Advanced SystemCare is a free system optimization tool that’s packed with lots of features to satisfy even the most pretentious users, yet through its one-click functions and intuitive interface, it manages to remain accessible even for novices. Computer maintenance has become a vital task, but there are so many related utilities that choosing one can prove to be very difficult. So let’s see what Advanced SystemCare has to offer and more importantly if it can live up to the competition.
Installation & Requirements
The install process of Advanced SystemCare comes with very few setup options and it finishes in just a couple of seconds. You only have to select the installation folder’s location (if you don’t want the default one) and choose if you want to create a desktop icon for the program and/or add IObit (the developer of Advanced SystemCare) to My Favorites.
As soon as the installation is complete, a window will pop-up with a few extra options, namely choosing a skin (from the two available), and language for the GUI.
Advanced SystemCare supports a wide array of Windows operating systems: 2000, both 32 and 64-bit versions of XP, Vista and 7 as well as Windows 8. Concerning hardware requirements you’ll need a 300 MHz CPU or faster, 256 MB of RAM and 30 MB of free hard disk space.
Interface
The interface is clean but visually pleasing: the four main functions of Advanced SystemCare – Quick Care, Deep Care, Toolbox and Turbo Boost – are represented by large representative icons and titles and they occupy most of the program’s GUI. Holding your mouse over any of these categories will reveal related options. For Quick Care and Deep Care you will be able to: View Details – which will display all the aspects (with settings if such is the case) that will be optimized; Scan Now and Scan & Repair.
Navigation is browser-like: you can go back/forward using the arrow-buttons from the upper-left corner of the interface or close any secondary window to return to the main screen. The Toolbox provides a large number of utilities for system optimization but not only. In fact these are divided into five categories: Clean, Optimize, Repair, Security and Control. These will allow you to improve your computer’s performance in so many aspects, from Registry Cleaner and Privacy Sweeper to RAM optimization, Shortcut Fixer, Security Holes Scanner and Disk Explorer.
The last category is Turbo Boost, which basically manages your computer’s resources to optimize its performance depending on the type of your current activity. In other words, you can setup Turbo Boost to function in Work Mode or Game Mode.
There is also a small menu in the upper right area of the interface that allows you to access Rescue (from where you can create/load a System Restore Point or Restore to Windows Default), Skin (change the skin of the UI) and the More button. The last item provides access to the program’s settings, update checker, help manual and technical support.
Advanced SystemCare also has a paid version, so even if the program doesn’t try to install nagging toolbars or change your browser’s homepage, the GUI does come with an adware banner at the bottom. It can be pretty confusing, since there is an Upgrade button but there’s also a so called “Latest News” section where you are informed that there’s an important update available. In reality the “update” is also an “upgrade” as it opens up a web page in your browser from where you can purchase Advanced SystemCare Pro.
Pros
– Organized, stylish interface with 2 different skins available.
– The Scan and Repair processes are very quick.
– Two optimization modes: a fast one – Quick Care – and a thorough one – Deep Care.
– The Toolbox provides a wide array of optimization tools.
– Turbo Boost function, optimizes the usage of system resources based on activity type.
– Excellent multilingual support.
Cons
– Adware is present within the program, prompting the user to purchase the commercial version of the software.
– The auto update function is disabled in the free version, among other features that are only available in Advanced SystemCare Pro.
Alternatives
The market has plenty of system optimization tools to offer, so if Advanced SystemCare hasn’t convinced you, there are lots of similar applications to choose from. Among these, we would like to mention CCleaner, TuneUp Utilities and Glary Utilities. All of them are comprehensive and user friendly utilities that strive to bring the same result with a somewhat different approach.
Conclusion
Advanced SystemCare comes with a more than decent bundle of features for system optimization, plus its interface is both stylish and intuitive. All of these traits make this application one of the friendliest and capable among free optimization tools.
