PhotoPlus X4 Review: Fast and Full of Features

Written by: Michele McDonough • Edited by: Rhonda Callow
Published Aug 9, 2010 • Related Guides: Photo Editing Software | Adobe | Windows

If you’re looking for a feature-rich photo editing software application that’s both fast and easy to use, consider giving Serif PhotoPlus X4 a whirl. On top of the improvements made to existing features, PhotoPlus X4 includes several new capabilities that regular users are sure to love.

Overview of PhotoPlus X4

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Nowadays, there’s definitely no shortage of photo editing applications to choose from – ranging from completely free photo editors all the way up to Adobe Photoshop CS5, with a price tag of $699 that’s high enough to make many of us visibly cringe.

Serif PhotoPlus X4 falls somewhere in the middle of these two extremes – this option may not have every single feature available in Photoshop CS5, but it does far outclass all of the basic free photo editing apps out there. In addition, with a suggested retail price of $89.99, PhotoPlus X4 is clearly a more budget-friendly alternative.

As we review PhotoPlus X4, our real question centers around whether or not the software is worth the price. So, let’s take a closer look and find out.

Installation and Setup
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Like most Windows software products, the installation and setup process for PhotoPlus X4 is very straightforward. During the install, there was only one minor annoyance – a dialog box popped up several times recommending a restart even though a restart wasn’t really needed. Still, simply ignoring the recommendation and continuing with the installation worked just fine.

It should also be noted that PhotoPlus X4 is a Windows-only product, compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and XP.

Ease of Use
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If you’re new to photo editing software in general, expect to face a little bit of a learning curve. Although the sheer number of features might make PhotoPlus X4 seem a little overwhelming at first, there are several built-in utilities designed to make getting started with the software much easier.

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One of the most convenient of these tools is the How-To panel. This handy guide will walk you through the steps of almost any basic editing process (and several more advanced ones as well) without having to leave the PhotoPlus interface. In addition, this panel is easily hidden so you can expand it when you need a helpful reference and collapse it again when done in order to free up more room in the workspace area of the application.

Performance and Features
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The photo editing software industry is part of a very competitive market, and developers have responded to that competition by constantly looking for new features and capabilities to include in new product releases. On one hand, this is great because it allows users of the software to really get their money’s worth when investing in a program. On the other hand, this introduction of new features has been known to result in some speed and performance sacrifices, especially if your computer isn’t exactly “top of the line.”

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This is one area in which PhotoPlus X4 really shines. Even though the latest release of the software includes a number of great new and improved features – such as a pixel grid that lets you zoom in and easily edit individual pixels in a photo – the application is still as fast as ever, and in some ways, even faster. Also, PhotoPlus X4 sports a wonderful improvement to the Undo feature that makes “undoing” image edits up to five times faster.

Other new features include a very intuitive Cutout Studio that makes it easy to remove objects from a digital photo, improved selection tools such as the new Selection Brush that lets you “paint” a selection, a photo organizer with mapping capabilities, and an improved and expanded filter gallery.

Price to Value
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With a price of $89.99, PhotoPlus X4 is right in line with its two major competitors, Adobe Photoshop Elements (the “trimmed down” version of Photoshop) and Corel Paint Shop Photo Pro. It’s definitely a good value for the money, especially when considering the program’s unique features and fast performance.

Overall Rating
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The great thing about PhotoPlus X4 is that it still has all the features we loved in previous versions of the product along with a lot of new ones that help you focus even more on the creative aspect of photo editing without getting bogged down by all the technical details. Also, in the categories of speed and performance, PhotoPlus has a very definite edge over the competition. Basically, the latest release has all the things we look for in a software upgrade – great new features without additional bloat, improved speed and performance, and a renewed focus on ease of use.

Alex Sep 16, 2010 2:07 PM

Stick to the topic

PhotoPlus X4 gets a big thumbs up from me. Some very useful online tutorials have really expanded my skills. As a new release it comes with free technical support which is very reassuring despite not having needed to call Serif (yet).

I do feel the need to comment that this isn't a general moan thread for people who are using old versions of the software. Stick to the topic!

JOHN SMITH Aug 25, 2010 6:58 AM

BEAUTY BOX PLUGIN

I installed X4 i havent encountered any problems until i installde Beauty Box Photo 1.0 when i open it X4 crash.Report sent to Serif i get confirmation report receive this is of no help

Michele McDonough Aug 21, 2010 9:47 PM

RE: Photoplus X2

I haven't encountered any problems like this, Richard - I've only had X4 installed for a few weeks now, but all launches have been clean and smooth.

Richard Dunthorne Aug 21, 2010 12:42 PM

Photoplus X2

X2 has suddenly stopped launching. Has this happened with X4. Have tried clean reinstalls, and have used Revo which is supposed to remove all traces of a programme. Nothing works. I'm not inclined to upgrade without solving this problem.Serif won't help as it is an old programme; rather short sighted as it has put me off after a decade and having all Serif programmes.

Don Apr 1, 2010 9:20 PM

Cuts off printing menu on Windows Starter 7

I purchased Photoplus X3 for my Toshiba NB205 notebook with Windows Starter 7. While the program is very similar to Photoshop Elements, it has some quirks which takes awhile to figure out. The biggest problem with the program and major disappointment is the print window. It is too big and part of it, the most important part, gets cut-off. I cannot print a photo with this program because the print button is cut-off for what ever reason. My computer meets and exceeds the requirements for the program, but the print window gets cut off. It doesn't matter if I make the window smaller; the print button cannot be displayed and, thus, it is unusable. Luckly, I installed Nero and it can be used for printing.

S Leonard Mar 30, 2010 6:13 PM

The restart problem

There is a cure for the constant request to restart your computer during the installation of any of Serif's products. It can be found here: http://support.serif.com/KB/a230/troubleshooting-system-reboot-request-pending-file.aspx?KBSearchID=47533

Noe Nov 23, 2009 2:20 AM

Serif Software Video Tutorials on YouTube

FYI: The video tutorials found on the Serif website can also be found on YouTube and you may subscribe to them there.
;-)

PhotoPlus X4 Review: Fast and Full of Features

Overview of PhotoPlus X4

Installation and SetupRating

Ease of UseRating

Performance and FeaturesRating

Price to ValueRating

Overall RatingRating

Comments

Installation and Setup
Rating

Ease of Use
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Performance and Features
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Price to Value
Rating

Overall Rating
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