Corel PaintShop Pro X9 - A big disappointment!!

[rvk82]

Still early days, but Corel's PSP X9 seems to be a big disappointment, in terms of new features introduced. Here are some details -

Disappointments -
1. Almost no truly standout new features added to X9.
2. Corel screen cap software. This was already part of VideoStudio Pro. Not too sure how useful it will be in PSP.
3. Most of the new starter templates are not free.

The positives -
1. My copy of X9 comes bundled with AfterShot Pro 3. I already purchased that software a few months ago though.
2. New gradient fill tool.......but Adobe Photoshop had this tool for as long as I can remember.

These are strictly my feelings though, and you are free to disagree...if you are using X8 or even X7, I can't think of any reason to upgrade to X9.

[JoeB]

If the "new" tools shown on the offer page are the best that's offered in X9, then the new way to apply and change gradients seems, to me at least, the feature that might be most useful. The live screen cap with audio could be useful for those who do tuts (like LeviFiction). So unless the so-called improved text tool has some good new features that don't exist in previous versions I don't see anything else likely to be useful to most users. JMHO, of course.

EDIT: I suppose I should add that, depending on exactly what the improvements are and how they work differently from present versions, the enhanced Real Time Photo Effects might prove useful. The devil, as always, is in the details.

[daioros]

I'm too lazy to download now.

Have you tested if it works fine and quick with >20 Megapixels photos?

[brucet]

I guess if their 'offer' page is devoid of highlight one could assume there are none. Otherwise why would they keep them hidden/secret?

regards

[csh2000]

I downloaded X9, but will returning it back to Corel . This upgrade is not worth the $59.99 that I paid for it. I mainly downloaded it for the new Gradient Tool and upgrade my AfterShot Pro 2 to 3. When I downloaded AfterShot, I noticed that it was not AfterShot Pro 3, but AfterShot Standard V3.

[Ken Berry]

Hmmm... I haven't installed the Aftershot part of the package as yet. I also recall a thread from the Aftershot forum when version two came out, with people complaining they thought they were getting the Pro version but ending up with the standard version. I must look that up and see what happened...

[JoeB]

Hmmm... I haven't installed the Aftershot part of the package as yet. I also recall a thread from the Aftershot forum when version two came out, with people complaining they thought they were getting the Pro version but ending up with the standard version. I must look that up and see what happened...

The same thing applies to Athentic's Perfectly Clear 2, which also comes with one or two versions prior to v.X9. It's the standard edition (SE) and while it has most of the effects of the Pro version I believe Beautify is something that's missing. Don't know if there's anything else missing.

[rondo]

No news here on X9 in the U.S.

[Jean-Luc]

I'm too lazy to download now.

Have you tested if it works fine and quick with >20 Megapixels photos?

What do you mean by "fine and quick" ?
If you speak of size of image, use pixels (5000 x 4000). Terms like "20 Megapixels" could be size of the JPG file or pspimage file and is not relevant.
Are you using layers and how many ?
What sort of work do you do on the picture ?
How many seconds actually does it count after clicking on start to do a precise job ?

[mallen1330]

Does X9 fix the bug of "File Save" doing "File Save-as" instead?

[LeviFiction]

No and yes. hartpaul discovered that it will open the Save As dialog the first time you save a JPG in PSP. Every other image and every other save during that session will behave as normal. Once you restart PSP you'll have the Save As dialog pop up once again, but only once.

[hartpaul]

This is actually a clever bit . As mentioned before I use PSP X32 for most of my power work. But I still have too remember to do my first image as a Save As and to check the Save compression. Thereafter the Save uses that compression.
So with X9 I don't have to remember to do a first Save As. X9 does it automatically for that first image.
X9 Could become my new best choice, except that as mentioned before some of the dialog boxes are stuffed in accepting the default with a press of the Enter key.
I also need to do some tests to be sure that the Save is using the compression value set by the Save As.

[flagpole]

When you say it's a big disappointment you mean as an upgrade from X8? ether than as an actual disappointment?

more fool you for upgrading then.

[JoeB]

When you say it's a big disappointment you mean as an upgrade from X8? ether than as an actual disappointment?

more fool you for upgrading then.

Having looked at the Corel X9 page it doesn't seem to have an option to download a trial for the upgrade (although I could have missed something). So anybody wanting to take advantage of the early release to see if it is worth keeping would first have to purchase it and, if not satisfied, resort to the 30 day refund.

That said, unless it has some serious bugs like the first release of X8, then I can't see where it would be an actual disappointment overall, but likely be quite a disappointment as an upgrade from X8 (or even X7) for anyone looking for a great (or even not so great) leap forward.

[zombielord]

Still early days, but Corel's PSP X9 seems to be a big disappointment, in terms of new features introduced. Here are some details -

Disappointments -
1. Almost no truly standout new features added to X9.
2. Corel screen cap software. This was already part of VideoStudio Pro. Not too sure how useful it will be in PSP.
3. Most of the new starter templates are not free.

The positives -
1. My copy of X9 comes bundled with AfterShot Pro 3. I already purchased that software a few months ago though.
2. New gradient fill tool.......but Adobe Photoshop had this tool for as long as I can remember.

These are strictly my feelings though, and you are free to disagree...if you are using X8 or even X7, I can't think of any reason to upgrade to X9.

Thank you for sharing, I enjoy Corel software. I've purchased and used Painter x3, 2016, PSP x6, x7, x8, ASP2, ASP3, and Videos Studio x6, x7. The newest version didn't seem like it offered me anything I didn't already have.

I like supporting software I use and I haven't fully cemented my decision to skip this version so I am still open and looking for a reason to upgrade.
Is there alot of good templates included (or is it just a new revenue stream like brushes in Painter)?
Is the software faster or more stable?
Does the realtime effects work well?