from one of many similar reviews found online..
Despite what you may have heard, you really don't have to spend $560 on Photoshop CS2 to get a good image editor. While PhotoShop CS2 may be the Rolls-Royce of image editors, many of us would be quite happy with a less expensive, but still pretty good, BMW version!
Corel recently released a new version of Paint Shop Pro, Paint Shop Pro X, priced (after current rebates) at $66, Though it's very much based on Paint Shop Pro version 9 (which I've reviewed more extensively here), there are some changes in Paint Shop Pro X. The user interface has been revised, though it's still quite recognizable as Paint Shop Pro and, after a little practice, users of v9 should have no trouble navigating via the new menus.
Paint Shop Pro X still represents a real alternative to PhotoShop for most photographers, especially at the current price. While there's little debate that PhotoShop CS2 is the best professional image editor around, it's expensive, hard to learn and 90% of users will never use more than 25% of its capability. I've been using Paint Shop Pro 9 as one of my primary image editors for a while now and I've been impressed by it. There's very little that most photographers will need that it can't do.
While PhotoShop CS2 retails for over $550, Paint Shop Pro X retails for $96. Not only that, but there's currently a $30 a mail in rebate available, making the final price $66. But wait...not only that, Corel are giving away a free mini camera bag, mini tripod, battery charger and 4xAA rechargable batteries if you but Paint Shop Pro X! You also get a 2 hour video tutorial (from Lynda.Com) and a free copy of Photo Album 6 - Standard Edition. Corel really want you to buy Paint Shop Pro X! Adobe would like you to buy PhotoShop Elements 4 of course and it's currently selling for around $70 (after rebates). I haven't reviewed Elements 4 yet, but the general complaint about it is that it's slower than Paint Shop Pro and doesn't offer any more functionality, in fact it offers less.
If I was a Paint Shop Pro 9 user, I wouldn't necessarily rush out and buy Paint Shop Pro X. Not because it's not as good but because it really doesn't offer very much more for the experienced user, except perhaps the option of making image adjustments in 16-bit mode. If you do a lot of image "tweaking" though, it may be worth the upgrade. For someone looking for their first serious image editor Paint Shop Pro X at $66 (after rebate) seems like an excellent choice.
in the end it comes down to personal choice, some people swear by ford products, I stand by my Chrysler products,
I'd rather see someone spend 70 for their first program, and then if they really need more, move up, than to tell someone they have to spend hundreds more, to find they are in over their heads and could have saved a lot of money
I still think the best thing to do is try trial versions of both and decide what is best for each individual,
