New Software Review: Graphic Design Software Suites

Professional and amateur graphic designers, logo makers, creatives -- whatever you want to call them -- have relied on either Adobe or Corel products for as long as I can remember. I know designers who swear by one or the other, and others who use both Adobe CS4 Standard and CorelDraw Graphics Suite X4 interchangeably, doing one process with the former and another with the latter.

Established print and design shops usually have the luxury of both design suites in-house and then some, complete with a site license ensuring everyone has access to Adobe and Corel products, but what about students, contractors, students earning extra through contracting, or just a guy with a dream and a tiny bit of capital to start his own business?

CorelDraw X4 Screenshot

At under $500, CorelDraw Graphics Suite X4 is the obvious choice for anyone on a limited budget given its lower price point, while Adobe CS4 can be purchased once you get some extra cash -- over $1,300 of extra cash depending on your source.

Is it really that simple, though? When evaluating which design suite will be your bread and butter, you've got to look at every aspect of the products. Make a checklist of absolutely necessary features for each suite, see what pro designers and reviewers think about their pros and cons, look at screenshots and see whichworkflow suits your style and creative process -- you could spend days doing this.

Adobe CS4 Screenshot

Or save yourself the hassle and check our Graphic Design Suite Software Reviews, recently completed by our own Havalah "June Bug" Goldston. Weigh the various features Adobe CS4 and CorelDraw Suite X4 have to offer with the tidy side by side comparison table, check out screenshots for each product, read the in-depth reviews, and use Ask & Answer to get the answers to your most pressing software questions from our reviewers and professionals in the TopTenREVIEWS Community. It's a win-win-win-win!