Is your PC not running as smoothly as it did when you first
took it out of the box? A lethargic machine is oftentimes the result of a
fragmented hard drive, an overabundance of junk files, and a Windows registry
in disarray. If you'd like to put some pep in the step of your sluggish desktop
or laptop, then check out TuneUp Utilities 2013.
This application is designed to improve computer performance
by tossing junk files, uninstalling unneeded programs, defragmenting the hard
drive, and much, much more.
Overall, the software does a fine job of
revitalizing a worn PC, but the license limitations keep it from reaching the
heights of the Editors' Choice award-winning.
Getting Started
Compatible with Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP PCs, TuneUp
Utilities 2013 requires just an Internet connection for activating the license
and receiving updates. Unlike Iolo System Mechanics 11, the Editors' Choice
among paid tuneup utilities, TuneUp Utilities 2012 limits you to only three
installs.
When you first fire up the program, you're prompted to run a
system scan that will dig up registry and defragmentation problems, as well as
other issues. Afterward, you can either run the one-click cleanup or go to the
Start Center to check out all the features. I went with the latter option.
TuneUp Utilities installation is relatively painless while
taking up no more than 80MB of disk space. The program does require you to
consent to sharing information about your machine in order to install. This is
so TU can send system information to their server and check if there are any
recent updates to the software or OS of your computer. Upon installation,
1-Click Maintenance will ask to run. This is the core of the utility. 1-Click
will check everything including the registry, registry fragmentation,
application shortcuts, Windows and program files, and hard disk fragmentation
to find things that could use tidying up. These are some pretty standard
protocols. Regular users will be satisfied with the 1-Click Maintenance tool as
it is the main tool of TuneUp. After a successful scan, 1-Click will list all
of the issues and subsequently list solutions.
For my main machine, it was
mostly registry errors and shortcuts from software testing. Clicking on the
issue count will bring up a report of what TU found. From there you'll have an
option to choose what to ignore or fix. Looking at 500 registry errors and 345
browser items, I got the feeling that TuneUp is not very discriminating about
what it labels as a problem. "Anything that can be removed in exchange for
performance must go" is the philosophy here. With a click of a button
TuneUp will solve all of your problems. Additionally, the utility makes backups
just in case something goes horribly wrong -- good practice for whenever you
stick your hands in the registry jar.
Aside from 1-Click Maintenance, TuneUp Utilities 2013 also
boasts a variety of tools to speed up overall performance. TU can help with
optimizing your display/animation settings, removing software, and disabling
startup programs. TU also includes a new tool called "Live
Optimization." Live Optimization claims to prioritize programs that run in
the background and will only dedicate processing power to those applications
when they are being used. I saw it running on Adobe Acrobat and IrfanView when
those programs were minimized. However, the differences may not be noticeable at
first. The majority of the optimizing tools require some effort on your part to
customize the settings to your personal usage. Luckily, TuneUp gives you 2
extra modes: "Economy" and "Turbo" to set your optimization
to your specific need.
"Economy" is nice for laptop users looking to
maximize their battery life with options similar to the power-saving mode built
into Windows. "Turbo" allows you to schedule optimization and cleanup
frequency as to not interrupt important moments when you need to squeeze the most
power out of your machine. These modes can be switched on the fly.
Uninstallation was simple and tidy. TU left few traces on both my Windows 7 and
Windows 8 machines after removal, although it did require me to go through
Windows' Control Panel to uninstall.
Overall, I felt that the utility did what it claims to do
and did it well. The test PCs booted up faster with the recommended
optimization, which also improved overall responsiveness when launching
applications and running programs. It might not make your computer feel brand
new but it should improve performance enough to hold the format monster at bay.
There are some powerful optimizing tools in TuneUp Utilities that I barely
scratched in this review. Intermediate users will enjoy its full functionality
but novice users should still be able to get most benefits that TU offers. Take
advantage of the 15-day trial and discover how TuneUp Utilities 2013 is a
serious contender in the optimizing market.
Features
Start Center has a mostly blue-and-white tabbed interface
that highlights five sections: Status & Recommendations, Optimize System,
Clean Up Computer, Fix Problems, and Customize Windows. Each tab has several
useful, clearly-defined functions that are easy for the layperson to
understand. The Status & Recommendations tab, which is the app's default
screen, displays the number of problems found under the Fix Problems
sub-heading and the Start 1-Click Maintenance button under the Maintain System
sub-head. At the bottom of the window is an Optimization Status band that fills
as you complete the steps needed to whip your PC into shape. I found it a nice
way to stay on top of the maintenance process.
The TuneUp Browser Cleaner quickly and easily protects your
privacy by deleting traces left by Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Opera,
Safari, Firefox, and other browsers, while also optimizing browser databases.
The improved TuneUp Live Optimization provides performance boosts when you need
them by recalling which programs and processes slow down your PC and allowing
you switch these to "Standby" mode, with the help of TuneUp Program
Deactivator. In addition, TuneUp Process Manager helps you detect
resource-hungry applications even faster. The easy-to-understand information on
all background processes shows you exactly what's running on your PC. And last,
but not least, the new cleaning features raise 1-Click-Maintenance and
Automatic Maintenance to a completely new level in PC optimization.
TuneUp Utilities introduces two new tools in this year's
release: TuneUp Disk Cleaner and TuneUp Browser Cleaner. The former removes
left over bits when programs don't cleanly uninstall; the latter removes
browser activity from the likes of Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and 22
other browsers.
TuneUp Uilities 2013 is more than a basic PC clean up
application. It also contains many other functions including file backup and
recovery, file deletion, Windows customization, and more. Some of the features
duplicate native Windows function, but it's convenient to have them in one
central location.
The Cleanup Process
Clicking Start 1-Click Maintenance launches the system
cleaner, which scanned my test bed and displayed numerous of registry problems,
broken shortcuts, and other PC problems. Clicking the "Show Details"
beneath each problem count took me to a new screen that described problems in
everyday language. Clicking the Start 1-Click Maintenance button cleaned up the
mess, eliminating all the previously listed problems.
I returned to the home screen after that task was completed,
where I noticed that the Optimization Status bar was at 50 percent. Anxious to
see it hit 100 percent, I began exploring TuneUp Utilities 2013's other options
that freed up disk space and repaired a handful of problems. The application
identified 41 programs that potentially should be disabled. I appreciated that
TuneUp Utilities 2013 displayed star ratings culled from the application's user
base that helped me quickly see which software that I should keep.
Performance Improvements
After running the tests, I used the computer extensively to
get a sense of how the app had changed the responsiveness of the machine.
Norton Utilities delivered a noticeable performance improvement; the entire OS
moved at a snappier pace even with iTunes and Photoshop open. You can download tuneup utilities 2013 here
TuneUp Utilities 2013 is a wonderful tool for PC and majority is using for their windows. Thanks for sharing this download. allsoftwaredownload.com
ReplyDeletenice
ReplyDelete