This was designed to evaluate the design-focused features of the apps by creating a simple vector design: the Ask Different logo we all know and love. So, on to the tests! Creating the Ask Different Logo In addition to the per-test metrics, IвЂ™ve included at the end several general metrics that donвЂ™t apply to a specific test but to the apps in general. The app with the highest score in a given test is deemed the вЂwinnerвЂ™ of that test. To be sure that they accurately reflect the most important elements of a successful app, I chose these metrics based on the mental comparisons I made while actually performing the tests.Д®ach app is given a score from 1 to 10 on each metric. The tests are designed to evaluate the appsвЂ™ capabilities and performance doing actual work, as well as give me a good idea of what itвЂ™s really like to use them.Д®ach test has a set of metrics assigned to it. To review and compare these apps, I came up with four real-world tests to put them through. Pixelmator is beautiful and a pleasure to use, performs very pleasingly, and has a respectable feature set. Pixelmator is relatively new, incredibly inexpensive, and has quickly gotten a good reputation. Photoshop CS5 is $700, Photoshop CS5 Extended is $1000. Photoshop is the archetypical вЂprofessionalвЂ™ app: tons of features (some questionable), a usable-but-not-great UI, and a ridiculous price. Photoshop has been around for a long time, and is the industry standard. It has a reasonably good feature set, but doesnвЂ™t perform particularly admirably and has a user experience that is decidedly un-Mac-like. GIMP is free, open source, and cross platform. There are several leading apps in this category, but which is the right one for you? Is Photoshop better than GIMP? Is Pixelmator better than Photoshop? The Contenders GIMP 2.6

As someone who dabbles in both photography and graphic design, I spend a lot of time in graphics-oriented apps.

Drawing pixelmator