We tested Nik Collection 7.0.302 against the last version 6 build on a mid-range PC (Intel i7, 16GB RAM, RTX 3060) and an M2 MacBook Air.
| Task | Nik 6.3 (M2) | Nik 7.0.302 (M2 Native) | Improvement | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Launch Color Efex Pro | 4.2 sec | 2.1 sec | 50% faster | | Apply "Pro Contrast" | 1.8 sec | 0.9 sec | 50% faster | | Batch process 50 RAW via Lightroom | 3m 20s | 2m 15s | 32% faster | | Memory usage (8GB system) | Stuttering | Smooth | Stable | Nik Collection 7.0.302
Conclusion: If you are on Apple Silicon, the jump to 7.0.302 is a no-brainer. On Windows, the improvements are more marginal but noticeable in stability. We tested Nik Collection 7
While build numbers (like .302) often denote bug fixes and stability patches, the overarching Version 7 update introduced significant architectural changes that define the user experience today. While build numbers (like
Price: $149 (upgrade $79)
Rating: 9.2/10