TuneUp Utilities for Windows

Optimize PC performance, fix problems and customize your system

If you want to keep your PC running as smoothly as the very first day you switched it on, you've got two options: either you download a dozen different system optimization tools or you just use TuneUp Utilities 2011, a an excellent application that has turned into an essential maintenance toolkit for your PC.

When you launch TuneUp Utilities for the first time, the programs performs a system analysis and then displays the main interface - a clean information pane where you can check your system's status at a glance. The main window in TuneUp Utilities is divided into several tabs, each one of them devoted to a different purpose: system maintenance, recovering disk space, fixing problems and customizing windows. Like I said, it's all very clean and minimalist; all the extra options in TuneUp Utilities are hidden under the 'Overview of all functions' link in the top right corner.

Among these options, TuneUp Utilities includes tools to optimize system startup, defragment the hard drive, clean Windows Registry from broken keys, restore accidentally delete files, check your hard drive for errors, modify Windows hidden settings and customize Windows appearance with the so called TuneUp Styler, to name a few. Other interesting utilities in TuneUp Utilities 2011 are a file shredded, a complete system report generator and the excellent 1-Click Maintenance tool that lets you analyze and fix a wide range of issues in one click.

TuneUp Utilities 2011 also includes new features that make the program even more useful. Some of these innovations include the TuneUp Program Deactivator, which lets you turn off unwanted programs and this reduce load on your processor; the Tuning status tool, thanks to which you can keep track of all the optimizations performed with TuneUp Utilities; and the Rating function for programs, which helps you decide the programs, processes and services that should be disabled based on feedback from TuneUp users all over the world. Plus, the TuneUp Turbo Mode has been enhanced and can now shut down over 70 background services to ensure individual programs run smoothly.

Summing up, the new TuneUp Utilites 2011 remains an excellent optimization suite, with a wide selection of powerful tools, yet easy enough for everyone to use. The only thing that surprised me about TuneUp Utilities was the lack of special Windows 7 features. The program is embedded with Windows Explorer, but somehow I expected more integration with Windows 7. TuneUp Utilities Jump lists would have been nice!

TuneUp Utilities gathers pretty much all the maintenance and optimization tools you need into one efficient, easy-to-use application. You couldn't ask for more.