Cyberlink software has a strong reputation for very innovative programming -BUT also has long deserved REPUTATION for being very quirky! You will always get that combo in whatever version deal you retain - has never been anything different from them.
I tried it a few years back when I was looking at video editors that smart render. I found a bug in the smart render (a frame jump near the end of a trimmed clip) and am still waiting to hear that it is fixed. I have installed the latest version but have not yet found time to check.
PowerDirector does not have the flexibility of Vegas and therefore it would be less overwhelming for novices. It is aimed at enthusiasts, not professionals. DVD and BD menus are created from templates, so can be quite impressive if you can find the template for you needs.
It will create 1920x1080 50p AVCHD discs that can be played with PowerDVD