I was doing batch processing of thousands of image files each week and I wanted the application that in auto mode would produce the best results. The last time I did this it was a tie between Topaz deNoise and CS6 and Topaz took a fraction of the time to apply. This takes less than 1 hour to do and when I am done I know which one produces the best results. With a person's face it is easy to see where the tonal range has been compressed which results in plastic looking skin. When I have the 4 images all on the screen as an 8x10 picture it is easy to compare the applications and I look for detail preservation and especially the overall tonality. I then take a good test image of a person's face and make four 4x5 inch images and use a different NR on three of them and the fourth one I do with CS6 manually.

I periodically download 3 NR applications and install the trial versions on a computer. I hope ON1 is able to improve its non-raw noise reduction soon. It is for those special (to me) photos that I want to spend time with that gets the extra treatment. Most of the time LR noise reduction works fine for me. Quite truthfully I do not do noise reduction on a regular basis. I hated having to start PL4 just for noise. I only upgraded to PL4 because of the noise reduction and am glad to have the on1 option now. I was one of the unfortunate to discover their upgrad policy has no grace period! If you upgrade close to the release of a new program you end up paying for the next upgrade too.

Personally I find DXO a more irritating company than ON1. He prefers speed on loading due to his favorite setting, and de-noising non-RAW files. To be fair, Matt is staying with Topaz due to his workflow issues. I will agree on1 support can be irritating, I just never had a problem with them. I am very aware of what it means, but I feel secure with my chosen protections. I understand your concern with running in admin mode, but for me it is not an issue.

On1 nonoise ai vs topaz denoise