PhotoPlus X2 Digital Studio is the latest release of Serif’s popular photo editing application. The software is packed with many new features that make it quite competitive with other image editors in its class. Additionally, there are several tools and capabilities found in PhotoPlus X2 that you won’t see in similar applications – at least, not without searching for additional plugins to install.
At the current time, PhotoPlus X2 is only compatible with Windows XP and Vista operating systems. In order for the software to run properly, your machine will also need to meet the following minimum requirements.
- Intel Pentium (or equivalent) or better CPU
- 128MB RAM
- 222MB free hard drive space
- SVGA display with 800 x 600 resolution, 16-bit color or higher
As with any photo editor, if you plan to work with large or complex image files, the more RAM you have, the better.
The boxed version of PhotoPlus X2 can be found in most major retail stores that sell software products as well as through online vendors such as Amazon.com. You can also purchase the software directly from Serif as either a boxed product or as an instant download if you’re anxious to get started with the application.
The installation process was standard, and I encountered no problems when setting up the application. There are a couple of decisions that you’ll need to make during this process, but the default choices for each one are perfect if you’re either unsure of which to choose or if you’re just in a hurry and want to install the software fast. In other words, you’ll be fine if all you want to do is click Next, Next, Next, …, Finish.
One thing that I did appreciate during the software’s installation was the chance to decide which file formats, if any, to associate with PhotoPlus X2. Have you ever clicked on a link to a photo in an email and then had to sit and wait for the image editor to open just so you can look at the picture? The reason this happens is because the file extension for that photograph has been associated with that particular program. (Click any image in this article for a larger view.)
If you choose the default option here, no file format will be associated with PhotoPlus X2. Others may disagree, but this is definitely my preferred choice. I love image editors, but if I only want to look at a photo that someone has shared with me, I’d much rather use a lightweight picture viewer than load a resource-intensive photo editing application. Unfortunately, many other applications will, by default, associate all image files with themselves during installation, and this can be a pain later on if you are not paying attention and just clicking fast through the setup screens. So, this long-winded explanation is just my way of saying thanks to Serif for not doing this.
Next: Continue on to page 2 of this review to find out more about the user interface and features found in PhotoPlus X2.