Auslogics Disk Defrag

Auslogics Disk Defrag is an upgrade from the built-in Windows disk defragmenter. Free, fast, and thorough, it can defrag whole disks or individual files and folders, on schedule or on demand. You can exclude files and folders from defragging, set defragmentation priority, and analyze and optimize disks as well as defragging them. Auslogics Disk Defrag not only excludes SSDs from defragmenting but helps optimize them, too.

Pros

Cluster Map: A disk defragger with no cluster map is no fun, as Microsoft learned. Auslogics Disk Defrag not only has a cluster map but also two map styles and a menu full of color themes. Clicking Show Speed Map on the View menu displays Fast and Slow disk access zones.

Algorithms: The Program Settings offers optional algorithms that can delete temporary files before defragmenting, skip files of a certain size, and perform other operations.

SSD Optimization: SSDs shouldn't be defragged, but Windows can be optimized to take full advantage of their speed. Auslogics Disk Defrag analyzes your SSDs and system and optimizes both.

Cons

Sales pitch: Places like the Advanced menu and System Health tab offer additional software -- a minor matter, considering what you're getting for free, but it bothers some folks.

Bottom Line

Far from obsolete, disk defragmentation utilities may be more important than ever as disk drives climb to multi-terabyte capacity. That's especially true when a defragger not only recognizes and excludes SSDs from defragmentation but also helps optimize their performance. So why use the Windows defragger when Auslogics Disk Defrag is better?