Pixelmator Updated With 16-Bit Color and Full Mac Pro Support

MacRumors · Jan 23, 2014

Pixelmator has updated its image editing software to version 3.1, adding full support for the new Mac Pro, including 16-bit per channel images, full GPU support, and optimizations for the multi-core processors in the new machine.

The app now uses both Mac Pro GPU's simultaneously for composition rendering and uses lots of background computing to speed up zoom and other tasks, with the company claiming that "image editing is now completely seamless, and even with large and complex compositions you will experience profoundly faster and more responsive performance."

"We are extremely excited for professionals to experience the power and speed of Pixelmator 3.1 Marble on their new Mac Pros," said Saulius Dailide of the Pixelmator Team. "Harnessing the power of the Mac Pro's dual-GPU architecture, we're now able to support 16-bit per channel images for the first time and push the limits of Pixelmator performance like never before."

Pixelmator has also gained a new Order Prints feature that allows users to order postcards, notecards, gallery frames, or posters right in the app. The app received its last significant upgrade back in October when it gained a new image editing engine.

Pixelmator 3.1 is a free upgrade for existing users, while new users can download the app from the Mac App Store for $29.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Pixelmator Updated With 16-Bit Color and Full Mac Pro Support

Northgrove · Jan 23, 2014

Here's the actual changelog(s):
http://support.pixelmator.com/updates

ValSalva · Jan 23, 2014

Always good news to see Pixelmator updated. But I do wonder how many Mac Pro users are actually using Pixelmator that much. Seems if a pro is going to spend that much on a tool, they'd use Photoshop.

Frign · Jan 23, 2014

Pixelmator is a very nice program. I give it a few more years to become _really_ competitive against Photoshop (esp. in regard to the fact many people hate CC).

The problem may be that many designers use Photoshop, because it nicely fits into the Adobe-ecosystem (Illustrator, InDesign, ...). That probably is the most important factor to consider here.

szw-mapple fan · Jan 23, 2014

Hello Pixelmator! Goodbye Photoshop!

Rossatron · Jan 23, 2014

ValSalva said:
Always good news to see Pixelmator updated. But I do wonder how many Mac Pro users are actually using Pixelmator that much. Seems if a pro is going to spend that much on a tool, they'd use Photoshop.

not a pro, but have yet to find any feature i was missing from photoshop when using pixelmator. i think its a viable alternative.

maflynn · Jan 23, 2014

szw-mapple fan said:
Hello Pixelmator! Goodbye Photoshop!

I've since given up on PS. I have an older version and I refuse to go the subscription model. I'm not a heavy hitter so Pixelmator has been more then enough for me.

epic-retouching · Jan 23, 2014

Rossatron said:
not a pro, but have yet to find any feature i was missing from photoshop when using pixelmator. i think its a viable alternative.

am a pro, Pixelmator is about 20% of Photoshop features that I use hehe. Pixelmator is great but not there yet

jayducharme · Jan 23, 2014

The main thing I don't like about Pixelmator is how there's no greyscale or CMYK. Their approach is that if you're going to create images for print, the color space will be prepared by exporting to PDF.

ValSalva · Jan 23, 2014

Rossatron said:
not a pro, but have yet to find any feature i was missing from photoshop when using pixelmator. i think its a viable alternative.

Good to know. Pixelmator is obviously getting more and more powerful with each update.

kazmac · Jan 23, 2014

I'm not a pro either

and Pixelmator is a snap to use.

I prefer it to Photoshop, but Pro mileage may vary.

I am very impressed at how quickly they've updated the software to utilize the Mac Pro (I know they were used in the Mac Pro demos but still this is very nice to see.) They were pretty fast with Retina optimization too.

nwcs · Jan 23, 2014

I haven't yet moved from Photoshop CS6 to CC yet. The more Pixelmator improves the less I may be forced into CC slavery. 16 bit support, though, is a big big help. I may have found the successor for PS for the things I need.

Dranix · Jan 23, 2014

What a p.o.s. 8( The 16bit support *ONLY* works on nMP... I wonder what they smoke. It's not like coreimage utilizing 128bit per pixel internally anyway.

chrono1081 · Jan 23, 2014

I love Pixelmator. It does a lot of stuff better than Photoshop (MUCH better Pen Tool, real time Gradients vs Photoshops gradient guessing game, etc).

I can't abandon Photoshop because my workflow is built around it (and I need 32 bit image editing for depth masks and such) but I love to use Pixelmator.

wlossw · Jan 23, 2014

Best 30 bucks I ever spent on software. It may not be better than photoshop, but it sure is for the price.

japanime · Jan 23, 2014

I own Pixelmator, but haven't been able to incorporate it into my regular workflow because of the very dark UI. I find it incredibly difficult to read the text on the black menu backgrounds. If the developer would give us a chance toggle between a light and dark UI, I'd probably never open Photoshop again.

Dranix · Jan 23, 2014

Well my painting has migrated mostly to ClipStudioPaint anyway ;P But the colors in Pixelmator are really hard to see on calibrated displays, they get better when you push brightness to insane levels...

jettredmont · Jan 23, 2014

Photoshop Elements is dead

Pixelmator isn't to the point of upending the Photoshop market yet, but with full 16-bit support (on a Mac Pro only for the moment, but I'd suspect that will extend to all new hardware shortly) Photoshop Elements (with half-assed 16-bit support where it will open 16-bit images but you can't do anything with them unless you thunk down to 8-bit) is dead. There is absolutely no reason to go with Adobe's "consumer" software range when Pixelmator surpasses it across the board (and so much cheaper, at $30 for multiple years instead of $70-99 per ~yearly upgrade).

While Photoshop is still safe, PSE is obsolete. There is simply no reason to spend money on that software now.

everything-i · Jan 23, 2014

ValSalva said:
Always good news to see Pixelmator updated. But I do wonder how many Mac Pro users are actually using Pixelmator that much. Seems if a pro is going to spend that much on a tool, they'd use Photoshop.

While I would agree that it is unlikely high end users are going to go for Pixelmator over Photoshop it does give them an advantage that Photoshop is unlikely to match for quite some time given Adobe's sluggish reaction to new technology. This not only benefits Mac Pro users using openCL will give performance improvements on any machine with the a GPU that is supported which are quite a few. Pixelmator is getting better all the time and I think will start to be a serious contender for many Photoshop users within a couple of years.

Dranix · Jan 23, 2014

Just got a reply from them that other macs will get the 16bit just a little later. My personal opinion is it needs some new api in 10.9.2 that is already in the special build of 10.9.1 for nMP...

Bear · Jan 23, 2014

ValSalva said:
Always good news to see Pixelmator updated. But I do wonder how many Mac Pro users are actually using Pixelmator that much. Seems if a pro is going to spend that much on a tool, they'd use Photoshop.

Actually it depends on the main use of the Mac Pro. And from what I've been reading, not all th epeople buying Mac Pros are professionals anyway.

Rossatron said:
not a pro, but have yet to find any feature i was missing from photoshop when using pixelmator. i think its a viable alternative.

The 16bit support is what was missing for me

Dranix said:
What a p.o.s. 8( The 16bit support *ONLY* works on nMP... I wonder what they smoke. It's not like coreimage utilizing 128bit per pixel internally anyway.

Well as it was stated 16bit support is coming for all Macs.

japanime said:
I own Pixelmator, but haven't been able to incorporate it into my regular workflow because of the very dark UI. I find it incredibly difficult to read the text on the black menu backgrounds. If the developer would give us a chance toggle between a light and dark UI, I'd probably never open Photoshop again.

Have you seen the dark interface for Photoshop Elements? It's pretty bad. In any case, send feedback to Pixelmater - the more people who comment on this means it's more likely they will do something about it.

Basic75 · Jan 23, 2014

16bit only on Mac Pro?

I was just getting excited, then I saw that 16bit is only on Mac Pro!

----------

Basic75 said:
I was just getting excited, then I saw that 16bit is only on Mac Pro!

...but it seems that it will be coming to all Macs later.

ArtOfWarfare · Jan 23, 2014

I can't even tell the difference between a lot of 8 bit colors... Why make them 16 bit? (We're talking about going from 2^24 different hues to 2^48 different hues, right? And going from 2^8 different amounts of transparency to 2^16 different amounts of transparency, right?)

Dranix · Jan 23, 2014

It's only for the working space. You can avoid color banding by working in 16bit per color. The final image should be reduced to 8bit.

Bear · Jan 23, 2014

Dranix said:
It's only for the working space. You can avoid color banding by working in 16bit per color. The final image should be reduced to 8bit.

Or you can leave the final image in 16bit in case you have to make changes to it again.

Pixelmator Updated With 16-Bit Color and Full Mac Pro Support

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