- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (40-day trial); $49.99 to buy (Buy it now)
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: February 20, 2009
- Total Downloads: 869,116
- Downloads last week: 681
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 147 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Along with necessary support for Windows Vista, Version 3 of Ashampoo PowerUp sports a new look and adds useful features such as automatic backups for restoring previous configurations and a Risk Level Monitor that displays the potential dangers of certain tweaks. It's not perfect, but a well-designed interface that logically organizes PC settings, strong performance, and a very extensive list of customization options help earn the product a top rating.
The Windows tweaks available in Ashampoo PowerUp are too numerous to list, but if you've ever wanted to customize the number of rows in your Alt Tab panel, turn off autostart for disc drives and portable devices, remove your username from the Start menu, or disable sending error reports in Office 2007, you're covered. The interface is divided into six main sections: Home, for system overview, backups, and preferences; Optimize, for fine-tuning your system, drives, network, and software programs; Clean Up, for cleaning your Registry and securely deleting files; Customize, for a wide range of tweaks for your desktop, Windows Explorer, icons, and more; Manage, for handling your AutoStart options, Windows Services, and running processes; and Information, which includes details about your PC configuration.
Under the Home -> Assistant tab, there is a helpful new Profiles option that lets you set your PC for Performance, Security, or a balance of the two. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any way to save our own customized profiles, which would be very useful for computers with more than one user. The new backup feature is logical and worked great. The new benchmarking features are interesting for comparing your PC setup with other configurations, but the final score would benefit with a bit more explanation.
We occasionally saw German dialog boxes ("Ja" or "Nein") when making tweaks with PowerUp 3, but there were no major stability problems, and resource usage was respectable. The trial alone offers full functionality for 10 days; registering for a free Ashampoo account adds an extra 30 days. That's a minor annoyance when compared with the generous 40-day evaluation period. We still highly recommend Ashampoo PowerUp for Windows users.
Publisher's description
From Ashampoo :Windows is so complicated that normally only experts can keep their systems properly configured and tweaked for the best performance and user experience. This hasn't gotten any better with Windows Vista--many settings have been moved or renamed and are now even harder to find.
Ashampoo PowerUp 3 is the solution if you don't want to waste endless hours learning how to configure and maintain Windows, including Windows Vista. It's a single control center for all your Windows settings and explains everything in simple language. And the new version adds more protection against incorrect settings, more control, more configuration options and makes the whole process easier than ever before. And it comes with a beautiful new graphical design for Windows Vista.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.9 stars out of 147 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 8 user reviewsSee all 8 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Ashampoo PowerUp 3 3.23
"Would not work on Windows 7 64 Bit"
Pros: Don't know. Couldn't use it.
Cons: Would not work on Windows 7 64 Bit but was not stated before purchase. Their refund policy guarantees refund if not satisfied. Never received an answer. Currently trying to receive refund through paypal.
Summary: Unfair false advertisement for what could possibly be good software.
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Version: Ashampoo PowerUp 3 3.23
"this product is no compatibile with 64 bits systems"
Pros: Nothing so far.....
Cons: No compatibile with 64 bits system
Summary: Be carfule when you want to buy this product, I did this mistake, product is no compatibile with 64 bit systems and is no information provided before you will procced to buy. Now I spend money for something what doesnt work at all.
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Version: Ashampoo PowerUp 3 3.23
Pros: Very easy to install and use.
Cons: Nothing Very happy with product
Summary: Simple to use. Does a god job.
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Version: Ashampoo PowerUp 3 3.23
Pros: Clear, precise information about what each function does (and doesn't do)
Cons: Uses a lot of resources itself....but you don't leave it running.
Summary: Does what it says with a slight touch of elegance.
Don't expect miracles, Vista is cumbersome monster on it's best behavior. -
Version: Ashampoo PowerUp 3 3.23
"Helped de-clutter a fair amount of Vista's crap"
Pros: Helped this relative amatuer to sort out a fair amount of Vista's crap with minimal effort at sensible price.
Cons: None with the Ashampoo product but paying as much as we do for Vista means we really should not have to rely on others sorting out its problems.
Summary: This product is easy on the wallet, easy to install and easy to use - a lesson their I think for Mr Gates!!!
- See all 8 user reviews Write review
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