iolo System Mechanic 14.5 review

Unfortunately, System Mechanic did nothing to help internet speeds. Maybe that's not as possible to do without reengineering the router or modem, but the NetBooster feature, advertised as a means to have faster internet connections, did not prove out in either my day to day testing, or in speedtests. Before System Mechanic was installed, we got results of a 36ms ping time, 2.48 Mbps download speed, and .74 Mbps upload speed. After System Mechanic processed every function, and with NetBooster having run, the ping time increased by a hair to 33ms, and the download speed dropped a hair to 2.45 Mbps, and the upload speed stayed pat at 0.74 Mbps.

Another issue with System Mechanic is that it is disruptive. This may have more to do with Windows in general, but going through each and every operation, I frequently found myself rebooting the laptop. While some tests and repairs didn't require much time, a thorough and complete run through of System Mechanic, including a hard drive repair, will require an entire afternoon, if not longer.

Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, this software just doesn't look that nice. Its stark layout is heavily reminiscent of past years of Windows software. PCMark 8 is able to perform well with a look that feels of this era and doesn't make you squint at text that I'd argue should be a bit larger.

We liked

The Acer E15, despite being pretty much new, felt faster and was generally more responsive after System Mechanic put it through the paces. That may be because of how the computer had been junked up with pre-installed bloatware and auto-loading nonsense, but it was a good sign of System Mechanic's power. I'd also imagine that the results would have been more dramatic had I tested it on an aged and crufty model.

We disliked

The negligible effect on internet speeds was disappointing. Sure, you need a computer to run well in order to access the internet, but I was really hoping for some noteable speed differences. Also, as we tiptoe forward into Windows 10, a user experience refresh should happen soon. Sure, as a utility they may not need to have impeccable aesthetics, but something that didn't remind me of Windows back in the "Windows Me" era would inspire more confidence.

Final verdict

Those looking to bring a lethargic computer back to the state it came in, or the levels that the hardware is capable of, should definitely give System Mechanic 14.5 a try. It might even save you from upgrading your team's fleet of machines for another year, allowing your budget to be spent on your goals instead of infrastructure.