The options for video, music, photo, design, and web software are nearly limitless. It seems like a new platform hits the market on a weekly basis. Yet the sheer number of choices can make a final decision difficult.
That’s where reading in-depth reviews of each company and their products comes into the picture. Our goal is to review as many of these as possible so you know the basics of each before making a purchase. You can then use this information to make an informed decision on which type of software best suits your needs and preferences.
Below we take a hard look at MAGIX. Located at Magix.com, they’ve been a leader in user-friendly multimedia software since their start in 1993. We discuss both the company and their website as well as our personal experience with their many products, including their video software, music software, photo and design software, and web software.
About MAGIX
MAGIX is a multimedia company with a wide range of products. These span the range of computer software, online mobile programs, and cloud services. They also include digital content.
Founded in Munich, Germany in 1993, MAGIX has grown from a virtual nobody to one of the top multimedia software companies in the world. They are particularly well respected for their attention to detail, user-friendly software, and excellent customer service.
Since the beginning, MAGIX has placed a firm emphasis on price-performance ratios. They strive to offer the best creation, design, presentation, and archiving solutions for all budgets. This extends to their commitment to serve both beginners as well as professional users. Their photo, graphic, website, video, and music solutions are used by individuals and businesses around the world.
Another factor that helps MAGIX stick out from the pack is the versatility of their products. The vast majority can be linked together. This allows users to work on the same project on different software. Start your project in one program and finish it on another.
Indeed, MAGIX’s commitment to their customers is what sticks out most. After using many of their products, we’ve found that they treat their customers more like a partner than, well, a customer. This means they also strive not only to meet customer needs, but also to exceed them. Every new version of a MAGIX product is better than the last and actually makes use of customer input.
But that’s not the only way that MAGIX puts their customers first. They also provide personal training at locations across Europe. If you can’t attend one of their MAGIX Academy training sessions, you’ll certainly find the many resources on their website helpful. These resources include video tutorials, FAQ pages, and a customer forum. Included with each MAGIX program are books and training DVDs to help you get started.
All of this has helped MAGIX secure the position as the top multimedia software provider in Germany. They are also a market leader across the rest of Europe as well as in the United States. The company’s 15 million registered users are testament to this fact. And that’s not to mention they’ve won well over 1,000 awards worldwide.
Visiting MAGIX.com
The first thing we do when reviewing any company is visit their website. For companies that provide computer-related services, we find that this is the easiest way to initially judge their quality. In other words, a company with a poorly designed website probably puts out a poorly designed product.
Luckily, MAGIX pulls through in this department. Their website at MAGIX.com is beautifully designed. But, of course, looks aren’t everything. The website describes each product in detail. The overall layout is intuitive, enabling you to find the information you’re looking for without hassle.
Overall, MAGIX.com is a very well put together website. It’s simple, informative, and easy to navigate. This made us very excited to check out their multi-media software to see how it stacked up!
Top Products of MAGIX
Next we will look at some of the most popular products offered by MAGIX. The company boasts an impressive product line that covers all areas of multi-media, including video, music, photo and design, and the web. We’ll look at each of these categories in more detail.
MAGIX Video Products
MAGIX offers over a dozen products related to video software. These cover every angle of the video editing experience.
The programs allow you to edit recordings taken on video cameras, digital cameras, smartphones, web cams, action cams, and more. They also allow you to edit video you already have stored on your PC, tablet, or notebook.
The video editing programs offered by MAGIX do it all. You can import the recordings, cut, optimize, dub, and much more. When you’re finished, use MAGIX to export the file. You can burn it to a DVD or Blu-ray. You can share it on Facebook or YouTube.
Certain MAGIX video software even allows you to edit videos in HD. This gives them a professional finish. Add in titles, effects, transitions and more to create an even more professional feel.
Simply put, there is something for everyone when it comes to MAGIX video editing software. Beginners and professionals alike will be able to find a program that suits them.
Yet at the top of their list of video products is MAGIX Movie Edit Pro. Because it’s their best-selling video product, we reviewed it in greater detail.
Review of MAGIX Movie Edit Pro
MAGIX Movie Edit Pro combines the best of both worlds. It features professional tools in a consumer application. It is robust enough for experts without intimidating novice users.
Great features are abound with Movie Edit Pro. Perhaps the most striking is MAGIX’s “object-based” editing. Unlike other video editing programs, this allows you to put any kind of media on any track. Other applications have dedicated tracks for each kind of media (video, audio, effects, etc).
Proxy editing is another advanced feature. When working with high-resolution footage, lower-quality copies are created for you to work with. This is done to increase efficiency because high-resolution footage takes so long to render. Upon exporting your project, the low-quality copies will be converted to their original high-resolution forms.
Yet another great tool is the automatic syncing of audio and video files. This helps you sync the audio from two different devices, such as a traditional camera and a boom mic, without resorting to comparing waveforms and lining them up. Instead of doing this manually, the program actually does it for you.
MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2016 is far and away one of the best video editing applications we’ve ever used. It comes packed with an array of advanced features and tools, all of which are incredibly easy to use. It’s the perfect choice for both veteran and rookie editors.
MAGIX Music Products
MAGIX offers twenty products related to music software. These cover every facet of the music making and managing experience.
The programs allow you to make, record, edit, manage, and digitize music. With that said, each MAGIX product accomplishes something slightly different. So it’s very important that you select the right one for your needs.
Like MAGIX’s video software, both beginners and professionals can easily use its music software. It has enough advanced features for professional use while still being intuitive enough for newbies.
The two most popular music products produced by the company are MAGIX Music Maker and MAGIX Samplitude Music Studio. We review each of these two products in greater detail below.
Review of MAGIX Music Maker
MAGIX Music Maker is one of the most versatile music maker programs available. It’s also incredibly simple and user friendly.
You start with a large library of music, sounds, and loops (of all musical styles) at your disposal. You can use these sound building blocks to create your own unique songs and sounds.
You can also record live instrumentation or play MIDI instruments to import your own sounds. Music Maker also comes with 15 virtual instruments that can be played to create even more sounds.
Creating actual songs is very easy. All you have to do is drag and drop loops into the arrangement window. Tracks are automatically created showing which instruments are used. Piece the loops together, overlaying them as desired, to create your own unique song.
An advanced mastering suite is included in the software. It helps you add that final polish to your song before you publish. Upon publishing, you can easily upload the song to YouTube or Facebook, burn it to a CD, or transfer it to another device.
MAGIX Music Maker 2016 is a great product. There is no denying that. But it’s not the absolute best on the market. It’s quite simple and is better suited for intermediate users than experts and professionals.
Review of MAGIX Samplitude Music Studio
MAGIX Samplitude is a compact music recording studio. Though not quite up to par with the best virtual studios, it is the perfect choice for hobby musicians with professional standards.
Simply put, Samplitude transforms your computer into a virtual sound studio. You have multi-track recording, great-sounding virtual instruments, and intuitive software production.
Indeed, it’s the intuitive design of Samplitude, like all of MAGIX’s products, that makes it stick out. The workspace is simple both in looks and in use. The transport is at the top of the arrangement window while the browser and library sit below.
The transport is the most important area in the workspace. Here you will find tools used for recording, editing, mixing, mastering, and exporting music.
Another key feature of Samplitude is the ability to record up to 128 audio tracks per session. You can also choose between three different mixers, each designed for a different experience level. The most powerful and effective is the Carbon mixer.
The 2016 version of MAGIX Samplitude is the best yet. It’s available in the standard version (Pro X2) and as an upgraded version (Pro X2 Suite).
MAGIX Photo & Design Products
MAGIX currently offers ten products related to photo and design. This category covers a wide range of image editing products.
The functions of these products cover the entire range of the photo editing process. They include importing, image editing, graphic design, and presentation. All of MAGIX’s photo and design products are created to give the user the highest range of options possible.
The company’s photo software focuses on a handful of tasks. These include managing, optimizing, editing, and archiving. Of course, they also allow you to present your finished photos in an attractive manner.
Their graphic design software accomplishes slightly different tasks. These include creating vector graphics, logos, 3D objects, and various other graphic elements. Many people use MAGIX graphic design software to create documents such as brochures, flyers, business cards, and the like.
The most popular photo editing software currently offered by the company is MAGIX Photo Manager. Their most popular graphic design software is Xara Photo & Graphic Designer. Let’s take a look at these two products in more detail below.
Review of MAGIX Photo Manager
Use MAGIX Photo Manager to edit your photos and create your own unique graphics. Then present them to friends and family with ease.
The best thing about Photo Manger is its ease of use. It’s easy enough for just about anyone to learn. Plus, the new design (updated for 2016) makes organization even easier than before, allowing you to sort through and archive your collection in no time at all.
The software comes stocked with a number of tools and features to make it even more effective. Use these to make all your photos and videos crisp and clear.
The 2016 version of the product also features a number of presentation tools so you can make better slideshows. One of these is a neat travel route animation, so you can highlight the stops of your trip on a virtual map alongside photos from each location.
Review of Xara Photo & Graphic Designer
Known as the Xara Photo & Graphic Designer (MAGIX recently acquired Xara and has kept the name the same), this product is one of the easiest to use graphics software and photo editing programs around.
Top features include photo handling, magic erase, intelligent scaler, bitmap tracer, advanced text handling, 3D extrude, and animated flash export. Yet the thing we like most is undoubtedly the speed of the software. It’s very fast.
The layout of Photo & Graphic Designer is like that of most other photo and graphic design suites. It’s set up similar to Adobe Photoshop but with MAGIX’s own unique twist. Drop down menus are located at the top left, frequently used tools sit at the bottom, and the main toolbar is along the left side. The central work pane sits in the middle.
The great thing about Photo & Graphic Designer is that it can be as simple or as complex as you want it. It has a ton of tools but some of them require a learning curve.
With that said, MAGIX’s Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 2016 is a great choice for beginners and more advanced users alike. It has all the tools you need to accomplish all your photo editing and graphic design goals.
MAGIX Web Products
The last type of software MAGIX offers is for web design. They currently offer two such products.
These products allow you to build and design websites of your own. They cut out the computer jargon, allowing you to build a beautiful website with absolutely zero HTML knowledge.
The web products from MAGIX are characterized by their intuitive user interfaces. These allow you to design the website of your liking as well as present photos and videos on it.
While not the most thorough program around, Xara Web Designer 2016 from MAGIX is the perfect fit for anyone interested in their own website. It is also the perfect choice for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to manage their own online store.
MAGIX Pricing
Because MAGIX offers so many different products and because none of them are subscription based, pricing varies depending on the particulars of what you need.
Right from the get-go, however, it’s good to note that MAGIX offers a free 30-day trial on the vast majority of their products. This is a great way to get a feel for the program you’re interested in before shelling out money on it.
It’s also important to note that MAGIX regularly offers substantial deals and discounts on many of their products. The prices we list below are the normal prices. Check back often and you might just score an even better deal.
The most popular products from MAGIX that we reviewed above can normally be had for:
MAGIX Movie Edit
Pro 2016
$69.99
($99.99 for Plus, $129.99 for Premium)
MAGIX Music Maker 2016
$59.99
($99.99 for Premium)
.
MAGIX Samplitude Music Studio 2016
$99.99
.
.
MAGIX Photo Manager 2016
$59.99
($129.99 for Premium)
.
Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 2016
$89.99
.
Xara Web Designer 2016
$49.99
($99.99 for Premium)
.
Each MAGIX program is available as an immediate download. You can also request a hardcopy CD for each program for a small fee.
The Downsides of Using MAGIX
MAGIX and MAGIX.com come with remarkably few criticisms. The company itself is absolutely fantastic and each product meets the highest standards of quality.
The only issue you might have is that many MAGIX programs don’t hold up to professional standards. Indeed, they were designed with everyday users in mind and not professionals. This is especially true for programs like MAGIX Movie Edit Pro and MAGIX Music Maker.
For professionals in the fields of movie and music making, there are better options out there. With that said, you really can’t beat the value of MAGIX products. You get a whole lot of bang for your buck for the price that you pay.
MAGIX Customer Support
As we’ve mentioned countless times, MAGIX is committed to the customer. And their commitment extends from quality products to great customer service.
Their website itself is designed with the customer in mind. A link to their support page is clearly marked. Once there, you’ll find information broken down by purchase info and technical support. Each of these areas has a variety of links to help point you in the right direction.
If you’re having difficulty using your MAGIX program, start your search on the support page. You’ll find an extensive knowledge base here. It includes MAGIX Magazine, online tutorial videos, and the MAGIX multimedia community. You’re likely to find the answer to your questions here.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Still having trouble? If you still have questions, it’s easy to call MAGIX on their customer support phone line. You can contact them at 1-305-722-5810 between the hours of 9am and 4pm EST Monday to Friday.
Of course, we checked out MAGIX live phone support for ourselves. And our review is positive. Our call was promptly answered. The representative was friendly and professional. They were able to quickly answer any questions we had. It’s nice to see that MAGIX customer service members are thoroughly knowledgeable about both the company and their products.
Finally, MAGIX is an incredibly popular multimedia company worldwide. This makes finding online support from other members easy. There are a variety of customer-run websites and forums that detail more on how to use MAGIX products. These are a great resource in addition to all of the resources that MAGIX provides.
Conclusion
MAGIX is a professional company through and through. As soon as you first visit their website, you are able to rest assured that you’ll get a great product.
The vast variety of products that they offer is likewise great. It allows you to find exactly what you’re looking for in the fields of video, music, photo and design, and web design. We also like the fact that MAGIX offers several versions of their most popular products so you can select one according to your budget.
Simply put, there is a reason that MAGIX is one of the worldwide leaders in multimedia software. That reason is that they’re dedicated to their goals. They are constantly updating and expanding their products to make them better. We strongly recommend MAGIX for all your multimedia software needs.
