New effects enable richer design results, while a host of other improvements boost productivity.

A new interface, drawing engine and programming language, but surprisingly little new power.

Non-destructive image processing and creative filters feature in this comprehensive upgrade to the market leader.

With Web Standard/Premium, Design Premium AND Macromedia’s products now absorbed into CS3, choosing the right suite is EASY.

Not only slightly cheaper than the last version, but now Encore CS3 and OnLocation CS3 are included too.

An improved working environment and ground-breaking colour handling make Illustrator fresher than ever.

Media management gets a Macromedia-inspired makeover; with export preview facilities for mobile devices.

Yet another leap forward for After Effects, which cements its status as the leading PC video compositing tool.

Photoshop moves beyond photo editing to conquer completely new territory.

Powerful new versions of InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, and now Acrobat 8 Professional too.

Support for new file types and platforms plus improved 3D rendering, but director is yesterday’s tool – and it shows

A more mature version, taking it from sound cleaning and score creation to a powerful soundtrack composition tool.

A massive bundle worth the extra money, containing absolutely every tool a video producer might need.

Fantastic looks and comprehensive features Lightroom is a winner for improving workflow efficiency.

Support for latest video formats and a batch-media encoder, but supporting apps have seen little upgrading.

Still heavy going, but a raft of improvements means it’s the most comprehensive drawing package on the market.

A new focus on animation, better video support and deeper integration, but not the core authoring package it once was.

Fantastic design and highly-configurable power make this XPS useful, desirable and good value.

A shift of focus to advanced CSS and JavaScript handling, but Dreamweaver is beginning to look old-fashioned