I recently purchased a Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000 (about $70 street). This webcam definitely has both good and bad sides. Here’s a quick review:

Review Circumstances: I purchased this product fully with money earned by myself. It was not discounted or given to me. This review is not paid.

Video Quality: 4/5

The video quality is actually pretty stunning on this camera. The full 2.0 megapixel video, while looking excellent, can slow down the computer and can also be laggy through the low-bandwidth USB connection.

Included Software: 1/5

In my testing, the software included with the camera was an absolute nightmare. Whenever I hovered over a button in the software, a multi-colored flicker would obscure my video feed, making it essentially impossible to adjust options. The effects are slow and cheesy, and the zoom is not supported on 2.0 megapixel video streams: it must be downgraded to 1.3 megapixels.

Design: 3/5

The design on this camera is clearly meant to sit on top of laptops. It looks somewhat nice, but easily falls off and is difficult to reposition.

Pricing: 4/5

At about $70 street, this camera is in line with the normal pricing of comparable cameras.

Overall Result: 3/5

While the video quality is excellent, the flawed design and horrible software, as well as lag and lockups caused by the camera, this camera can not be given a higher rating. I could not specifically recommend this camera over comparable cameras from Logitech and other manufacturers that I have not used.

Filed under: Reviews, Video | written by Sam