10 must have apps...


TigerTom said:
oh yes, that was really helpful on older Intel-Dell laptops!
Click to expand...
On a laptop with a newer Intel CPU it can still be really helpful also. I use it to keep my cooling fan from spinning up loudly as a result from the fact that Windows has a bad tendency to act as if I am too deaf to be able to hear the noise it makes. The easiest way is to just disable Turbo Boost and turn it back on later.

While Throttlestop cannot be controlled directly from the command line, there are scripts available to work around this limitation.

TechnologyGuide

Thank you for visiting the TechnologyGuide network. Unfortunately, these forums are no longer active. We extend a heartfelt thank you to the entire community for their steadfast support—it is really you, our readers, that drove
forum.notebookreview.com forum.notebookreview.com
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    11 Homei7 13650HX16GB DDR5GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming F16 (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    30Mbit/s up, 500Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
    Antivirus
    What's an antivirus?

  • At a glance

    11 Homei5 1135G716GB DDR4Intel Iris Xe
    Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    30Mbit/s up, 500Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
Really? I should try it out again. Because usually I keep my laptops upside down to allow more airflow to the fan.
(And no, I don't work under a glass table to see the screen..I use an external monitor and keyboard :giggle: )
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    W10 Enterprise LTSCi7-2700K24GBMSI GeForce RTX2060 Super
    OS
    W10 Enterprise LTSC
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    custom
    CPU
    i7-2700K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-P67A-D3-B3
    Memory
    24GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI GeForce RTX2060 Super
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung curved
    Screen Resolution
    FHD
    Hard Drives
    Samsung EVO870 SSD 1TB
    Seagate Barracuda HDD 8TB
    PSU
    be quiet 550W
    Case
    CoolerMaster
    Cooling
    be quiet PURE ROCK SLIM BK008
    Keyboard
    KLIM Domination k852
    Mouse
    Logitech standard cordless
    Internet Speed
    10/1 DSL (the fastest line speed available here...)
    Browser
    Mozilla FF 91.2.0esr
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    W10 GUI heavily modified with Stardock Blinds "7 for 10" skin and Startmenu.
    No MS Account and no MS apps.
    I upgraded to W10 only for gaming purposes, otherwise I'd kept my beloved W7 Ultimate x64

  • At a glance

    W11 ProIntel Core i5-25004GBMSI Geforce 1050Ti
    Operating System
    W11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-2500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte PH67A-D3-B3
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics card(s)
    MSI Geforce 1050Ti
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    FujitsuSiemens 19"
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 (oldschool 4:3)
    Hard Drives
    Samsung EVO850 SSD 250GB + Samsung 1TB HDD
    PSU
    be quiet 550W
    Case
    Mars MCNW ATX Gaming
    Cooling
    be quiet PURE ROCK SLIM BK008
    Keyboard
    Dell German 102
    Mouse
    oldschool Dell optical wired
    Internet Speed
    slow DSL, 10/1Mbps, but thats the best offer here
    Browser
    Mozilla 91.2.0esr
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    This is an older PC for testing new OS,
    Furthermore: 4 Dell/HP laptops on Win7 Ultimate x64, used for NAS, Media server, browsing, workshop and sound studio
hdmi said:
On a laptop with a newer Intel CPU it can still be really helpful also. I use it to keep my cooling fan from spinning up loudly as a result from the fact that Windows has a bad tendency to act as if I am too deaf to be able to hear the noise it makes. The easiest way is to just disable Turbo Boost and turn it back on later.

While Throttlestop cannot be controlled directly from the command line, there are scripts available to work around this limitation.

TechnologyGuide

Thank you for visiting the TechnologyGuide network. Unfortunately, these forums are no longer active. We extend a heartfelt thank you to the entire community for their steadfast support—it is really you, our readers, that drove
forum.notebookreview.com forum.notebookreview.com
Click to expand...
If the fan spins loudly, there is a reason for it to do so.

Do you think these 3rd party utilities are more reliable than what the OEM has designed the hardware to do? While it is good to have more control over the hardware, it may not be the best thing for the laptop to override how it is designed to function.

Personally, I prefer the OS (or OEM built-in utilities) managing these things and I don't bother with them. If I start taking control of these aspects, I believe that it will hamper my user experience (because you are constantly looking for a problem and trying to tweak it).
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel Core i7 3630QM16 GBIntel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP Envy dv7
CPU
Intel Core i7 3630QM
Motherboard
HP
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
Sound Card
IDT High Definition
Screen Resolution
1080p
Hard Drives
1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
Antivirus
Windows Defender
TheMystic said:
If the fan spins loudly, there is a reason for it to do so.

Do you think these 3rd party utilities are more reliable than what the OEM has designed the hardware to do?
Click to expand...
In the specific case of ThrottleStop? Yes, very!
TheMystic said:
While it is good to have more control over the hardware, it may not be the best thing for the laptop to override how it is designed to function.

Personally, I prefer the OS (or OEM built-in utilities) managing these things and I don't bother with them. If I start taking control of these aspects, I believe that it will hamper my user experience (because you are constantly looking for a problem and trying to tweak it).
Click to expand...
To the contrary, keeping the fan silent when I am trying to listen to some music or watch a movie is better for my laptop than anything. That's just because if it gets loud, it makes me want to hit it with the biggest hammer I can find. I know that it's possible to disable unnecessary processes and apply additional tweaks in order to reduce the power consumption even further still. If you look at @TairikuOkami forum sig there's a link to a very lengthy batchfile available on GitHub, it does very many things a lot of which personally I would never do, but I am only mentioning this to show you that there exist some ppl who do. By comparison, setting Speed Shift EPP to a higher value or disabling Turbo Boost only slows the CPU in exchange for heavenly silence during those times when changing the Power plan in Windows Settings (or via powercfg command) is not enough to ensure heavenly silence. With Throttlestop these extra settings become easily accessible. In a number of ways, Windows is like having a car with the steering wheel lying on the passenger's seat of someone else's car, not realizing where this steering wheel belongs nor thinking about why the car manufacturer in question never actually even bothered to hand it over to you anyway in the first place.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    11 Homei7 13650HX16GB DDR5GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming F16 (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    30Mbit/s up, 500Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
    Antivirus
    What's an antivirus?

  • At a glance

    11 Homei5 1135G716GB DDR4Intel Iris Xe
    Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    30Mbit/s up, 500Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
hdmi said:
In the specific case of ThrottleStop? Yes, very!

To the contrary, keeping the fan silent when I am trying to listen to some music or watch a movie is better for my laptop than anything. That's just because if it gets loud, it makes me want to hit it with the biggest hammer I can find. I know that it's possible to disable unnecessary processes and apply additional tweaks in order to reduce the power consumption even further still. If you look at @TairikuOkami forum sig there's a link to a very lengthy batchfile available on GitHub, it does very many things a lot of which personally I would never do, but I am only mentioning this to show you that there exist some ppl who do. By comparison, setting Speed Shift EPP to a higher value or disabling Turbo Boost only slows the CPU in exchange for heavenly silence during those times when changing the Power plan in Windows Settings (or via powercfg command) is not enough to ensure heavenly silence. With Throttlestop these extra settings become easily accessible. In a number of ways, Windows is like having a car with the steering wheel lying on the passenger's seat of someone else's car, not realizing where this steering wheel belongs nor thinking about why the car manufacturer in question never actually even bothered to hand it over to you anyway in the first place.
Click to expand...
You are focusing on the symptoms rather than the problem. If the fan runs fast when you are playing music or watching video, there is a lot more happening behind the scenes than it should. Why would you slow down the fan when it is trying to cool your system down?

This is like taking a paracetamol to bring down the fever, when your body is actually increasing the temperature to kill an infection. In other words, fighting your own body instead of helping it!

Either you have malware, or badly coded programs that are doing too much than they should, or you have too many things running in the background. Whatever the case may be, the fan is trying to cool your system down and by slowing it down, you are doing just the opposite of what is required. The fan running loud is just a symptom. Treating the symptom won't address the underlying problem. It would actually make it worse because symptoms are good, they point you to a problem.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel Core i7 3630QM16 GBIntel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP Envy dv7
CPU
Intel Core i7 3630QM
Motherboard
HP
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
Sound Card
IDT High Definition
Screen Resolution
1080p
Hard Drives
1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
Antivirus
Windows Defender
ReflectBin
procexp64
Greenshot
Peazip
BurnAware
CoolEdit
eSword
PS
Gimp
Apophysis
Jux
UF
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 10 Home 64bitIntel Core i7 8700K32GB 2666MHz DDR4nVidea GeForce GTX 1080Ti
OS
Windows 10 Home 64bit
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Alienware Aurora R7
CPU
Intel Core i7 8700K
Motherboard
Z370
Memory
32GB 2666MHz DDR4
Graphics Card(s)
nVidea GeForce GTX 1080Ti
Sound Card
NVIDIA High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
HP 27es / ACER 27
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Toshiba 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (boot)
Toshiba 1TB DT01ACA100 SATA (storage)
Seagate Backup 4TB (Macrium)
Corona said:
ReflectBin
procexp64
Greenshot
Peazip
BurnAware
CoolEdit
eSword
PS
Gimp
Apophysis
Jux
UF
Click to expand...
PeaZip doesn't have a clean analysis on VirusTotal. One of the engine flagging it is Malwarebytes.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel Core i7 3630QM16 GBIntel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP Envy dv7
CPU
Intel Core i7 3630QM
Motherboard
HP
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
Sound Card
IDT High Definition
Screen Resolution
1080p
Hard Drives
1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
Antivirus
Windows Defender
TheMystic said:
If the fan runs fast
Click to expand...
it's partially bad HW design on the laptops. My HP Elitebook has a high pitched "dentist" sound from the fan, drove me nuts... Finally I mounted the laptop behind the screen to soften it.

Ok, but now, back to the topic :)
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    W10 Enterprise LTSCi7-2700K24GBMSI GeForce RTX2060 Super
    OS
    W10 Enterprise LTSC
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    custom
    CPU
    i7-2700K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-P67A-D3-B3
    Memory
    24GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI GeForce RTX2060 Super
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung curved
    Screen Resolution
    FHD
    Hard Drives
    Samsung EVO870 SSD 1TB
    Seagate Barracuda HDD 8TB
    PSU
    be quiet 550W
    Case
    CoolerMaster
    Cooling
    be quiet PURE ROCK SLIM BK008
    Keyboard
    KLIM Domination k852
    Mouse
    Logitech standard cordless
    Internet Speed
    10/1 DSL (the fastest line speed available here...)
    Browser
    Mozilla FF 91.2.0esr
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    W10 GUI heavily modified with Stardock Blinds "7 for 10" skin and Startmenu.
    No MS Account and no MS apps.
    I upgraded to W10 only for gaming purposes, otherwise I'd kept my beloved W7 Ultimate x64

  • At a glance

    W11 ProIntel Core i5-25004GBMSI Geforce 1050Ti
    Operating System
    W11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-2500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte PH67A-D3-B3
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics card(s)
    MSI Geforce 1050Ti
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    FujitsuSiemens 19"
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 (oldschool 4:3)
    Hard Drives
    Samsung EVO850 SSD 250GB + Samsung 1TB HDD
    PSU
    be quiet 550W
    Case
    Mars MCNW ATX Gaming
    Cooling
    be quiet PURE ROCK SLIM BK008
    Keyboard
    Dell German 102
    Mouse
    oldschool Dell optical wired
    Internet Speed
    slow DSL, 10/1Mbps, but thats the best offer here
    Browser
    Mozilla 91.2.0esr
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    This is an older PC for testing new OS,
    Furthermore: 4 Dell/HP laptops on Win7 Ultimate x64, used for NAS, Media server, browsing, workshop and sound studio
TheMystic said:
What are the 10 or more must have (or your most favourite) apps/ softwares that you always install on your Windows system?
Click to expand...
While you're learning from these answers, you might have a look at this from a few months ago:

What are the ten most indispensable programs on your Windows 10 PC? - Windows 10 Help Forums

Not counting games and gaming software, and not counting anything MS installed (Edge and Snipe & Snitch don't count), how many programs do you have? I've divided my inventory into those that I chose to INSTALL, and those that don't mess around with Pr
www.tenforums.com www.tenforums.com

Macrium Reflect
Malwarebytes
CCleaner
Chrome
IrfanView
Clavier +
NoteTab Light
LibreOffice
Everything
Autoruns
CPU-Z
7Zip
Resource Hacker
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454i7-9700 @ 3.00GHz32GBDDR4 @ 2666MHzIntel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    OS
    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i7-9700 @ 3.00GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GBDDR4 @ 2666MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG E2442
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS 500GB NVMe SSD, 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    250GB NVMe SSD (OS and programs), 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    500GB NVMe SSD (Data)
    Case
    Lenovo SFF
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome, sometimes Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium & Defender (working together beautifully!)

  • At a glance

    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz32GB DDR4 @ 2600MHzIntel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Operating System
    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 @ 2600MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG FULL HD (1920x1080@59Hz)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS NVMe; 1 x Samsung 980 NVMe SSD
    Case
    Lenovo Think Centre SFF
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium and MS Defender, beautiful together
TheMystic said:
PeaZip doesn't have a clean analysis on VirusTotal. One of the engine flagging it is Malwarebytes.
Click to expand...
I trust PeaZip more than MalwareBytes.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 10 Home 64bitIntel Core i7 8700K32GB 2666MHz DDR4nVidea GeForce GTX 1080Ti
OS
Windows 10 Home 64bit
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Alienware Aurora R7
CPU
Intel Core i7 8700K
Motherboard
Z370
Memory
32GB 2666MHz DDR4
Graphics Card(s)
nVidea GeForce GTX 1080Ti
Sound Card
NVIDIA High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
HP 27es / ACER 27
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Toshiba 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (boot)
Toshiba 1TB DT01ACA100 SATA (storage)
Seagate Backup 4TB (Macrium)

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454i7-9700 @ 3.00GHz32GBDDR4 @ 2666MHzIntel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    OS
    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i7-9700 @ 3.00GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GBDDR4 @ 2666MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG E2442
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS 500GB NVMe SSD, 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    250GB NVMe SSD (OS and programs), 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    500GB NVMe SSD (Data)
    Case
    Lenovo SFF
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome, sometimes Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium & Defender (working together beautifully!)

  • At a glance

    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz32GB DDR4 @ 2600MHzIntel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Operating System
    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 @ 2600MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG FULL HD (1920x1080@59Hz)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS NVMe; 1 x Samsung 980 NVMe SSD
    Case
    Lenovo Think Centre SFF
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium and MS Defender, beautiful together

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 10 Home 64bitIntel Core i7 8700K32GB 2666MHz DDR4nVidea GeForce GTX 1080Ti
OS
Windows 10 Home 64bit
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Alienware Aurora R7
CPU
Intel Core i7 8700K
Motherboard
Z370
Memory
32GB 2666MHz DDR4
Graphics Card(s)
nVidea GeForce GTX 1080Ti
Sound Card
NVIDIA High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
HP 27es / ACER 27
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Toshiba 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (boot)
Toshiba 1TB DT01ACA100 SATA (storage)
Seagate Backup 4TB (Macrium)
Fabler2 said:
HWiNFO64
Click to expand...

I'm so happy you listed this because I always have trouble remembering its name. So, and in on order --

Firefox
LibreOffice
Gimp
VLC
HandBrake
OBS Studio
Plex
Greenshot
HWiNFO64
WinXCorners
AutoHideDesktopIcons
Pinned Google Web Apps (Gmail, Messages, Contacts, Cal, Keep, Translate, Maps, Photos) and pinned Yahoo Mail
 
Last edited:

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

11 if on this site
OS
11 if on this site
These are my must haves for my computers. All freebies since I don't think I should have to pay for more PC efficiency, customization and useful information on my systems.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free
CPU-Z
Firefox
HWINFO64
Macrium Reflect
Malwarebytes
NirSoft Wireless Network Watcher
Photoscape X
Rainmeter
Revo Uninstaller
Thunderbird
Ultimate Windows Tweaker
Winaero Tweaker
WinFi
WPS Office
Your phone App

I also use two very small useful little apps called Crosshair 1.1 that adds a cross hair to my mouse cursor when I hit the hot key and Minibin 6.6 that puts a little configurable recycle bin icon on my task bar.
 
Last edited:

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 25H2Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24-Core)64GB DDR5 6400MT/sNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and Intel UHD Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware 18 Area-51
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24-Core)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    64GB DDR5 6400MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Onboard, Realtek high-performance Audio chips (ALC3329 & ALC1708))
    Monitor(s) Displays
    300HZ 18-inch QHD 500 nit Comfort View+
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 5 SSD
    Case
    Magnesium Alloy
    Cooling
    Advanced Cryo-Tech Quad-Fan Cooling system & large vapor chamber
    Keyboard
    Cherry MX ultra low profile mechanical keyboard with per key AlienFX RGB lighting
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4
    Browser
    Vivaldi (main), Firefox, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 25H2Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core) ARM bas...16GB LPDDR5Qualcomm Adreno X1-85
    Operating System
    Windows 11 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
    CPU
    Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core) ARM based CPU
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB LPDDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Qualcomm Adreno X1-85
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos spatial sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    120 Hz 13.8-inch 600 nit PixelSense Flow touchscreen
    Screen Resolution
    2304x1536
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD
    Case
    Anodized Aluminum
    Cooling
    Traditional active cooling fan system
    Keyboard
    Mechanical QWERTY, backlit when in use
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4 and Surface Arc Mouse
    Browser
    Vivaldi (main), Firefox, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454i7-9700 @ 3.00GHz32GBDDR4 @ 2666MHzIntel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    OS
    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i7-9700 @ 3.00GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GBDDR4 @ 2666MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG E2442
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS 500GB NVMe SSD, 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    250GB NVMe SSD (OS and programs), 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    500GB NVMe SSD (Data)
    Case
    Lenovo SFF
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome, sometimes Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium & Defender (working together beautifully!)

  • At a glance

    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz32GB DDR4 @ 2600MHzIntel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Operating System
    11 Pro 24H2 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 @ 2600MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG FULL HD (1920x1080@59Hz)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS NVMe; 1 x Samsung 980 NVMe SSD
    Case
    Lenovo Think Centre SFF
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium and MS Defender, beautiful together
FrancoDT said:
These are my must haves for my computers. All freebies since I don't think I should have to pay for more PC efficiency, customization and useful information on my systems.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free
CPU-Z
Firefox
HWINFO64
Macrium Reflect
Malwarebytes
NirSoft Wireless Network Watcher
Photoscape X
Rainmeter
Revo Uninstaller
Thunderbired
Ultimate Windows Tweaker
Winaero Tweaker
WinFi
WPS Office
Your phone App

I also use two very small useful little apps called Crosshair 1.1 that adds a cross hair to my mouse cursor when I hit the hot key and Minibin 6.6 that puts a little configurable recycle bin icon on my task bar.
Click to expand...
There is always a payment involved. Either in cash or by data. :)
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel Core i7 3630QM16 GBIntel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP Envy dv7
CPU
Intel Core i7 3630QM
Motherboard
HP
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
Sound Card
IDT High Definition
Screen Resolution
1080p
Hard Drives
1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
Antivirus
Windows Defender
Here are 11 (categories at least):

1. Photoshop (creative cloud), DXO PhotoLab, Color Navigator7 and i1 profiler (display color calibration)
2. Office 365 Suite, Thunderbird, Firefox, Foobar2000
3. Steam, Epic, Bethesda, Origin game launchers
4. System/hardware monitoring: HWInfo64, Aida64, CrystalDiskInfo, Windirstat, Microsoft SysInternals Suite, CPU-Z, GPU-Z, CDCheck, RAPR
5. Asus AISuite (mainly for fan control), Asus Armoury Crate for RGB
6. Macrium Reflect
7. Shell programming: powershell, python, AutoHotKeys, Ubuntu/bash
8. 7-Zip
9. Disk tools: MiniTool Partition Wizard, Seagate Seatools, WDC Data Lifeguard, PrimoCache
10. Stress Tools/OC tools: Prime95, OCCT, Realbench, Cinebench, memtest, TM5, thiaphoon, MSI Afterburner, UBU
11. Biking: Garmin Connect, Shimano E-tube
 
Last edited:

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel Core i9 14900K 5800/4500 P/E all core96GB (2x48) G.skill Ripjaws 6800 MT/s DDR5Asus ROG Strix 4070 Ti OC
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Photoshop/Audio/Game/tinker
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 14900K 5800/4500 P/E all core
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero
    Memory
    96GB (2x48) G.skill Ripjaws 6800 MT/s DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus ROG Strix 4070 Ti OC
    Sound Card
    Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 speakers; Audiolabs 7000a integrated amp; RSL 10S Mk2 sub; Creative Pebble Pro Minimilist
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Eizo CG2730 ColorEdge, ViewSonic VP2768, i1 Display Pro calibration puck
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440p x 2
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850X 4TB nvme, SN850 1TB nvme, SK-Hynix 2 TB P41 nvme,. Sabrent USB-C DS-SC5B 5-bay docking station: 6TB WDC Black, 6TB Ironwolf Pro; 2x 2TB WDC Black HDD
    PSU
    850W Seasonic Vertex PX-850 ATX 3.0/PCI-E 5.0
    Case
    Fractal Design North XL Mesh, Black Walnut
    Cooling
    EK Nucleus black 360 AIO w/Phanteks T30-120 fans, 2 Noctua NF-A14 Chromax case fan, 1 T30-120 fan cooling memory
    Keyboard
    Keychron Q3 Max TKL with custom GMK Redsuns Red Samuri keycaps, TX Stabs
    Mouse
    Logitech G305 wireless gaming
    Internet Speed
    575 Mb/s down | 25 Mb/s up
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender, Macrium Reflect X
    Other Info
    Phangkey Amaterasu V2 Desk Mat

  • At a glance

    Apple M1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    💻 Apple 13" Macbook Pro 2020 (m1)
    CPU
    Apple M1
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600
    Browser
    Firefox

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 25H2Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24-Core)64GB DDR5 6400MT/sNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and Intel UHD Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware 18 Area-51
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24-Core)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    64GB DDR5 6400MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Onboard, Realtek high-performance Audio chips (ALC3329 & ALC1708))
    Monitor(s) Displays
    300HZ 18-inch QHD 500 nit Comfort View+
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 5 SSD
    Case
    Magnesium Alloy
    Cooling
    Advanced Cryo-Tech Quad-Fan Cooling system & large vapor chamber
    Keyboard
    Cherry MX ultra low profile mechanical keyboard with per key AlienFX RGB lighting
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4
    Browser
    Vivaldi (main), Firefox, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 25H2Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core) ARM bas...16GB LPDDR5Qualcomm Adreno X1-85
    Operating System
    Windows 11 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
    CPU
    Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core) ARM based CPU
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB LPDDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Qualcomm Adreno X1-85
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos spatial sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    120 Hz 13.8-inch 600 nit PixelSense Flow touchscreen
    Screen Resolution
    2304x1536
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD
    Case
    Anodized Aluminum
    Cooling
    Traditional active cooling fan system
    Keyboard
    Mechanical QWERTY, backlit when in use
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4 and Surface Arc Mouse
    Browser
    Vivaldi (main), Firefox, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
geneo said:
System/hardware monitoring: HWInfo64, Aida64, CrystalDiskInfo, Windirstat, Microsoft SysInternals Suite, CPU-Z, GPU-Z, CDCheck, RAPR
Click to expand...
Assuming that you actually install all of these on your system at the same time, my question is why do you bother so much with that many details?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel Core i7 3630QM16 GBIntel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP Envy dv7
CPU
Intel Core i7 3630QM
Motherboard
HP
Memory
16 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
Sound Card
IDT High Definition
Screen Resolution
1080p
Hard Drives
1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
Antivirus
Windows Defender
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