Performance ToolKit Software Review

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Product Review

Review Provided by : PCMag

Slow PC performance cripples the computing experience. Over time, the Windows registry goes awry, programs leave behind junk even when they're uninstalled, and other miscellaneous performance-draining scenarios negatively impact the system. PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011 aims to de-clutter and streamline the innards of your PC by repairing invalid registry entries, removing orphaned registry entries, and turning off non-essential startup programs. This utility suite also offers real-time system monitoring, system optimizer, file restoration, and browsing history deletion. The program (starting at $39.95 for three installs) works as advertised, but the three PC installation limitation may turn off some.

System Requirements and Interface

Compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and XP PCs, PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011 requires 100MB of disk space and an internet connection for registering the software and receiving updates. Once installed, the software immediately performed a scan—it found just over 2,000 problems. This is fewer problems found than the Comodo PC System Cleaner's 2,515, Iolo System Mechanic 10's 2,502, and AVG PC Tools 2011's ($29.95, 4.5 stars) 2,705, but the differences may be attributed to differing views of what constitutes a problem.

Compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and XP PCs, PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011 requires 100MB of disk space and an internet connection for registering the software and receiving updates. Once installed, the software immediately performed a scan.

The Scan Results screen, and the interface overall, is easy to read and features descriptions in everyday language. Left of that section is a column that showed the individual sections where those errors lived, ranging from Add/Remove Programs to Custom Controls.

The Clean-Up Process

Clicking the "Repair" button located in the lower-right portion of the interface began the cleanup and fixing process, which took just seconds. Afterward, I was taken to an optimization screen that showcased my PC's "LOW" system health. Clicking the large "Start Scan" button caused PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011 to rifle through my computer's files, removing junk and repairing damaged files. Afterward, my PC's system health was bumped up to "Medium", a rank the computer couldn't surpass.

If you want to perform individual repairs instead of a broad, overarching one, there are utilities to "Clean Registry," "Defragment your Registry," "Tuneup your Services," "Optimize your System," "Clean your Disks,"and "Shred Your Files"—I like the flexibility granted here. You can also create custom scans, set automatic scan times, and use the backup and recovery feature to dig up deleted files (even ones that have been purged from the Recycle Bin). A Help section in the upper-right portion of the interface lets you access the deep help file.

Performance Increase

I tested PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011's ability to clean up a PC by performing three tests—running the Geekbench system performance tool, measuring boot times, and transferring a 1GB folder of mixed media to external storage. I performed each test three times and averaged the results, both before and after using the suite to clean the PC. Before PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011 scrubbed the system, the 2-GHz Intel Core i7 X990 Style-Note notebook with 4GB of RAM, and 80GB Intel SSD booted achieved a 5,903 Geekbench score, booted in 50.3 seconds, and transferred the 1GB folder in 40.5 seconds.

After using PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011, the GeekBench score rose to 5,969. This score is lower then Comodo System Cleaner's 5,991, AVG PC Tuneup 2011's 6,009, and Iolo System Mechanic 10's 6,033. The notebook boot time decreased to 46.1 seconds. This is faster than Comodo System Cleaner's 48.7 seconds, but slower than AVG PC Tuneup 2011's 43.4 second, and Iolo System Mechanic 10's 42 seconds. The file transfer speed remained roughly the same at 39.3 seconds, which is better than Iolo System Mechanic 10's 40.2 seconds, AVG PC Tuneup 2011's 43.3 seconds, and Comodo System Cleaner's 44.2 seconds.

After running the tests, I also used the computer extensively to get a sense of how the app has changed the responsiveness of the machine. Though the PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011 improved the overall system performance—the computer did perform at a peppier pace—Iolo System Mechanic 10 had a far greater impact, causing windows and menu to open with lightning speed. Still, PC Tools delivered a noticeable performance improvement, which means that the software works as advertised.

Additional Features

PC Tools Performance Toolkit 2011 offers more than just system repair—there's a robust number of utilities that let you tweak all manner of PC performance. The "Maintain" field let me view the computer's health report, run a defrag, shred files to make their recovery by others near-impossible should, and check the hard drive for errors.

Clicking "Manage Your Services" opened a list of third-party services that are loaded when Windows starts—I was surprised at the sheer number of programs that were active behind the scenes. Unlike Comodo System Cleaner, PC Tools Tuneup 2011 gives you a description of each file, which is a technological godsend for those that don't recognize the more obscure and technical names. Right-clicking on a name let me start, or block, applications from running at startup.