Review
Adobe Photoshop 2025 Review: Generative AI Finally Earns Its Place
Generative Fill went from gimmick to daily tool in this release. Photoshop is still the heaviest, most expensive option — and still the only one that does everything.
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What it is
Adobe Photoshop 2025 is the latest annual release of the layer-based pixel editor that has defined image manipulation for three decades. The 2025 cycle's headline additions are Generative Fill and Generative Expand (powered by Adobe's Firefly model), the redesigned Remove tool, Reference Image generation, and a substantially faster Object Selection tool.
Who it's for
Retouchers, commercial and product photographers, compositors, designers, and anyone whose work requires masking, frequency separation, or layered pixel manipulation. It is overkill for photographers who only need RAW adjustments — that's Lightroom's job.
Key specs and how they compare
According to Adobe's release notes, Photoshop 2025 runs on macOS 12+ and Windows 10/11, with full Apple Silicon optimization and GPU acceleration on modern NVIDIA/AMD cards. Generative Fill produces three variations per prompt at up to 1024×1024 native resolution, then upscales to fit the selection. Competitors: Affinity Photo 2 (one-time ~$70, no generative AI, strong manual toolset), GIMP (free, no AI, dated UI), Pixelmator Pro (Mac-only, ~$50, lighter feature set), and Photopea (free browser-based Photoshop clone with no AI). Industry consensus indicates none of these match Photoshop's combination of generative tools, plug-in ecosystem, and color management.
What reviewers and buyers are saying
Published reviews from photography and design publications converge on the same picture: Generative Fill has finally crossed the threshold from "fun demo" to "I use it daily" — particularly for sky replacements, distraction removal, and extending backgrounds for crops. The new Remove tool is widely reported as faster and cleaner than the old Content-Aware Fill for everyday cleanup. Buyers report the biggest remaining complaints are file size of generative outputs and Adobe's monthly generative credit limits.
Value for the price
Photoshop is sold only through subscription: $22.99/month standalone, or bundled with Lightroom in the $9.99/month Photography Plan — making the bundle the only sensible choice for almost everyone. Buyers who reject subscriptions on principle will find Affinity Photo 2 a strong perpetual-license alternative for static retouching, but it lacks generative AI. For anyone who uses generative tools more than monthly, the Photography Plan remains the best value in pixel editing.
What we love
- ✓Generative Fill is finally production-ready
- ✓Unmatched layer, mask, and compositing toolset
- ✓Best plugin ecosystem of any image editor
- ✓Smooth on Apple Silicon and modern GPUs
Where it falls short
- –$22.99/mo standalone is steep
- –Steep learning curve for new users
- –Generative features require cloud connection
FAQ
Do I need Photoshop if I have Lightroom?
Only if you do compositing, heavy retouching, or graphic design. Lightroom Classic alone handles 90% of pure photography work.
Is Affinity Photo a real replacement?
For one-off image work, yes — and the perpetual license is appealing. For AI features and ecosystem, Photoshop is still well ahead.
Can Photoshop run on iPad?
Yes, and the iPad version has reached near-feature parity for most photo tasks in 2025.
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