Nero Nero 9 Reloaded review
Although little more than a minor update to Nero 9, Reloaded is a capable media management and editing tool.
Nero 9 Reloaded is a media suite that lets you rip, edit and burn music, photos and videos to and from a variety of media.
There’s not much difference between this version and its immediate predecessor, Nero 9, although Reloaded is certified for use with Windows 7, so you won’t have any compatibility problems.
This version retains the SmartStart launch environment, which is functional and easy to navigate. Common tasks such as disc burning, disc copying, audio ripping and data backup can be performed from within the SmartStart interface. You can also access the individual Nero applications from here, but we experienced long pauses and occasional crashes, so it’s quicker and easier to do so from the Windows Start menu.
The wizard-based Nero Express and Burning ROM take care of ripping, copying and burning CDs and DVDs. Nero ShowTime plays audio and video, although it’s not quite as good as free alternatives such as iTunes, Windows Media Player or Media Player Classic. Also included is a copy of BackItUp & Burn, a very capable backup application.
One of the few enhancements that differentiates Reloaded from Nero 9 is in the video editing and burning application Nero Vision. As well as creating and editing movies and authoring DVDs, it now lets you archive AVCHD Blu-ray-compatible content to hard disk or a USB device, which is more versatile than keeping all your HD content on optical discs. However, you still need to buy the $10 Blu-ray plug-in to author Blu-ray discs.
Nero 9 owners can upgrade to Reloaded for free, which indicates how little has changed in the new version. Nero 9 Reloaded does a good job of ripping, burning and editing a wide range of audio and video formats, but it’s not as easy to use as our current media suite of choice, the slightly more expensive Roxio Creator 2010.