CyberLink PowerDirector Ultimate Download

Of all the video-editing software we’ve reviewed over the years, CyberLink’s PowerDirector has the best mix of simplicity and power. When you first start, you’ll probably only use a limited but very handy set of basic tools. Then, as you get to grips with the software, you’ll uncover some very dynamic options that lie deeper in the menus. Read our CyberLink PowerDirector 20 Ultimate Review.

“New features include tools to detect people and objects in videos”

This is the first version of the software to support 4K video, so if your camera or smartphone records video at that resolution, it’s well worth the upgrade. There are plenty of other new features that existing users will notice.

Some of the best new tools use algorithms to detect people and objects in your videos, then apply effects directly to them. For example, the motion-tracking tool lets you create text boxes or other graphics, then assign them to something or someone on screen. As that object moves, so will the text or other graphic you’ve applied. The tool can also be used for masking, letting you easily isolate an object or person, so you can either remove them from the video, or keep the subject and remove or alter the background, such as the sky effect in the screenshot below.

PowerDirector can also do clever tricks with sound, detecting when a person is speaking and then enhancing it. If there’s a lot of background noise, it can also help remove this. There’s even a special Wind Removal tool, for when you bring your footage home from a breezy day outdoors and find that all you can hear is the wind howling through the microphone.

One thing we found particularly useful is its ability to sync audio from external sources. So if you record your sound separately from your video to guarantee the best quality, the software can sync your recordings automatically, as long as you have some sound recorded on the video track that it can use as a reference point.

PowerDirector comes in Standard, Ultra and Ultimate editions, but we’d recommend the Utlimate as the other two versions lack many of the smart-editing tools we’ve mentioned here. Upgrades from version 18 or 19 are available for £. You can also buy an annual subscription (for £ a year), which will upgrade you to a new version when it becomes available.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Windows 7 or better • 4GB of RAM • 7GB of storage space

VERDICT

ALTERNATIVE

Adobe Premiere Elements £ Adobe’s software is cheaper and as easy to use, but doesn’t have as many automated tools

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Reviews

DonYouTuber

As a 365 subscriber, I really appreciate these new features and the stock footage! I use stock footage to spice up my videos all the time!

The best enthusiast-level video editor money can buy.

Brandon Video Enthusiast

I love PowerDirector because I get tons of free templates which helps a lot since I’m just getting into editing. The new releases and regular updates always keep my content fresh!

The best video editing software for Windows and Mac users.

Caroline Marketing Specialist

The best video editor for the price! Don’t waste your time and money on others. This one has it all plus more!

PowerDirector is a program that’s suitable for both novices and experienced editors, offering all of the tools you’ll need to fine tune your footage at a fairly reasonable price.

Learning Resources

Learn how to create professional masterpieces with our tutorials below:

CyberLink’s PowerDirector is an interesting multi-platform video editor. When we last reviewed the tool, we noted that it “offers something for you, and it can grow with you as you become more proficient and want to take on more challenging projects”, whatever your skill level. 

The same relaxed user experience remains, making it one of the best video editing software programs out there. And its under-the-hood power places it high on the list as a genuine contender for best Premiere Pro alternative. There’s even a subscription option, PowerDirector 365, mirroring Adobe’s Creative Cloud.

But when it’s not challenging Adobe Premiere Pro for the top spot, what does PowerDirector offer editors of all experiences today? 

Cyberlink PowerDirector 365 subscription options:
• 1 month plan - $4.08 per month ($4.08 total cost) (opens in new tab)

We've also reviewed the best free video editing software and the best video editing apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad. 

Under the hood

First up, CyberLink's video editing software now supports 4K video. Great news since 4K is fast overtaking regular HD media, although it’s worth noting that other software for editing video already cater to 8K. Even some of the newest consumer phones and cameras record at that resolution.

Another welcome under-the-hood addition is compatibility with HEVC. This relatively new format (although it’s been used for a few years now, even when we reviewed version 18) is the codec of choice for iPhones for instance, so it’s great news to learn these files will no longer cause a problem with PowerDirector.

In addition to new templates, themes, and effects packs, there have been a multitude of new features added to PowerDirector’s arsenal. They’re too numerous in fact to list them all here - which in itself is an impressive thing. So instead, we’ll showcase some that we found to be best ones for video editors.

Flipping layers

This new option we noticed when launching the app for the first time will probably be more appreciated by old fogeys like us, who have explored more video editing software than most, but we feel it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.

Previously, we found that PowerDirector orders its layers in the opposite way than “normal”. A clip on a bottom layer obstructing what is present on the upper one. Most other editing tools do it more akin to how it would work in real life - imagine putting a piece of paper on top of another and it obstructs what’s beneath it. 

PowerDirector has now opted for the best of both worlds approach. You can switch the order in the preferences. The PC version even offers you the choice when you first launch the app. Great move by CyberLink and much appreciated. It’s the little things, you know.

AI-powered

Some of the most interesting new additions are all powered by AI, where complex computer algorithms do impressive work and take actions based on past learnings. 

Here in PowerDirector, we now have AI in Motion Tracking. This lets you add text boxes or graphics that follow a chosen object over time, with greater accuracy. The tool is coupled with Object Detection to help you apply a mask around a person or object. You could then, for example, remove it or its background.

A lot of this kind of AI has been applied to audio components, such as Speech Enhancement to reduce background noise, and improve the quality of a spoken recording. Wind Removal is a godsend should you be forced to record someone outdoors in windy conditions.

But the one that surprised us the most is one that, to our minds at least, looked just like a fancy gimmick. 

It’s called AI Sky Replacement.

At first glance, it seems to be just a simple background remover, but there’s complex motion tracking involved as well. 

The results are nothing short of impressive, with clouds in the sky for instance moving as you’d expect them to with the motion of the shot. It also comes with various changeable parameters, so you can fine-tune the effect, and make it look ever better.

Control

This granular level of control can actually be found throughout PowerDirector. 

Check out the Particle Designer for instance, where you can create and modify existing templates, with numerous changeable parameters at your disposal.

The same applies to being able to fully customize motion graphic titles (or use them as-is of course). Shapes are there for you to use and alter, and come with useful parameters such as auto-fit text and keyframing possibilities. There’s also aTitle Editor, where you can alter your font, color and position.

Feature-rich

And there’s still so much more to talk about. It’s clear that PowerDirector has gone from strength to strength over the last couple of years. Just quickly, here’s a list of some more impressive new features:

On the audio editor side of things, you can now automatically lower the volume of background audio when someone starts speaking (Audio Ducking), your background score can be automatically altered so it perfectly fits the length of your footage (Smart Background Music). 

There’s a great timesaver if your recorded audio and video aren’t combined at the source. PowerDirector can automatically sync them up for you - as long as your video comes with its own, inferior, audio, which most usually do.

You can create, upload and export, SRT files - for embedded subtitles - including support for font, color and style.

Nesting projects is now possible, allowing you to add multiple projects into a single timeline, when complex editing becomes a necessity.

You now also have controls to stabilize video footage and remove unwanted camera movement, or apply motion blur to moving objects. You have color matching parameters to make sure your shots remain consistent color and lighting-wise across a scene, and are able to adjust hues and vibrancy while protecting skin tone from distortion.