If you're looking for a middle ground between the classic Paint and advanced graphics editors, you can't go wrong with Paint.NET. The program has been in development for nearly twenty years, offers great flexibility thanks to its support for external plugins, and works perfectly even on humble hardware. But today we come across the first public alpha of Paint.NET 5.0, which notably optimizes GPU acceleration, restores pressure sensitivity for tablets, fixes bugs in embedded color profiles, and improves upscaling algorithms, among other things.
Personally, I've used Paint.NET for years, and beyond some very attractive alternatives like Krita and PhotoDemon, I always return to it for the same reason: it has everything I need and nothing more. However, the demands have changed since its early versions, and apparently there is a lot of interest in a simple interface backed by more advanced functions.
The addition of support for plugins was one of the first flexibility options in Paint.NET, but the editor is now going through a deeper optimization and consolidation phase, and we can already see a preview in the new alpha version of Paint.NET 5.0.
Paint.NET 5.0 Alpha: What's New
The official announcement was made earlier this week on the Paint.NET forums, and you'll need to go there to get a copy of the alpha, since it's not available as an update (for now). This is great news because it lets us avoid conflicts and keep both versions separate (the alpha and the stable 4.3.12 build).
At the top of the list is the return of pressure sensitivity for users with compatible tablets. This support had been removed in build 3.5 due to technical issues and lack of hardware, but now it's back with Windows Ink compatibility. This means that both the Surface Pen and tablets from Wacom, UGEE, and other manufacturers should work much better.
The second entry is a notable expansion of GPU acceleration. This support got its first steps in version 4.0, and included some effects in 4.1, but Paint.NET 5.0 extends it to almost the entire interface, improving performance and battery life on laptops. At the same time, the vast majority of effects also use the GPU, courtesy of Direct2D and the ComputeSharp.D2D1 module. If for some reason you want to change the acceleration device in Paint.NET, version 5.0 will allow you to do so.
Finally, let me mention three more details. First, Paint.NET 5.0 can now fix conflicts associated with color profiles using "Apply Embedded Color Profile". Basically, it's used to reconcile differences between an image opened in Paint.NET and another application (like a browser). This command applies the sRGB profile and removes the embedded profile metadata.
The second detail comes down to improvements in upscaling and resizing algorithms. Adaptive and Lanczos are added to the options, and there's a new bilinear mode, while the old one is now labeled "low quality". The third point is the debut of new adjustments and effects, among which a phenomenal bokeh stands out. While it puts a bit of pressure on the graphics card, it's definitely worth cranking its quality to the max. Try it! The alpha of Paint.NET 5.0 has a portable edition, but you'll need Windows 10 1809 or Windows 11 64-bit to run it.
Official announcement and download: Click here
