Swift boot times and speedy operations are among the greatest joys of unboxing and firing up a brand-new PC. After all, we want our PCs to run at peak performance, regardless of whether we have a budget laptop or a beast gaming desktop. Inevitably, however, that out-of-the-box performance fades away. Eventually, every PC slow downs, either gradually or suddenly. In those instances, you should invest in a tune-up utility.
A PC tune-up utility is an application that digs deep into your computer and fixes trouble areas. It performs several functions, including defragmenting your PC's hard drive, repairing the incredibly problematic Windows Registry, and freeing up disk space by deleting useless and duplicate files. Some tune-up utilities perform just those basic functions, while more elaborate ones add numerous features that improve your computer in interesting ways. For example, Iolo System Mechanic cleans gunked-up PCs with its real-time system monitoring; Ashampoo offers a file-deletion tool and backup app; and AVG offers a driver updater.
We tested all the tune-up utilities in this story on a junked-up Windows 10 test bed. Note that Microsoft's operating system has many built-in tools for improving your PC's performance, though they're scattered throughout the OS (unlike the third-party tune-up utilities mentioned here).
Please note that while tune-up utilities were valuable tools in the Windows 8/7/XP eras, we now find them harder to recommend in the Windows 10 era, as the operating system lets you effectively tune-up your PC for free.
You won't spend a small fortune to begin the PC clean up process. Expect to spend roughly $20 to $50 for a standalone tune-up utility purchase or a monthly subscription. Starting prices for tune-up utilities grant between three and 10 licenses per purchase, which means you're allowed to install the software on three PCs. If you live in a household with more than three computers that you'd like to freshen up, buying licenses may cost a pretty penny. To be fair, many companies offer multi-license packages, but they can prove pricey, too. That's why you should look for a paid tune-up utility with either a high license allowance or no installation limitations; Ashampoo and AVG's offerings have generous 10-PC licenses, while Iolo lets you install its System Mechanic on as many PCs as you'd like (for non-business purposes).
Many companies offer free version of their tune-up utilities, but how that's executed varies. For example, AVG TuneUp's free version lets you tune-up your PC for 30 days before needing to whip out your bank card. That's rare. Many tune-up utilities have free versions that tell you what's wrong with your PC, but won't let you perform a clean up until you make a purchase.
Tune-up utilities frequently include other software that sweetens the purchasing deal. Some come bundled with file shredders that permanently delete your unwanted data, though there are plenty of free and paid file shredders that perform the same action. Antivirus suites, program uninstallers, and driver updaters, which sometimes come bundled in tune-up utilities, can also be purchased as standalone software from Ashampoo, AVG, and other companies. Windows 10 has file-deletion programs, but it's hidden in the system. Again, third-party tune-up utilities have the benefit of gathering everything into one central location.
We test tune-up utilities with a very specific, repeatable process. We run the Geekbench system performance tool and measure boot times on a junked-up testbed before and after running a tune-up utility to compare the computer's potency. We run each test three times and average the results.
Each tune-up utility we've tested improved a PC's performance in some fashion. Typically, the operating system feels snappier, and the computer boots up far quicker than it did before we ran the software.
Click the links below to read full reviews of these PC tune-up tools. If you an experience you'd like to share with one of the tune-up utilities we've reviewed or if you have one you like better than the ones we've reviewed here, let us know in the comments.
February, 2012: I was in Chicago working at a client's site when an advertisement came over the radio for a product that claimed it would fix up latent errors that cause my computer to slow down. Kind of like doing a tune-up on your car, only for your computer.
Part of the work I'm doing for a new client required I create a totally pristine and clean system as a starting point before I delve into their world. The timing couldn't have been better to investigate this tune-up program. What, if anything, could possibly be wrong with a fresh installation of Windows XP that has all its service packs, patches, and updates applied? I was thinking this tune-up program would look at my newly minted system and say "Dude! You are the cleanest system I've ever scanned! Move along - nothing to see or fix here, folks!"
Will this tune-up program take a badly running computer and turn it into a lean mean computing machine? I can't say yes or no. That wasn't what I was testing here. There are lots of reviews on CNET from other users, and I encourage you to do your due diligence and make your own decision.
A tune-up of your central air conditioner unit can improve its efficiency and increase its life span. Without regular cleaning and maintenance, an air conditioner can lose up to 5% of its original efficiency for each year of operation.
Algoma Utilities offers cash incentives to encourage regular inspection and maintenance of central air conditioners. If you are a homeowner or business owner with a central air conditioner, you may be eligible for up to $35 toward a professional service inspection and tune-up.
Just like your car, you should give your PC a tune-up from time to time to keep it in top working order. Many of us use our computers on a daily basis, and increasing numbers use their PCs for work tasks or running a business. In other words, lack of maintenance can lead to a lack of productivity, longer loading times, and if nothing else, increased frustration.
While there are a ton of options available, not all PC tune-up software are worth your time, with services differing in a variety of factors. We based our selections for the top PC tune-up software on the following criteria:
Iolo System Mechanic is a veteran tune-up software that is known for its excellent performance and ease of use. It can detect and repair over 30,000 issues based on updates from Iolo Labs. It will automatically start working whenever your computer is idle.
A huge bonus with this tool is that you pay one price to cover all PCs in your home, whereas some other utilities require you to purchase a separate license for each computer or limit the number of PCs you can cover. This makes Iolo System Mechanic an ideal choice for a family or a group of housemates.
Norton has several tune-up products on offer including Computer Tune Up and Norton Utilities Ultimate (previously called Norton Utilities Premium). The Tune Up is actually a one-time remote access service whereby a technician takes over your computer to analyze and optimize it.
The best tune-up programs take care of these issues for you using features such as disk defragmentation, browser extension management, benchmark testing, and automatic cleaning (removal of unwanted or unused files).
A tune-up utility is an application that analyzes your PC to improve system performance. This can include removing junk files, managing background processes, removing unused apps, cleaning up your registry entries, and more.
Razer Cortex is a free tune-up utility developed by the well-known gaming peripheral brand. Cortex allows you to scan and optimize your PC. It also features a game booster that claims to tweak your PC for optimal gaming performance. Razer Cortex features:
Wise Care 365 Free is a limited tune-up utility that analyzes and optimizes aspects of your Windows PC. The free version offers a suite of functions designed to increase your computer performance, including tools to:
Thank you to the owners and managers of the 102 mid-size buildings that completed the Building Tune-Up Accelerator Program that ended in 2019. These buildings all had an early tune-up that met the Building Tune-Ups requirements a couple years before their compliance deadline. Total estimated savings across the 102 buildings are projected at 12.1% annually for energy (67.9 million kBtu/yr) and 12.0% for GHG emissions (EPA emissions factors).
In this webinar, held on 3/26/20, Nicole Ballinger, Seattle's Building Tune-up Accelerator Program Manager described the tune-up program, benefits, and best practices discovered through the pilot process. Nora Wang of Pacific Northwest National Lab described the use of the DOE Asset Score tool in building assessments.
We provide a comprehensive mix of energy-saving measures for non-residential buildings of all types - commercial, industrial, government, institutional or nonprofit. Whether you need a simple tune-up of your HVAC system or real-time energy management analytics, our program has something for you.
Users looking to free up additional hard-drive space should also uninstall any old programs that they no longer use. Not only will this create more available storage, but it can also reduce the number of programs running in the System Tray in the bottom right corner of the screen. That ink-jet printer may be dead and gone, but many resource-hungry printer utilities will stick around in the System Tray whether the printer is there or not, consuming valuable processor time and system memory.
Potomac Electric Power Company (NYSE: POM) today completed participation in a nationwide Year 2000 readiness drill in what Pepco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Derrick called a successful tune-up for Jan. 1. "We've worked to make Y2K a non-event," Derrick said.
The exercise was conducted in conjunction with NERC, the North American Electric Reliability Council, and with energy suppliers and utilities in the mid-Atlantic region's power pool, the PJM Interconnection Association.
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