CNET Editors' review
Keeping track of your system's temperature and operating conditions just makes good sense, especially since today's hardware makes it so easy, with a little help from programs like HWMonitor from CPUID. It's a handy, free tool for monitoring the built-in temperature sensors in your CPU, motherboard, video card, and other devices, as well as your hard drives' S.M.A.R.T. data, system fan speeds, and critical operating data like voltages. It can access most sensor chips and onboard thermal sensors, and it's even compatible with special hardware sensors in some components, including mainboard and power supply monitoring technology from Abit, Gigabyte, and others.
When you install HWMonitor, you can choose to install the Ask search toolbar; deselecting its EULA notification in the installer doesn't affect HWMonitor's installation. We chose not to install the Ask toolbar. HWMonitor opened with all compatible sensor data in our PC displayed in a tabbed tree view in the software's dialog interface, including voltages, temperatures, and fan speeds for our Asus motherboard's onboard Winbond sensor and core temperatures for our Intel CPU. There's a file menu with some basic entries, including a Help file that only offers access to an upgraded, for-pay version, but HWMonitor's mission is simple, and so are its options. It won't alert you to under- or over-voltages or excessive temperatures; you'll have to keep an eye on things. But it does help you do that!
There are several hardware monitoring utilities available online, some of them free, like HWMonitor, and some offering more or less the same level of capabilities. We've used HWMonitor before, though, and always found it a simple but accurate monitoring tool that we can recommend without reservation.
Publisher's Description
From CPUID:
A hardware monitoring software that will read the system's main health sensors. HWMonitor is a hardware monitoring application that reads PC systems main health sensors: temperatures, voltages, fans speed. HWMonitor handles the most common sensor chips, like ITE IT87 series, most Winbond ICs and others. In addition, HWMonitor can read modern CPUs on-die core thermal sensors, as well has HDD temperature via S.M.A.R.T and video card GPU temperature. Special hardware monitors such as ABIT uGuru and Gigabyte ODIN power supplies series are supported too.
What's new in this version: Version 1.19 includes Intel Ivy bridge processors line and AMD opteron Interlagos and Valencia (Bulldozer).
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All versions:
3.6 starsout of 28 votes
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Current version:
0 stars Be the first to review this product -
My rating:
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"Great Program"
Version: HWMonitor 1.18
Pros
I like this program alot to keep an eye on temps in my computer.
I have this program install on all my computers.Cons
I nothing bad to say about this program.
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"Great Program"
Version: HWMonitor 1.18
Pros
Everyone should have this Program,takes little space!
And in turn gives you Lots of info, IN return ...Cons
none that I can find.
Summary
Just give it a try, and If like it, Keep it.
And if you Dislike the Program, Delete it :) -
"Not freeware, stops working after a while"
Version: HWMonitor 1.18
Pros
Works for about a month
Cons
Does not work after a month, asks for registration
Summary
Not worth it. For now, try System Information (SIW) by Gabriel Topala. Trouble with freeware in general is that once it becomes popular the author tries to monetize on the popularity by either bundling it with malware or, as here, disabling the program and asking for money.
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"Temp did now work?"
Version: HWMonitor 1.17
Pros
I could not find any Pro's on something that does not work. I have a quadcore CPU so maybe that was why?
Cons
The temp monitoring did not work on my computer so I uninstalled it.
Summary
There are more programs that can monitor temp like RealTemp and CPUThermometer
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"Shows some good/helpful info"
Version: HWMonitor 1.17
Pros
Shows information you can't get from Windows. Works well.
Cons
Not the best interface. I'd prefer it if it were structured in a tabbed window format like CPU-Z.
Summary
Since it's free, the price is right. Might be helpful in diagnosing some hardware issues/finding the right drivers.
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"HWMonitor117"
Version: HWMonitor 1.17
Pros
It will do what it says and is simple to set up and read. everything is straightforward as can be. It is just what you want without frills that eat up memory, space and dont do anything to improve the simple information delivery
Cons
It is not good forPhenom II- thuban x6 1090T BE. it will not provide cpu temp accurately. i have it in my other computers with Phenom II x4 965BE. i have acc off since there is no need to add cores to 4 and 6 core cpus. I can guess at offsets
Summary
I read some people have ok cpu temps with Phenom II x4 or 6 cpus. i do not. it is fine on the 965 but only get 0 on the thuban. i have tried many times and more bios changes i read might help but no good. I can not really benefit from it if i cant get an accurate cpu reading. I have all kinds of cpuid tools and like them but need an accurate cpu reading for when i try to make it go faster. I am ok up to 3.9ghz but after that i begin to worry about over heat issues. i can not depend on this one for that important data. there are other good sys stat tools too, pc wiz for the other informaiton. but they do not give accurate thuban numbers either on temp. (not sure on volts either for cpu)
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"Nice Try, No Cigar"
Version: HWMonitor 1.17
Pros
Free, easy, fast
Cons
No definition of various abbreviations so you have no idea what you're monitoring. Numbers, numbers, numbers but what is normal or abnormal? What is good and within limits? What is bad and out of limits?
Summary
Useless program - uninstalled.
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"Temps didn't agree with other hardware monitor programs"
Version: HWMonitor 1.17
Pros
Not applicable
Cons
Not applicable
Summary
Uninstalled it the same day I installed it.
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"Gets the job done."
Version: HWMonitor 1.17
Pros
Works as advertised and it's free!!!
Cons
There are no cons.
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"Very useful hardware utility"
Version: HWMonitor 1.17
Pros
It shows hardware parameters as stated, e.g., CPU temperature, hard disk temperature.
Cons
Battery monitoring that was added since version 1.15 is now taken out.
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