CNET Editors' review
Advanced SystemCare Free 5 uses its powerful arsenal of optimization tools to keep your PC feeling fresh and clean. It also includes a couple of features that could help boost performance for either gaming or work purposes--your choice.
Advanced SystemCare's Quick Care option includes the ability to clean your registry, perform a rudimentary malware scan, fix and remove broken shortcuts, delete junk files, and erase browsing tracks. It works in a flash, requires almost no user input, and to make things even easier, can be configured to run on system startup.
The Deep Care option, on the other hand, takes system care to another level. It performs all of the Quick Care items to a much deeper degree, plus it adds several other scans and fixes to its checklist, including disk defragmenting, a Windows vulnerability fix, and a system optimization with several presets. Understandably, this kind of deep digging can sometimes make a user nervous. Fortunately, the program's log records all of its activities, letting you see how each affects your computer.
Scan times for the Quick Care and Deep Care options differ significantly, yet, both processes still seem blazingly fast. For instance, we completed a Deep Care scan in approximately 15 minutes, which is an impressively short time for a system-invasive program like this.
Brand-new to version 5 is the Active Boost function, which runs in the background and automatically improves PC performance by managing your system resources. We recommend enabling it, as it even keeps a log of all the active processes that it manages to speed up. Also important, Version 5 connects to the cloud in order to keep its database up to date.
As for Advanced SystemCare's user interface, we were impressed, to say the least. The main dashboard is superclean, with nifty icons and intuitive navigation. Plus, there's an unimposing smiley face always at the bottom of the screen, indicating your PC's overall health. If you click the Status button next to the smiley, you can also get more detailed info from the system performance monitor.
One part of the program we recommend new users approach with extreme caution is the Turbo Boost, which can be set to optimize for either gaming or work purposes. It sounds fun, but you must first configure the tool by telling it which core system services to disable in order to accelerate your computer's performance. Since the Turbo Boost section doesn't spell out how disabling these services might affect your computer, we highly recommend doing your research before exploring. To its credit, though, Advanced SystemCare can create rescue points, so it's not hard to undo changes if you end up making any mistakes.
One small problem we found was that some of the program's options open in new windows, while others open in the same window. Those in the same window have convenient back-navigation buttons in the upper left; those in new windows are sometimes overlaid directly on top of the previous window and make it hard to see how to return to the previous screen. Also, we were a bit turned off by the cleverly disguised ad for Roboform Password Manager during installation. It looks a bit like a terms-of-service sheet, so be sure to read carefully before your instincts kick in and you automatically click Accept.
Overall, we love Advanced SystemCare's toolset, performance, and convenience. Sure, we wish the program were more explicit about how it changes your computer, but we still think it's an awesome all-in-one system utility, and we highly recommend downloading it.
Publisher's Description
From IObit:
Free registry repair and cleaner-Advanced SystemCare Free. What does it help? Slow down, freeze, crash and security threats are over. Advanced SystemCare Free is a comprehensive PC care utility that takes an one-click approach to help protect, repair and optimize your computer. Scanning and finding what other utilities miss, it can keep your PC error-free and smooth than ever. Why Advanced SystemCare Free? New PC Performance - Do you remember the feeling of a brand new PC when you first bought it? Why not try Advanced SystemCare Free, a free PC tune-up utility that focuses on the performance of your PC. Computer Crashes without Reason - Have you ever encountered your PC crashes and you even did not know why. After months or years of using your PC, there might be plenty of changes, which added burdens to your PC but never get cleaned. What Advanced SystemCare Free does is to clean the stuffs that are left over and clean craps to make your PC neat and clean. Registry Repairing and Cleaning - As an elementary part to a PC, if it does not working well, then your computer will be in big trouble. What does Advanced SystemCare Free do? It cleans the records which is unnecessary to your PC but makes the PC running slow and produces troubles. It also repair parts that are missing and make the PC complete.
What's new in this version: Version 5.1:
- Added "Privacy Sweep" support for the latest version of frequently-used software: Opera 11.6; Safari 5.1; K-Lite Codec Pack 8.00 (Full); FoxiReader 5.1; Silverlight 5.0; Xfire 1.141; Yahoo messenger 11.5; KMPlayer 3.1; Utorrent 3.1.
- Added "Performance Monitor"
- Added IObit Uninstaller v2.1
- Enhanced support for Windows 8
- Enhanced real-time optimization of ActiveBoost
- Enhanced filtering feat... See all new features
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All versions:
4.2 starsout of 10,531 votes
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Current version:
4.3 starsout of 172 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Best all-in utility I've seen."
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
It's free!
Cons
The 'security' surrounding the 'pay' version complicates uploads from the free version. Not good. I've bought three distinct upgrades and found it nigh-on impossible to convert two of them to upgrade status.
Summary
Free version good. But it's probably better to go straight to the upgrade rather than try the free version.
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"Pretty Interface but do I need this?"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
Does what it says it will do, it cleans out the junk, "look your hands are soaking bin it".
Cons
Approach with extreme caution or the cure will be worse than the disease; it's very, very easy to delete one of those important dll files and stuff your system up, yes even Windows 7.
Summary
I gues my complaint is more about Windows 7 than this utility, why in 2012 are we still forced to use them and why is Windows 7 still so easy to break?
After being forced to re-install Windows 7 Ultimate after only one (1) week of use because of my over aggressive use of cleaners, tune ups etc, I have decided to install utilities like this as an absolute last resort. If it aint broke, don't fix it.
Updated on Feb 3, 2012
Updated on Feb 3, 2012After being forced to re-install Windows 7 Ultimate after only one (1) week of use because of my over aggressive use of cleaners, tune ups etc, I have decided to install utilities like this as an absolute last resort. If it aint broke, don't fix it. -
"works great - only had a few days - so far so good"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
works very quickly
Cons
none that I've found
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"Easy to operate, semnificant functions, usefull tools."
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
Easy to operate, semnificant functions, usefull tools.
Good-looking NEWS display.Cons
The "DEEP CARE" utilities "clean-up" even the usefull keys in such mater that is necessary a reinstall operation for some programs (NERO, for instance).
Summary
Better to create an optimised filter in the "DEEP CARE" REVIEW menu.
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"I would be lost without it!"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
This program saves me every time! I use it to clean and maintain my PC weekly!
Cons
I can't think of any!
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"Very impressed.. just purchased pro version"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
Finds all sorts of problems I didn't know were there.
Does a good job of cleaning them (or appears to anyway!)Cons
Had to purchase the pro version to get the startup optimization
Summary
This is a very good application, the only downside is that after running a few scans you are left with the feeling that things are left un-cleaned until you get the full version.
I would still highly recommend it to anyone with a PC. -
"Always totally awesome and reliable"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
I have tried a number of other programs but none perform like this one and it's free. Each version just gets better. Absolutely can't beat that!!!!!!!!
Cons
In the years that I've been using it I have never had any.
Summary
I can trust this product to do what it claims. If I wasn't unemployed I would buy the premium version.
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"So far so good!"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
performs well , as advertised!
Cons
well see , only time will tell.
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"Left overs leave you vulnerable. Rating (D-)"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
None, My question is this?
Why should I even use this product that fails to secure my system as others do for free?Cons
Everything. Read my Summary. My question is this?
Why should I even use this product that fails to secure my system as others do for free?Summary
I have used Advanced System Care for several months, along with other applications such as, Webroot Window Cleaner, Slimcleaner.
As of yesterday, I received a Splash Screen after opening Advanced System care, showing me how much security breaches that will be left over after cleaning my system along with Temp trash etc.
If I don't upgrade to the paid version I will continue not to receive complete cleaning of my system.
My question is this?
Why should I even use this product that fails to secure my system as others do for free?
This is a waste of time and this is absurd to receive high ratings as a product that leaves security holes left over on your system.
I have removed the product and will continue to use the other products as well as "C Cleaner"
Excellent product.
Do you feel secure knowing that advance System Care leaves your system vulnerable to threats?
Not worth your time to download unless you are paying for the full version.
Absurd!
Chase -
"A very fine intensive care program"
Version: Advanced SystemCare Free 5.1
Pros
A complete balanced one stop diagnostic and repair program
Cons
I can't fault this program, will require further use on my part
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