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Pixie VS PowerToys

Compare Pixie VS PowerToys and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Videos
  3. ยป Reviews
  4. ยป Alternatives

Pixie logo Pixie

Pixie is a free, open source web application that will help you quickly create your own website. Many people refer to this type of software as a content management system (cms), we prefer to call it a small, simple, website maker.

PowerToys logo PowerToys

Windows system utilities to maximize productivity. Contribute to microsoft/PowerToys development by creating an account on GitHub.
  • Pixie Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-12-03
  • PowerToys Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-27

Pixie features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Pixie is a small and lightweight color picker tool which ensures minimal system resource usage.
  • Portable
    Pixie is a portable application which does not require installation. Users can run it directly from a USB drive.
  • Easy to Use
    Pixie has a very simple and user-friendly interface which makes it easy for both novice and experienced users to operate.
  • Real-time Color Information
    Pixie dynamically displays color information such as HEX, RGB, HTML, and CMYK values as you move the cursor around the screen.
  • Precision
    Pixie enables precise color picking by allowing users to magnify the screen view.
  • Freeware
    Pixie is free to download and use, which makes it accessible to a wide range of users.

Possible disadvantages of Pixie

  • Limited Features
    Pixie is focused solely on color picking, and lacks additional features found in more comprehensive graphic design tools.
  • No Mac or Linux Support
    Pixie is only available for Windows, which limits its usability for users on Mac or Linux operating systems.
  • No Support for Color History
    Pixie does not offer a way to save or store previously picked colors, requiring users to manually note down important color information.
  • No Integrations
    Pixie does not integrate with other software tools, which may hinder workflows that rely on seamless integration between applications.
  • No Active Development
    Pixie has not been actively updated or developed in recent years, which may mean it lacks compatibility with newer software and hardware.
  • Basic Functionality
    While Pixie is efficient for basic color picking tasks, it does not cater to advanced users requiring more detailed color analysis and manipulation tools.

PowerToys features and specs

  • Customizability
    PowerToys offer a variety of customization options that allow users to tailor their Windows experience to their preferences. This includes tools like FancyZones for advanced window management and customizable keyboard shortcuts.
  • Efficiency
    The utilities included in PowerToys, such as PowerToys Run and File Explorer add-ons, can significantly boost productivity by offering quicker and more efficient ways to launch apps or navigate through files.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source software, PowerToys allows developers to contribute to and modify the software, leading to continuous improvement and community-driven enhancements.
  • Frequent Updates
    Microsoft and the community frequently update PowerToys, adding new features, fixing bugs, and improving overall reliability.

Possible disadvantages of PowerToys

  • Complexity for Casual Users
    PowerToys' advanced features and settings can be overwhelming for casual or non-technical users who might find the configuration options too complex.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    As with any software that integrates deeply with the operating system, there may be occasional stability issues or bugs that can affect system performance.
  • Resource Usage
    Running multiple PowerToys utilities simultaneously might lead to increased CPU and memory usage, potentially impacting the performance of low-end systems.
  • Limited Support
    Due to its open-source nature, official support can be limited, relying mostly on community forums and GitHub issues for troubleshooting.

Analysis of Pixie

Overall verdict

  • Pixie is a well-regarded tool for its intended use, especially for those who frequently work with digital graphics and need to determine and replicate colors accurately. It's a valuable tool for anyone who needs a quick and efficient way to capture color codes.

Why this product is good

  • Pixie, developed by Nattyware, is a lightweight and handy color picker tool that allows users to easily identify and work with colors on their screen. It's particularly useful for designers, developers, and digital artists who need precise control over color selection in their projects. Pixie is praised for its simplicity, ease of use, and speed, as it provides the exact color code of any pixel just by hovering over it.

Recommended for

  • Graphic designers
  • Web developers
  • UI/UX designers
  • Digital artists
  • Anyone who frequently works with color palettes

Pixie videos

+ Add

Nespresso Pixie Review plus FAQ

PowerToys videos

+ Add

Hands-on with PowerToys for Windows 10 โ€“ Windows Enhanced!

More videos:

  • Review - Windows 10 PowerToys (Beginners Guide)
  • Demo - Microsoft PowerToys for Windows 10 - Overview & Demo

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Pixie and PowerToys)

Pixie

PowerToys

Color Tools
74 74%
Color Tools
26% 26
Productivity
0 0%
Productivity
100% 100
Color Picker
75 75%
Color Picker
25% 25
Color Palette Generator
76 76%
Color Palette Generator
24% 24

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Pixie and PowerToys

Pixie Reviews

We have no reviews of Pixie yet.
Be the first one to post

PowerToys Reviews

15 Best AutoHotkey Alternatives 2022
If you are looking for an AutoHotkey alternative that can help you customize Windows operating system functions and make customizations, Microsoftโ€™s official PowerToys tool is great.
Source: rigorousthemes.com
6 Best Alfred App Alternatives for Windows to Be More Productive
PowerToys has been brought back from the dead and turned into an open-source project that you can download and use for free. It comes with a growing number of utility tools like Color Picker to help find hash codes of any color in an image, Awake to keep the screen awake without having to mess with power settings, Keyboard Manager to remap keys, Run that mimics macOSโ€™s...
Source: techwiser.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PowerToys seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Pixie mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Pixie yet. Tracking of Pixie recommendations started around Mar 2021.

PowerToys mentions (6)

  • Keypirinha: A fast launcher for keyboard ninjas on Windows
    Powertoys Run (https://github.com/microsoft/powertoys) can do this. There are not that many plugins as Alfred but Window Switcher is built-in. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • The surprisingly subtle ways Microsoft Word has changed how we use language
    But most of the people that make this error are non-tachsavy Windows users. And while there is Microsoft's PowerToys[0] with the Quick Accent tool that does the same thing, I doubt many people know about it. > on iOS I think this works for any mobile keyboard (for example, AOSP's default keyboard supports that). In my language at least, the use of a capital letter with an accent is pretty rare, especially when... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Microsoft Powertoys - How to auto enable powertoys run (spotlight search) everytime you start your pc
    We'd love to deep dive into the issue but best spot for this would be the powertoys GitHub. https://github.com/microsoft/powertoys. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Tried to reinstall it, but the MS Store says it's installed but it's not anywhere ona computer
    Download it from the official github Https://github.com/microsoft/powertoys. Source: over 3 years ago
  • This shows how to preview SVG files directly in your Windows files explorer (link in the comment)
    Not sure if it's the same codebase, but SVG preview is included in Microsoft's PowerToys (open source), along with a ton of other quality-of-life improvements for Windows. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Pixie and PowerToys, you can also consider the following products

Just Color Picker - Free portable colour picker and colour editor for web designers, photographers, graphic designers and digital artists. Supports Windows and macOS.

DisplayFusion - DisplayFusion will make your multi-monitor life much easier.

gpick - A color picker and color scheme creation tool.

Real-time Colors - Real-time UI Color Palette Tool

Instant Eyedropper - Identifying the color code of an object on the screen is usually an involved, multistep process:...

Sip - A better way to collect, organize & share your colors.

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