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As is now sadly the norm with seemingly every media related program that we install
onto our test machines, Nero 8 is keen, upon installation, to be the default app
for every form of media possible on our PC. It's got manners, so it does give
you the option of changing what it associates itself with, but the default list
of audio, video and image files that pops up is eye watering.
It's also indicative of how Nero has grown in many senses over the years. As with its ongoing main rival Easy Media Creator, Nero has long since eschewed its roots as a simple burning application. Now it's more of an all encompassing suite, with individual tools to help you capture and edit audio, manipulate your images, design disc covers, record DVDs, back up your computer, stream media and play back movies and music.
You can access all of these functions individually through the start menu, or there's the now traditional Nero StartSmart that makes a really good fist of gluing all of the parts together. StartSmart is one of the few areas of Nero to undergo any kind of notable change, and it's a treasure trove for the less experienced user, allowing them to choose what they want by function rather than meaningless program name. Logically laid out, it allows you to perform a basic burn from its menu screen, but also gives easy access to the sizeable number of functions that Nero can support. It's a good improvement on the more cumbersome equivalent from Nero 7.
Once past the StartSmart screen and into the applications proper, though, it does become tricky to isolate what's actually changed in any meaningful way. Vista enhancements, for instance, are all well and good, but they don't seem to affect functionality.
Granted, the program feels a little quicker to work with thanks to decreased loading times (on one of our lesser test systems this was particularly welcome), but it broadly performs in much the same way that's made it so popular for many years. Happily working on two levels, with detailed options for the experts but simplicity and speed of use for the more experienced, Nero 8 is a polished and strong application. We've long been fans of the core burning application, and are so again here, but the additional tools we warmed to as well, particularly the backup utilities.
There's a continued accusation that can be levelled against applications such as Nero that as they get older, they do tend to get more bloated. It's hard to deny that the once slimline burning tool of old hasn't significantly evolved, but in this latest suite, it does get away with it.
The tools are effective, breezy yet powerful when it matters, and while the price tag isn't cheap if it's just some burning you need to do, you do get a lot for your money. The challenge now will be to provide a more meaningful improvement next time round, without overbloating the package.
A smashing box of tools, made all the more user friendly by an improved SmartStart screen. Not too much else has changed, though, although Nero is unlikely to shed any of its sizeable fanbase off the back of this release. update!
System Requirements
Operating System RequiredMicrosoft Windows XP SP1
Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later
Microsoft Windows Vista (64 bit versions)
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
Software Requirements DirectX 9.0c
Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
Min Processor Type 1 GHz
Peripheral / Interface Devices CD R
CD RW
DVD R
DVD RW
HD DVD
DVD ROM
SVGA monitor
16 bit sound card
32 MB video memory
Internet connection
System Requirements Details Microsoft Windows Vista (64 bit versions) Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
Microsoft Windows Vista Business Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1 Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5
GB
Microsoft Windows XP SP1 Pentium III RAM 512 MB HD 1.5 GB
It's also indicative of how Nero has grown in many senses over the years. As with its ongoing main rival Easy Media Creator, Nero has long since eschewed its roots as a simple burning application. Now it's more of an all encompassing suite, with individual tools to help you capture and edit audio, manipulate your images, design disc covers, record DVDs, back up your computer, stream media and play back movies and music.
You can access all of these functions individually through the start menu, or there's the now traditional Nero StartSmart that makes a really good fist of gluing all of the parts together. StartSmart is one of the few areas of Nero to undergo any kind of notable change, and it's a treasure trove for the less experienced user, allowing them to choose what they want by function rather than meaningless program name. Logically laid out, it allows you to perform a basic burn from its menu screen, but also gives easy access to the sizeable number of functions that Nero can support. It's a good improvement on the more cumbersome equivalent from Nero 7.
Once past the StartSmart screen and into the applications proper, though, it does become tricky to isolate what's actually changed in any meaningful way. Vista enhancements, for instance, are all well and good, but they don't seem to affect functionality.
Granted, the program feels a little quicker to work with thanks to decreased loading times (on one of our lesser test systems this was particularly welcome), but it broadly performs in much the same way that's made it so popular for many years. Happily working on two levels, with detailed options for the experts but simplicity and speed of use for the more experienced, Nero 8 is a polished and strong application. We've long been fans of the core burning application, and are so again here, but the additional tools we warmed to as well, particularly the backup utilities.
There's a continued accusation that can be levelled against applications such as Nero that as they get older, they do tend to get more bloated. It's hard to deny that the once slimline burning tool of old hasn't significantly evolved, but in this latest suite, it does get away with it.
The tools are effective, breezy yet powerful when it matters, and while the price tag isn't cheap if it's just some burning you need to do, you do get a lot for your money. The challenge now will be to provide a more meaningful improvement next time round, without overbloating the package.
A smashing box of tools, made all the more user friendly by an improved SmartStart screen. Not too much else has changed, though, although Nero is unlikely to shed any of its sizeable fanbase off the back of this release. update!
System Requirements
Operating System Required
Software Requirements
Min Processor Type
Peripheral / Interface Devices
System Requirements Details
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