Group test: what's the best PC optimisation software?

5. Uniblue PowerSuite 2012

• Reviewed on: 10 February 12
• RRP: £79.90 inc VAT
• Rating:

The three applications combined in Uniblue's PowerSuite sit naturally together and work to improve the overall running of a Windows PC. We found a small but measurable difference to startup time, although there's also the feeling that some of the changes are similar to Sheldon Cooper arranging cereal boxes in increasing order of fibre content.

4. Avanquest SystemSuite 12 Professional

• Reviewed on: 15 March 12
• RRP: £41 inc. VAT
• Rating:

Avanquest offers a 5-PC licence for £41, which seems good value. The improvements SystemSuite can make to a PC are worth having, and the start-up and program analysers can help make sensible choices about a Window PC's setup and hence improve its day-to-day speed. Some of the ratings and reports are hard to fathom and a bit more transparency on what the software is actually doing would improve things.

 

 

3. Avanquest Fix-It Utilities 12

• Reviewed on: 17 January 12
• RRP: £31 inc VAT (5-PC licence)
• Rating:

It would be good to say that Fix-It Utilities 12 handles all the key housekeeping tasks needed to keep your PC running clean. To a large extent, it can. The problem we had with the Temporary Files Cleaner, though, which prevented the Fix and Maintain index ever rising above 41 percent, detracts from an otherwise strong performance. It might not happen on your PC, of course and £31 for a five-PC licence is good value.

2. O&O Defrag 15 Professional

• Reviewed on: 3 April 12
• RRP: £49inc VAT for 3-PC licence, £29 for 1-PC licence
• Rating:

£29 may seem expensive for a single-function utility and you can certainly get cheaper defragmenters, even freeware. However, O&O Defrag 15 Professional feels far more thorough than free and low-priced offerings, with extensive logging, feedback and scheduling. The 3-PC Family pack reduces the cost per machine to under £17.

1. DriverScanner 2012

• Reviewed on: 30 November 11
• RRP: £19 inc. VAT
• Rating:

DriverScanner 2012 offers an easy and complete way to update your drivers and keep tabs on the overall health of your PC. It's easy to use and quickly updated all of my outdated drivers.