Standard Image editing

The Bottom Line: If you work with 3D, Photoshop Extended is a must-have upgrade; ditto if you think you'd use more of Standard's tools if the interface were less opaque, if you need to upgrade other suite applications, or if you qualify for an academic discount. All things considered, while Adobe Photoshop CS4 makes some improvements over CS3, it might be worth skipping this generation and waiting for the next.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1, 1.8 GHz or faster (Windows), Intel Multicore 1.8 GHz, PowerPC G5 (Mac), DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, Internet connection, 1.8 GHz or faster (Windows), Intel Multicore, PowerPC G5 (Mac), 1.8 GHz, Windows, OpenGL

The Bottom Line: If you work with 3D, Photoshop Extended is a must-have upgrade; ditto if you think you'd use more of Standard's tools if the interface were less opaque, if you need to upgrade other suite applications, or if you qualify for an academic discount. All things considered, while Adobe Photoshop CS4 makes some improvements over CS3, it might be worth skipping this generation and waiting for the next.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1, 1.8 GHz or faster (Windows), Intel Multicore 1.8 GHz, PowerPC G5 (Mac), DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, Internet connection, OpenGL compatible graphics card, 1.8 GHz or faster (Windows), Intel Multicore, PowerPC G5 (Mac), 1.8 GHz, Windows, QuickTime 7.2 or later

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1, 1 GHz or faster (Windows), Intel Multicore 1 GHz, PowerPC G5 (Mac), DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, Internet connection, 1 GHz or faster (Windows), Intel Multicore, PowerPC G5 (Mac), 1 GHz, Windows

The Bottom Line: Though it remains an excellent vector drawing tool, there's not a lot in Adobe Illustrator CS3 to compel CS2 users to upgrade.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, Internet connection, Windows, QuickTime 7.0 or later

The Bottom Line: Though it remains an excellent vector drawing tool, there's not a lot in Adobe Illustrator CS3 to compel CS2 users to upgrade.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, Internet connection, MacOS, QuickTime 7.0 or later

The Bottom Line: The professional's choice for image editing spawns Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended to appeal to select vertical markets, but it delivers mixed results.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, 64MB video memory, Internet connection, MacOS

The Bottom Line: The professional's choice for image editing spawns Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended to appeal to select vertical markets, but it delivers mixed results.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, 64MB video memory, Windows, QuickTime 7.0 or later

The Bottom Line: With its streamlined tools, enhanced nondestructive editing capabilities, and better performance, Adobe Photoshop CS3 will look very attractive to almost any user.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, DVD-ROM, XGA monitor, 64MB video memory, Internet connection, MacOS

The Bottom Line: This raw work-flow application isn't the Holy Grail many hoped it would be, but Apple Aperture 1.5 could make life easier for photographers who need to cull, retouch, and output large numbers of photographs quickly and efficiently.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, 1.5, DVD-ROM, MacOS

The Bottom Line: For downloading, retouching, and exporting raw-format photos, Adobe Lightroom is the cat's pajamas.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Apple MacOS X 10.4, 1 GHz, 1.0, CD-ROM, XGA monitor, 1 GHz, MacOS, Windows