of fun effects to play around with, such as making your eyes appear huge onscreen, or making a rabbit nose and ears appear over your face. I'd imagine these features are probably more for the younger users.

I'm very pleased with the purchase I made, but perhaps the microphone could be a little better at picking up my natural speaking-volume.

Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 Webcam gets 8/10 from me!