"Corel CONNECT is a useful feature which works as a content finder, able to search through content on your hard drives and through images online."
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Corel’s top flight suite is not short on features. For your money you get CorelDRAW X5, the vector illustrator and page layout software, Corel’s PHOTO-PAINT X5 .
Extras include Power TRACE X5, a content finder called Corel CONNECT and WinZip 14.5 Pro to zip and encrypt files.
Retailing at around £500 it seems like an affordable alternative to Adobe with features for professionals and consumers alike.
What we like best
CorelDRAW hasn’t had a major overhaul but there are some welcome improvements. X5 crucially comes with better file support including PDF, JPG, PNG, EPS, TIFF and PSD amongst others.
Colour support has also been upgraded within the design programs; there’s better support for industry standard Pantone colours, and a better colour management system to get a uniform set of colours across your work.
Corel CONNECT is a useful feature which works as a content finder, able to search through content on your hard drives and through images online on Flickr, Fotolio and iStockPhoto.
The Suite is also supported by a new and improved help menu and over two hours of video tutorials and a book if you buy the boxed version.
What we like least
Corel Photopaint is weak compared to Photoshop but it is perfect for Corel’s semi-pro target audience.
When bundled with a great illustrator package like CorelDRAW X5 it’s difficult to argue with value for money.
Adobe may be the industry standard, but many people will be better off with a cheaper package, that can still fulfill a large range of tasks.
Today's best deal
Features
NEW: Built in content organiser that speeds up your work flow using Corel CONNECT
Add On
Available as an upgrade
Download or CD
Both
Compatible with
Windows
System Requirements
- Microsoft XP
- Intel Pentium 4, AMD Athlon 64 or AMD Opteron
- 1 Gb RAM or higher 2 Gb recommended
- 128 Mb VGA 256 Mb recommended
- 4 .5 Gb hard disk space, up to 9 Gb for extra content
- 32-bit ODBC drivers for external database connectivity
- Windows compatible sound card
- 1024 x 768 pixel resolution
- DVD/R/Blu-ray depending on usage
- Internet connection for online use and registration
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or higher
CorelDRAW tries to offer the best of both worlds with basic illustration, page design and photo edit tools. A professional designer might find this a bit limiting but for those on a budget who want many of the most useful tools Corel Draw Graphics Suite X5 is one of the most useful packages out there.
There is now vector illustration which means you can produce graphics and logos, it’s more compatible with Adobe Illustrator files and the Adobe® Color Management Module means you won’t struggle transferring colour profiles between the two programs.
Thanks to the Power Trace function you can quickly trace poor images, and then turn them into high quality vectors, which makes creating a logo from that perfect photo so much easier.
Another useful function is the Cut Out Lab, which allows you to cut out elements of a picture from the background, which saves time masking an object.
Independent page layers give you the freedom to experiment with different page designs within the same document.
There have been useful updates with a greater support for camera files, meaning you don’t have to waste time converting different formats, straighten image function to correct any wonky photography or scanning and easier ways to pinpoint colours.
Add a review of the CorelDraw Graphics Suite X5
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