8/10 – A classic that democratized photo editing.
In the mid-2000s, the photo editing world was dominated by a two-horse race: Adobe Photoshop (the expensive, professional standard) and Adobe Photoshop Elements (the simplified, cheaper cousin). However, nestled between them was a fierce competitor from Canada: Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI . corel paint shop pro photo xi
But for modern photographers, the lack of layer masks and non-destructive RAW editing is a dealbreaker. Still, we should tip our hats to Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI. It was the everyman’s Photoshop, and for a glorious few years, it was the best value in digital imaging. 8/10 – A classic that democratized photo editing
Today, PSP XI is considered . It runs surprisingly well on Windows 11 (in compatibility mode), and many hobbyists keep an old CD copy installed because they hate Adobe’s subscription model. It represents a lost era of software design—where you bought a box, owned a CD key, and the software was yours forever. Conclusion: Should you use it in 2024? Only for nostalgia or low-end hardware. While its RAW processing is dated, and its noise reduction is primitive compared to AI-driven tools like Topaz, the core pixel-pushing logic of Paint Shop Pro Photo XI is still solid. If you need to resize images, draw basic shapes, or remove blemishes on an old netbook, this is your tool. But for modern photographers, the lack of layer
