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February 26, 2009 4:50 PM PST

Your most popular screensavers

by Jason Parker
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Though computer monitor technology has long since passed the days when you truly needed to "save your screen," screensavers are still a lot of fun and a great way to personalize your desktop when you're away from the computer. This collection features screensavers that are most popular with our users.



Free Fire Screensaver (Credit: CNET Networks)

Free Fire Screensaver sets your icons and windows ablaze. Watch as each item slowly catches fire and begins to smoke on your desktop. Crackling and popping sounds and a musical soundtrack complete the effect. Add your own MP3 to customize your desktop flare-up.











3D Fish School Screensaver (Credit: CNET Networks)

3D Fish School Screensaver lets you view up to 100 fish swimming peacefully on your desktop. Choose from a saltwater or freshwater virtual aquarium and tweak the settings to allow for more fish and bubbles. Use the settings to display a clock so you can check the time without waking your computer.









Sim Aquarium (Credit: CNET Networks)

Sim Aquarium reminds us more of a sea floor teaming with aquatic life. Watch your fish swim around a coral reef complete with live clams and swaying sea life. Choose from 41 species of fish.









The Matrix Screen Saver (Credit: CNET Networks)

The Matrix Screen Saver is a longtime favorite for many users and continues to mesmerize with its now classic falling digital code. Wait a second, I think I just spotted myself typing this in the falling code. Maybe we are part of the Matrix! Somehow, I doubt Keanu can save us.









Deep Space 3D Screensaver (Credit: CNET Networks)

Deep Space 3D Screensaver lets you take a trip to a distant galaxy and explore planetary systems and nebulae. As you watch, you may even encounter mysterious items and artifacts floating in the void. Are they manmade? Maybe not. Pleasant music accompanies your journey through space.











3D World Map (Credit: CNET Networks)

3D World Map lets you gaze upon our planet in full 3D and view detailed information on more than 30,000 cities. Compute the distance between any two points on Earth. Tweak settings to adjust color and saturation to customize your view of the globe. This screensaver comes with a built-in MP3 player so you can view the Earth and listen to your own soundtrack.

Jason Parker writes software reviews and features for Windows, Mac, and iPhone. If he learned to dance, it would make him a fabled "quadruple threat," but we can't get him to do it.
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by flmckinney February 27, 2009 4:10 AM PST
Want a really cool screen saver? Try "Dream Aquarium" (free to try I think) and (for the more adventurous) "Electric Sheep" (free and not what you think).
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by sazzadls February 27, 2009 12:55 PM PST
nice post thanks to Jason Parker
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by Metalogicon February 27, 2009 8:37 PM PST
Be careful with the 3D fish school screensaver. It constantly has pop-ups to get you to purchase other products. This can be tolerated. When I tried to uninstall it, though, I became less tolerant. It tried to disable some windows security keys. What is up with that???? Don't trust a program like this!!!!
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by Alex ch February 28, 2009 12:05 AM PST
Try a really cool space screensaver "Solar System - Earth 3D" from Rixane
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by gjampol February 28, 2009 11:33 PM PST
The best screensaver is Whitecap. It costs $30 for the Platinum version, (from soundspectrum.com) but it's absolutely dazzling. However, it's primarily a music visualizer.
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by Fallen0ne March 1, 2009 8:10 AM PST
I agree with flmckinney, electric sheep is awesome and free, visually stunning, even better when you increase its cache size. Bonus: it has multi monitor support
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by March 1, 2009 8:07 PM PST
where is electric sheep? in this list. i think electric sheep is way better than all of these actually. give it a try
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by MoeR March 3, 2009 5:46 AM PST
I cannot believe nothing is mentioned here about Webshots, the best photo screensaver and wallpaper changer out there. It is free to try, cheap to buy and you also get free space to upload your own photos into the Webshots community. Webshots rules and I have had it for many years.
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by macinjet March 8, 2009 5:04 AM PDT
Agree with MoeR. I have been using Webshots since 1999 and it has both free and paid versions with photos from many many catefories. Up until a few years ago it was free when everyone had letter box CRT monitors. Then they offered wide-screen photos and higher resolution shots for the paid version. I have only used the paid version one year and downloaded every photo I liked from its entire library for my new wide screen monitors on my desktop and laptop. It has a well developed PHOTO MANAGER and has, among many personalized controls, a nice desktop calendar with the option for up to 6 months look-ahead. I have not seen anything else close to the quality, depth and breath of Webshots, free or otherwise and CNET does a diservice to it readers for not including it in an across the board-type review.
by krakozia March 3, 2009 7:44 AM PST
Yep, electric sheep is awesome, for people who don't know it yet: it shows all sorts of kaleidoscopic effects and because it constantly downloads new effects, you'll never be bored by it.
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by synthetikz March 7, 2009 2:44 PM PST
I'm amazed that Electric Sheep was left off of this list. Its graphics are absolutely stunning, in large part because its cloud computing engine draws on the collective computing power of its participants to render amazingly detailed frames. Even more interesting though, the community of participants is given the ability to vote in real time every animation sequence, and sequences with poor ratings are gradually phased out, while those with good ratings go on to evolve and 'mate' with other well rated sequences to give rise to a new gorgeous sequence.... operating very much as does 'survival of the fittest'. The entire premise behind the screen saver is a very unique idea.
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by jedmmj11 March 9, 2009 12:50 AM PDT
the reason it was left off this list is because its a list of the most POPULAR screensavers, not the best.
by Carol Wiencek March 7, 2009 4:11 PM PST
I use popular screensavers and I love the fact that I can choose what I want. It's also free.
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by shamanskyh March 7, 2009 9:50 PM PST
I love "Fenetres Volantares" for Mac. It has all your open windows fly around the screen.
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by aggsliota March 8, 2009 10:47 PM PDT
I am also really really surprised that electric sheep was left off, it is insanely unique and beautiful to watch... really check it out....
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