The first time I used Cyberlink’s PowerDirector video editing software, I was in my university and I used it mainly for editing different video projects for my bachelor’s program. At that time, the software came pre-installed with my laptop so I did not really research any other video editing software since my need was basic and the PowerDirector was fully equipped with everything I need back then. A lot of time has passed since then and now we have the latest and the most powerful video editing suite by CyberLink. This is our review of the latest version which is the PowerDirector 18 and for our review, we were provided a free copy of the Ultimate Edition by CyberLink.
The first thing you will notice right after starting PowerDirector 18 is that the interface has not changed much. I used it nearly 10 years ago and even now I found the interface nearly identical to the version I used back then apart from the new features added in the mix here and there. The interface is not very confusing if you’ve used the earlier versions and after a few minutes, you will easily spot the new features nestled in the familiar UI. Naturally, you would expect some changes after such a long time but the familiar UI meant that I was able to understand the new features and get back on the track with the older ones pretty quickly.
Let’s start with the main new features that have been added to the PowerDirector 18. Although there are plenty of new features, the two features that I really like are Audio Scrubbing and the 4K video editing preview of the project before you can produce it. With modern consoles and especially PC games, 4K is a norm now and being able to see your project in 4K before waiting for the rendering is a massive thing and really saved a lot of time. People who edit gaming videos would easily relate.
The other major addition is the Audio Scrubbing. To put it in simple terms, Audio Scrubbing allows you to hear audio as you scroll through the video segments in order to find a particular scene. In earlier versions when this feature was not available in the software, you would need to rely only on the video to find the right video segment. However, now you can listen to the audio as well as you scroll back and forth the video chapter while looking for a specific scene. This comes especially handy because while editing our video game videos we often have to cut out sections where music might be copyrighted and cause trouble later.
Apart from these major additions, you will also find small changes here and there which have been introduced in the latest suite such as a brand new Shape Designer, the ability to use older project files in new ones as ‘Nested Projects’ and Motion Graphics & Animated Titles. These might be smaller features but when combined with the complete package on offer, you get a premium video editing suite like no other. If you edit videos primarily for YouTube and your channel focuses on tutorials, the Shape Designer will certainly come in handy.
We tried and tested our copy of CyberLink PowerDirector 18 on two different generations of PCs. Both were built in different eras and were the best of their time. Our older PC supported a Core 2 Quad 2.8GHZ processor with 4GB DDR2 RAM and an NVidia 9600GT GPU. The video producing times were certainly higher on this build however the software ran extremely well which is a huge thing. Our main testing system was equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, 32GB DDR4 Ram and Nvidia 2080ti GPU. The video rendering was a lot faster and the overall performance of the software was better as well.
This clearly shows that if you have a powerful system, CyberLink PowerDirector 18 Ultimate will certainly use that power effectively but if you still use an older system, you can use the software just fine. The difference between these two builds in immense and the fact that we were able to edit the same video on both of the systems is a remarkable aspect of the software and shows it is still not too demanding as were the earlier builds. CyberLink, however, says that PowerDirector 18 really shines when your PC has 8 or more cores as the software is built that way.
If I compare the current PowerDirector 18 Ultimate with the one I used back in 2009, I would certainly say that CyberLink has really improved the software in every way except the UI. At this point, I will also point out that if you have been using PowerDirector for a long time, you will be right at home with the UI of PowerDirector 18 since nothing much has changed over the years. However, for me, I would have loved to see a brand new and more refined UI since, in its current form, newcomers will require some time getting used to it. Seeing the familiar old UI after 10 years in the software does not really seem to be doing this powerful suite justice.
Depending on your use, you can choose between the PowerDirector Ultra or the Ultimate if the subscription-based PowerDirector 365 is not your first choice. Ultra will set you back $99 while Ultimate will set you back $129.99. The major difference between the two variants is the support for professional format video import including HEVC HDR10 & HLG, ProRes 4:2:2, and video files import MXF AVC 4:2:0 and the 4K video preview editing. The Ultimate also comes with 6 premium plug-ins and effects packs while the Ultra only comes with 4 premium packs. If you are a casual video editor, Ultra should be fine for you but if you want to use the additional features and want hardcore editing features, you can go for Ultimate.
Final Verdict
PowerDirector 18 Ultimate is a really powerful video editing software that offers everything a casual or a professional video editor requires. With the additional community support, it comes with, the options are unlimited when it comes to special effects since you can download free ones as well as purchase a lot of different special effect packs from the official CyberLink website. The new features are extremely useful especially the Audio Scrubbing and the 4K video editing preview. The best thing about PowerDirector 18 is that you do not need an extremely high-spec PC as well. Surely, better PCs will give you a massive advantage however if you are still using an older system, it runs great on them as well. Throw in a fresh UI and you have the perfect video editing suite out there. You can also opt for the PowerDirector 365 which is a subscription-based model but if you want a powerful yet affordable video editing software with a permanent license, PowerDirector 18 is your best option currently available in the market.
Purchase Cyberlink PowerDirector 18: Ultimate, Ultra, Pick Your Own
