Iolo System Mechanic Review | PCMag

It’s frustrating when your PC’s performance slows down, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to buy a new computer. A tune-up utility, such as Iolo System Mechanic, can get your machine back into shape with just a few clicks. But is the app worth its subscription price of $ 49.95 per year? Perhaps. Iolo System Mechanic improves your PC performance by defragmenting hard drive, removing junk files, changing CPU and RAM usage in real time, and performing other computer improvement tasks. In addition, the latest version improves on several long-standing features, while adding a redesigned and attractive interface. So why the lukewarm recommendation? You don’t necessarily need Iolo System Mechanic to reap most of these perks, if you’re the fearless type who doesn’t mind diving deep into Windows 10 to find tools that are just as effective.

How much does the mechanic of the Iolo system cost?

The Iolo System Mechanic Base (version 21, reviewed here) has a list price of $ 49.95 per year and is compatible with all PCs running Windows 10/8/7 (Windows Vista and XP PCs work with System Mechanic versions up to 16.0.0.10). Like many tuning utility companies, Iolo is constantly offering discounts, so don’t expect to pay full price. At the time of this writing, Iolo System Mechanic was selling for $ 14.98 per year.

Iolo also offers System Mechanic Pro (a $ 69.95 per year suite that bundles antivirus and data protection tools together) and System Mechanic Ultimate (a $ 79.95 per year tier that adds the ByePass password manager. and Malware Killer anti-malware technology).

For comparison, AVG TuneUp costs $ 69.99 per year. Ashampoo WinOptimizer is one of the few debugging utilities that is not subscription based; it’s a one-time purchase of $ 49.99. On the flip side, Windows 10’s built-in debugging tools won’t cost you anything.

Unlike most PC debugging utilities, Iolo System Mechanic allows you to install the software on any number of computers, as long as it is not for business use. This is a welcome advantage in the era of the multi-PC home. Ashampoo WinOptimizer and AVG TuneUp offer generous licenses for 10 devices.

The latest Iolo System Mechanic has a new streamlined look that makes it easier than ever to find the different tools in the app. The interface has several options in the left pane, such as ActiveCare (real-time system monitoring and cleaning) and LiveBoost (maximizes CPU, RAM, and hard drive performance), which contain subcategories of individual focus. In addition, useful speech bubbles appear to explain common PC problems and the various functions of the tools. You can activate individual tools or initiate one-click debugging. I won’t talk about all of them, because there are a lot of them (File Shredder, Privacy Shield). I will highlight a few here.

The dashboard opens by default after launching Iolo System Mechanic. This is where the Repair Now button appears, if Iolo detects a problem. By clicking on the icon, Iolo launches the appropriate system repair tools to remove unwanted files, unwanted programs, etc.

On-Demand Boost focuses all processor cores on the job at hand and disables non-essential background programs. Iolo states that it can improve your PC gaming sessions by improving system performance. Using On-Demand Boost, you can manually change your PC’s power settings or create unique power management profiles.

Iolo System Mechanic vs. Windows 10

I tested Iolo System Mechanic’s ability to get a gaming PC back into shape by performing two tests – running the Geekbench System Performance Tool and measuring boot times – before and after running the utility focus to compare the speed of the computer. I ran each test three times and then averaged the numbers.

Before Iolo System Mechanic cleaned up the system, my test bench with an Intel Core i5 processor, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card, 16 GB of RAM, a 2 TB hard drive and Windows 10 operating system started in 2 minutes and 32 seconds. The platform scored 605; 2,469; and 61,033 on Geekbench single-core, multi-core, and OpenCL tests, respectively.

After using Iolo System Mechanic, I saw a marked improvement in the performance of the system. PC boot time dropped to a respectable 1 minute and 11 seconds (14 seconds better than AVG TuneUp’s numbers and 28 seconds better than WinOptimizer’s numbers), while its Single-Core, Multi- Core and OpenCL increased to 728; 2,602; and 61,988, respectively.

Windows 10’s built-in tools offered comparable improvements. The test bench startup time fell to a respectable 1 minute and 14 seconds (just three seconds behind Iolo’s result), while its Single-Core, Multi-Core and OpenCL numbers improved to 820; 2,637; and 62,578, respectively.

Iolo System Mechanic ranked first in one of four categories: startup time. This is because Windows 10’s default debugging utilities won first place in Geekbench tests. Now, Windows 10’s System Improvement Tools haven’t outperformed Iolo System Mechanic’s PC improvements in performance, but it’s worth noting that Microsoft’s free tools are incredibly effective.

So what do these numbers mean on a daily basis? Faster performance in my everyday computing. However, there was one area that did not see any improvement in performance: Internet speed. Iolo claims that System Mechanic can speed up your PC’s internet connection through its NetBooster feature, but I didn’t see any significant improvement that couldn’t be explained by normal fluctuations when I ran Speedtest by Ookla. (Editor’s note: Ookla is owned by J2 Global, the parent company of PCMag publisher Ziff Davis.)

Numbers aren’t everything

Geekbench’s raw numbers, however, are not the key to PC performance. Sure, the data shows that you can improve your PC’s performance with Windows 10’s built-in tools, but there’s another reason you might want to invest in a third-party tune-up utility: convenience.

Iolo System Mechanic has all of its valuable tools in one convenient place. Windows 10 has its Disk Defragmenter, Storage Sense, and Startup apps, all located in different places in the operating system. Plus, you get the Incinerator app which Iolo says permanently removes sensitive junk files. Windows 10 also has a feature that overwrites deleted data, Cipher, but that requires launching Windows Powershell and tinkering with the command line. It’s safe to say that most people don’t want to do this. Iolo also displays all running programs and even highlights those considered essential for your PC to function, a nice touch.

Do you really need more than what Windows offers?

Iolo System Mechanic’s transformation from a basic tuning utility into a general PC amplifier is commendable. You can use the utility to improve your PC performance, destroy junk files, etc. depending on the level. Plus, you get unlimited licenses, which more than justifies the cost if you have a lot of PCs in your household.

Still, we’ve grown cool on tuning utilities in recent years. These were valuable tools in the days of Windows 8/7 / XP, but we find them harder to recommend with Windows 10 because the operating system allows you to efficiently tune your PC for free. Our test figures confirm this. Additionally, third-party debugging utilities have proven to be problematic in recent years. We have seen two test stands experience hard drive failures using third-party debugging utilities. We haven’t experienced this loss with the built-in tools in Windows 10. The catch is that the tools in Windows 10 don’t live on your desktop or in the Start menu, so it’s easy to ignore them. Iolo System Mechanic, on the other hand, is something you know exists after purchasing it.

If you just want the basic PC tune-up experience, the free Windows 10 tools work great. But if you need the extra features (file shredder, password manager, anti-malware tools, for example), Iolo System Mechanic is a good choice.