Labs

Creative's new webcam adheres to the USB video device standard, so you should be able to use it without installing any drivers.

Plugging the Optia into a USB port allowed Windows Vista to recognise it and load the appropriate drivers. Sadly, Creative's auto-update function then advised us to download 35MB of crucial updates, which defeats the point of a simple driver-free installation.

Creative includes by far the most versatile software bundle here. Taking snapshots and videos is easy and there are powerful tools for sprucing up and managing your photos. You can even edit video footage into mini movies.

Images from the Optia looked a little rough around the edges and were slightly too dark until we adjusted the settings. Although image quality could be better, the Optia's great software, good looks and useful stand make it a great buy at this price.