Surprisingly powerful for the price, even if the best features are reserved for the more expensive Plus version.

HDV support and seven video tracks make this a massive upgrade, but only for the plus version.

The first Corel-branded VideoStudio adds one exciting new tool and lots of little improvements.

A great entry-level video editing app, but Montage is the only major addition unless you go for the Ultimate edition

AVCHD support and some useful new effects keep this as the leading entry-level video editor.

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

For many years, After Effects (AE) was the only real choice for PC video compositing - everything else was in a different price/hardware league. But in the last couple of years, with the steady improvement of Pinnacle's Commotion and the huge price drop in Discreet's Combustion, AE isn't alone anymore.

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

A new interface, smart albums, guided editing and photo merging keep Photoshop Elements ahead of the pack

This version brings some real improvements, but there are still a few features missing.

Canopus first made its name providing top-notch 3Dfx cards. Realising the deadly competitiveness and pace of that market, however, Canopus has moved on and repositioned itself as a company specialising in video editing.

Vegas has a huge array of editing features for the money, plus powerful bundled DVD authoring.

A great next-generation camcorder, but it lacks editing support for the recording format

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

HD camcorders enter the mainstream once and for all. With image quality like this, there’s little reason to spend more.

Buffalo is first to show off the recently ratified Draft 802.11n specification, but the Nfiniti doesn’t really showcase its talents

USB 2.0 hard disks are a convenient way of backing up your data, but if you want to share the files with other computers over a small office or home network they're not ideal. But Linksys has an alternative. The Network Storage Link (NSL) takes a USB 2.0 hard disk or flash drive and puts it on the network.

Refocusing on disc-related features makes Nero the top choice for optical disc authoring.

You still get a lot for your money, but HD optical burning only extends to data discs

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