• PC World
• »Software
• »Office

If you're tired of waiting for Microsoft's delayed Office 2007, consider this: Feature for feature and dollar for dollar, Corel's $300 WordPerfect Office X3 Standard tops Microsoft's $400 Office 2003 Standard in every category.

All five of the principal apps--WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, Presentations, Mail, and Presentations Graphics--are first-rate. Leading the pack is the WordPerfect word processor. For many WordPerfect users, one feature raises the program head-and-shoulders above Word and every other word processor: Reveal Codes. This View menu option opens a pane at the base of the screen showing the document's formatting codes. For fine-grain control over a file's appearance and content, nothing beats it.

Equally notable is WordPerfect's e-mail program, formerly the Bloomba mail client from Stata Labs. The app features a search function that neither Outlook nor any other e-mail program can top. Also new to the suite is Presentations Graphics (formerly a component of Presentations). Though very basic, it is a nice addition, providing tools for editing images and creating customizable layouts.

The suite does have some annoying elements--for instance, a pesky InstallShield Update Manager that's always running in the system tray. Such minor irritations aside, I think people who use their PC for business might very well find what they need here.

WordPerfect Office X3 Standard

For a true upgrade to an office suite, business users will find much to like in Corel's package.
Price when reviewed: $300 ($160 upgrade)
Current prices (if available)