Windows 10 system speed. Applications for automatic driver updates. Defragmentation using third-party programs

How to improve laptop performance on Windows 10
The performance of Windows 10 is directly determined by the power of the hardware and the number of running processes during the current session. At the same time, you don’t need to evaluate performance in Windows 10 to understand how well the operating system works, because it’s noticeable right away. So, if the system begins to respond poorly to commands or freezes, then you can improve the performance of your Windows 10 computer by following a few simple tips.

How to improve laptop performance on Windows 10: tips
The operating system is a complex program, so many of its components directly affect the performance indicator. How to increase the speed of your computer on Windows 10? To do this you need to follow a few simple steps:

1. Check the system for malicious software.
Even if you have a good antivirus, your computer can still be infected. In order to clean it, you can initiate another scan or use effective healing utilities. If the antivirus finds one or more threats and eliminates them, this will likely affect the performance of the Windows 10 system.

2. Install the latest Windows updates.
Optimizing Windows 10 for better performance also means checking and installing all necessary system updates. You can check for the latest updates in system settings. They can be found in the Start menu, and in the dialog box you will need to open Update and Security. If the operating system finds available updates, they will need to be installed. After this, your computer's performance in Windows 10 should increase.

3. Checking the level of RAM load.
To optimize Windows 10 to improve laptop performance, you need to evaluate how rationally and for which applications operating solder is spent and how loaded the processor is. To do this, the user must open the Task Manager and find the “Memory” sub-item. Here it will be shown how much memory is spent on certain processes, and how much remains free.

4. Reboot and activate only the necessary applications.
Setting up your laptop for maximum performance in Windows 10 involves rebooting the device with only the applications you need activated. When the PC starts, a number of programs, applications and services that, in principle, are not needed for the full operation of the system, are activated automatically. To improve the performance of a Windows 10 laptop, you need to close all programs that are not currently needed for work, leaving only the essentials.
To configure Windows 10 for maximum performance, you must first free up the maximum amount of resources and computing power. After all, software running in the background also uses these resources.

5. Check your PC for damaged system files
How to increase the performance of a laptop on Windows 10 if no viruses or updates are found, all programs are closed, and the PC still continues to slow down, although it does not consume all its resources? In this case, you should check whether the system files are damaged.
In this case, you need to increase the performance of a Windows 10 laptop as follows: open the Taskbar. Next, enter a command line query in the search field. After this, you need to run the command line as an administrator and confirm making changes to the system. How to improve computer performance on Windows 10 in this way? Navigate to the location dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth by entering this location into the command line.
Please note that spaces must be preserved, only in this case the command will be interpreted correctly. In most cases, the system itself finds and fixes errors by replacing damaged Windows 10 files. System performance in this case increases. In order for the changes to take effect, you need to restart your personal computer, assessing how much faster it started to work.

How to optimize Windows 10 and improve your computer's performance
In Windows 10, you can increase performance by getting rid of unnecessary information, for example, unused programs. Open the Add/Remove Programs menu and you will see how many software are currently installed on your PC. To improve performance in Windows 10, clean your PC of this unnecessary “garbage” and from now on try to install only the necessary software.
If Windows 10 is experiencing slow performance, these tips will help you tune the operating system for performance and responsiveness in running commands. To ensure maximum performance in Windows 10 for a long time, keep an eye on your temporary files and keep your PC clean. In this case, the operating system will delight you with high response speed and maximum performance for a long time.

Many owners of computers and laptops with the tenth version of Windows installed are very often misled about the question of how to check the performance of a computer (Windows 10). Official assessments made by the system itself often have nothing to do with the real state of affairs. The following will show why this is so.

How to check the performance of your computer (Windows 10) in the simplest way?

The easiest way to check the performance index on any Windows system is to call the properties menu by right-clicking on the computer icon located on the Desktop or in Explorer.

Here, along with the configuration, which indicates the type of processor, amount of RAM, build and version of the system, you can see this data. But it’s better to get them from the performance counters section, which is available in the standard “Control Panel”. Unfortunately, they do not make many people happy.

Windows 10: system requirements

If you look at the tenth release of Windows, you can conclude that the minimum system requirements are not as high as originally thought.

For the same 64-bit professional version the system is quite moderate. Just that: a 2-core processor with a clock frequency of at least 1 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, plus 16-20 gigs of free hard disk space. If you look at such a minimal configuration, the same “seven” should simply fly.

But unlike previous releases, the “ten” from the start launches so many background services and processes that the average user would never dream of. And in order to test the performance of a computer in Windows 10 without components unnecessary to the user for the maximum indicator, they should simply be disabled.

What to do with autoloading?

The first and most important thing is to disable background processes that start with the system. There are too many third-party components in the “ten” that ensure its multitasking. But why do they need them for the average user who uses all these features to a maximum of 10 percent?

As with any other version of Windows, you should use editing the startup menu, in which you can disable all unnecessary components initially. To do this, enter the msconfig command in the “Run” menu, called up using the Win and R key combination (standard option for all systems). On the startup tab, uncheck all processes. You can only leave the antivirus (it will still download automatically if it is a professional package and not a cheap or free utility).

The previously existing ctfmon process, which is responsible for displaying the keyboard layout and current language, is absent in Windows 10, so there are no problems with this (the service is simply hidden from the user’s eyes). After applying the changes made, you will need to reboot in any case. How to check the performance of a computer (Windows 10) after a secondary start? Yes, just enter the counters section again - the index will be higher.

Disabling unused system components

Performance is influenced not only by the main “visible” elements of the system that start with it. There are also additional system background services, on the basis of which the score is calculated

There are so many of them in the top ten that the average user simply cannot understand why all this is needed. The problem is that the developers tried to provide any user with everything at once, without thinking at all that most people simply do not need such multitasking.

If you enter the Programs and Features section in the same Control Panel, you can see how much unnecessary stuff is activated. The simplest example: the user does not have a printer, but the service is running. The question is, why? Yes, only because the system seems to assume that in the future the printer will be connected.

The same applies to load-bearing components such as the Hyper-V module. It is responsible for creating and using a virtual machine using Windows 10 without using third-party programs. Again, why does a user who works only with office documents and has no idea about virtual machines on which other systems are modeled and programs tested in their environment need this service?

And that’s not all that can be disabled in this section. But if you correctly approach disabling unused components, then the performance rating of your Windows 10 computer (in the sense of the operating system) will be increased. Here you also need to take into account the fact that the rating is not set by the system itself, although this is partially true (results of the hardware test, installed programs, currently used applications, etc.).

If you have constant access to the Internet, the information is sent to Microsoft, and specialists, based on configuration reports, draw a conclusion about how suitable this particular system is for using Windows.

How to optimize system performance using third-party programs

Finally, a few words about testing programs and optimizer applications. Among the first, the most famous and most informative are utilities like Everest, PCMark 7 or CPU-Z, which allow you to test your computer's performance in Windows 10.

But they only provide a complete understanding of what is happening in terms of the load on hardware resources. You won't be able to fix problems with them.

This is where standard optimizers come to the rescue, working not with the hardware, but with the software environment, and this applies not only to installed applications, but also to the processes of the operating system itself. The most popular and most productive are complete software packages such as CCLeaner, Advanced System Care, Glary Utilities, Windows Manager, AVZ PC Tune Up and many others. They are able to free up system resources in real time without affecting the vital processes of the system itself. This is what increases computer performance (Windows 10). But you need to use such utilities extremely carefully and in moderation, despite their automatic troubleshooting mode.

Bottom line

In general, the question of how to check the performance of a computer (Windows 10) is not particularly difficult to resolve. The main thing here is to understand that the system itself can deliberately underestimate the corresponding indexes, so it is strongly recommended to use third-party utilities, but first disable all unnecessary services and components. Although... And it’s not a fact that the user’s configuration will be considered optimal in comparison with others.

The relatively new operating system Windows 10 is gaining popularity. And even for those users whose computers are not particularly powerful. That is why the issue of optimizing Windows 10 has become relevant. Microsoft is constantly improving its OS and making its settings more and more flexible each time. Their correct configuration, combined with the use of third-party software, will allow us to achieve maximum performance even on not the newest PCs. Optimizing any operating system, including Windows 10, is a complex process that requires a correct, consistent approach. Setting up and optimizing Windows 10 will be described in detail in this article.

How to speed up your Windows 10 computer with an update

“Ten” appeared quite recently. It is clear that initially it was rather “crude”, but the developers are constantly working on their product and releasing updates that make the system more productive, more reliable and safer.

Driver Update

This method significantly increases computer performance. It is especially important to update the drivers of all devices after updating Windows from version 7 to version 10, and not after a “clean” installation. Many drivers are suitable for both operating systems, but some may cause difficulties, even causing the device to stop working. For example, your sound card may stop working completely.

Here are a few signs that can help you understand that some drivers are not working as expected, or not working at all:

• The multimedia keys on the keyboard do not function;
• The screen brightness on the laptop stopped being adjusted;
• Some system settings have disappeared;
• display resolution has changed;
• The auxiliary mouse keys no longer work.

Automatic driver update apps

It is not always convenient to search for drivers manually. Firstly, we have no confidence in the reliability of the resource on which the download will be carried out, and secondly, it’s good if there is only one driver: if there are 10 of them, then the update can take a long time.

Let's look at several programs that make the process easier:

• Driver Pack Solution. The main advantage of this utility is the ability to update even without connecting to the network (offline version). The application scans your PC and then provides a list of drivers that need to be installed or updated. During the update process, an informative progress bar is displayed, which shows how much is left until the end of the update. When the process is completed, the computer will require a reboot and the new drivers will take effect;

Download DriverPack Solution

• Driver Booster. This program has no disadvantages other than its cost. In all other respects, it is a combination of advantages: the work is done quickly and efficiently, and there is no chance of downloading an erroneous driver. Just like Driver Pack Solution, the application scans the system and installs new driver versions. Before making changes to Windows, a backup is made, so its state can be easily returned to its original state;

Download Driver Booster

• Slim Drivers. An important advantage of this program is driver scanning. It can even find software that was missed by previous utilities. The overall speed of checking all devices is also impressive (it took us about 30 seconds).

Download Slim Drivers

This is one of the most important points in working to improve the performance of Windows 10. “Ten” is designed in such a way that after receiving updates, it begins to “distribute” them to other PCs, accordingly, we consume the speed of the disk subsystem, the speed of the central processor and the Internet. Distribution of updates works using torrent technology, and archives with updates that have already been unpacked and installed are stored on the computer disk, taking up extra space.

In order to disable the distribution of updates, do the following:

1. Open the Windows 10 settings menu (you can find it via search).

1. Go to the “Update and Security” section.

1. On the left side of the window, click on the inscription, which we marked with a red rectangle, and on the right - “Advanced parameters”.

1. Scroll the contents of the window slightly down and select the item indicated in the screenshot.

1. All that remains is to switch the trigger to the “Off” position. Ready. System updates will be downloaded, installed and immediately uninstalled.

Speeding up by disabling OneDrive

Microsoft has closely linked OneDrive cloud storage and the tenth version of its operating system. This is a very useful service that automatically synchronizes any of your data with its server and allows you to restore it at any time. But if you don't need this technology, you can safely turn off the cloud and thus save some more traffic and CPU power.

There are two ways to disable OneDrive. While the first one simply disables the program, the second one completely removes it from the PC. For example, if you are still interested in storage, but don’t have time to deal with it yet, you can turn off the cloud and try later. If you have no plans to work with OneDrive at all, then feel free to delete the program.

Disable OneDrive in Windows 10

In order to remove OneDrive cloud storage, you need to call up the context menu by right-clicking on the cloud located in the system tray.

Select the “Options” item.

Go to the “Options” tab and remove both icons from the items indicated in the screenshot. Then click “OK”.

Again, right-click on the cloud in the Windows 10 tray and click on “Exit”.

After this, the Microsoft cloud will be disabled and will not disturb you with its presence.

Remove completely

This method will erase all cloud files, and it can only be restored by downloading the program again.

1. To remove OneDrive from a PC we need the command line. You need to run it as an administrator. Let's use the Windows 10 search engine (icon on the left side of the taskbar). Enter the word “cmd” into the search field, right-click on the result and select “Run as administrator.”

taskkill /f /im OneDrive.exe

We kill the system process.

\%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall

We launch the standard utility to deactivate OneDrive. If you have an x86 system, then write:

%SystemRoot%\System32\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall

rd “%UserProfile%\OneDrive” /Q /S

Delete the directory with user settings.

rd “%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\OneDrive” /Q /S

We delete the catalog of system settings related to the cloud.

rd “%ProgramData%\Microsoft OneDrive” /Q /S

We erase the remains in ProgramData.

rd “C:\OneDriveTemp” /Q /S

Clearing temporary files.

This algorithm may not work on all PCs. It should be used selectively - try to see if it works for you. At least you won’t cause any harm to a disabled OneDrive.

Disable sending reports

Why, in general, are such reports needed? The fact is that to improve the system, developers take into account information about the errors of all users and, based on it, create updates that correct the situation. This feature can be disabled. This will not only get rid of annoying alerts, but will also speed up Windows a little. In the article, we described how to disable the sending of such reports during installation. Now let's look at how to do this on a running system.

Follow our instructions:

1. Open the system settings - this can be done through the notification panel. Click on the notification icon in the system tray and select the “All settings” button.

1. Go to the “Confidentiality” section.

1. On the left side of the window we find “Feedback and diagnostics”, and on the right side we disable the trigger indicated in the screenshot.

After this, system operation data will not be sent to Microsoft.

Turn off background tasks to improve performance

Windows has applications and their background processes that load the hardware even when the program itself is not running. For example, the same Xbox, which users do not need at all. Nevertheless, the program works and takes away some of the PC's RAM and CPU speed. Let's restore justice and disable unnecessary processes running in the background.

We do the following:

1. We open the computer settings through the Windows 10 search in the manner indicated in the screenshot.

1. Click on the tile that says “Privacy”.

1. On the left, click “Background applications”, and on the right, we can individually disable programs we don’t need or deactivate them all at once.

Note: The apps themselves will not stop working. The background service, which is responsible for quick startup and receiving notifications, will be disabled.

Optimizing your hard drive

Monitoring the status of the hard drive was relevant in all versions of Windows. Windows 10 implements new, improved algorithms for media operation, including full support for SSDs (solid-state drives on chips). Accordingly, after increasing the performance of the hard drive, the system boot time decreases and its overall performance increases. By default, the HDD is defragmented once a week or month (SSDs cannot be defragmented), but it is better to disable the automatic mode and perform the process yourself.

To do this, we will take the following steps:

1. Open Windows Explorer and right-click on the drive you need. Select "Properties".

1. Go to the “Tools” menu and press the key labeled “Optimize”.

1. The “Optimize” button is needed to start the defragmentation process.

1. Let's disable the defragmentation scheduler. To do this, click “Change settings”.

1. In the window that opens, uncheck the boxes next to the words “Run as scheduled” and “Notify if three scheduled executions are missed in a row.”

Speeding up work by disabling unnecessary services

Disabling unnecessary background processes in optimizing Windows 10 for games and more is the most important component. As soon as the operating system starts, a lot of services start working with it. Many of them are important to the OS, but there are also some that waste CPU performance.

It's simple - the developers decided not to cheat; they provided users with a full set of services on the principle of “some, but they will be useful.” We are not going to put up with this state of affairs and will disable those processes that we do not need at all. In order to configure the services the way we need, right-click on the “Start” button. In the new menu, select the “Computer Management” section.

What services can be disabled in Windows 10

But what services can be disabled - you ask. Don't rush, we'll tell you everything in order. Initially, it would be a good idea to create a system restore checkpoint. If something goes wrong, you can always undo the changes.

Here is a list of services that can be disabled:

• printer manager (if you are not going to print);
• Windows Search. Can be disabled if you do not need search (the service requires a lot of system resources);
• Windows Update. Updates can be installed manually - this way you will save PC performance;
• application services. Many programs, for example, Google Chrome, keep the service running even after they themselves are closed. This service is needed for automatic updates and accelerated launch of programs.

Please note: the list may vary depending on the hardware and OS version you are using. For example, if a printer is not connected, then there is no need for a print service.

Optimizing the system registry

The Windows operating system, due to the specifics of its operation, constantly accumulates various information in the registry, sometimes even erroneous, and as a result it gradually slows down. Since “Ten” is a fairly new OS, users have not yet been able to fully feel all the hardships that 2–3 years of work without reinstalling lead to.

The registry needs to be defragmented and cleared of unnecessary entries. For this we need additional programs. There is another way - manual. To do this, the “regedit” system tool is launched and an experienced user makes changes to the registry by finding the desired directory and key. This may be necessary, for example, when a driver was installed incorrectly and because of this it is impossible to install a new one. That's when you have to manually clean out the remnants of the old software.

Let's look at several applications that can cope with the task of cleaning the system registry:

• Reg Organizer. A convenient and functional utility that does its job perfectly. The free version does not have a registry optimization feature;

Download Reg Organizer

• CCleaner. A completely free tool not only for optimizing the registry, but also for cleaning the system as a whole. The program has many functions, a clear interface and quality of work;

Download CCleaner

• Windows Cleaner. Cleans the system of debris and scans the registry for errors. Is completely free.

Download Windows Cleaner

Improved download speed

Some applications, after they are installed, are registered in the system startup and are turned on along with Windows during the next startup. As a result, a program that we don’t need today can remain running all day and consume a large amount of RAM all this time. To prevent this from happening, you need to edit the startup list.

1. Let's go to the "Startup" tab and see what we have here. To disable an unnecessary program, select it and click the “Disable” button.

As a result, the program will no longer run alongside Windows.

Attention! If you are not sure about the purpose of one or another application, before disabling it, use the standard function and read the information on the Internet.

Programs autostart not only from the Startup folder. Applications can also be registered in the registry. In order to remove them from there, you need to use special software, which we will discuss below.

Applications for working with startup

It is much more convenient to work with autorun through specialized software. AIDA 64 is a very convenient tool. In general, it is needed to obtain detailed information about the PC and its optimization, but there is also a convenient tool for working with startup.

Another good way to fix the startup list is the CCleaner we described. To use it, go to the “Tools” tab and select “Startup”. Here you can not only disable programs, but also delete them.

Microsoft has released its own tool for editing the list of applications downloaded with the system. It's called Autoruns. The program is supplied in an archive, which contains 32 and 64-bit versions that do not require installation. Autoruns is distinguished by the highest functionality among its competitors. Here you can remove even background processes that are registered in the registry from autorun.

Task Scheduler

Some programs in the Windows operating system can only be launched when a specific event occurs. That is why we will touch on the task scheduler.

You can access the utility integrated into the system as follows:

1. Open the “Administration” program by entering its name in the “Tens” search.

1. Launch the “Task Scheduler”.

1. We follow the path indicated on the left side of the planner. Here are the upcoming events. If necessary, they can be disabled by opening the context menu.

Be careful when uninstalling programs. You can easily harm the system by disabling a needed service.

Working with Windows 10 performance

The creators of Windows took into account all preferences when developing the system and gave users tools that allow them to customize the visual design of Windows and, accordingly, change the demands on resources.

We do the following:

1. Right-click on the “Start” icon and select “System”.

1. Next is the “System Information” item.

1. Go to the “Advanced system settings” menu.

1. In the “Advanced” tab, press the “Options” button.

1. Next, simply switch the trigger to the “Ensure the best performance” position and click “OK”.

After this, all animations, effects and other beauties will be disabled, which will significantly save the use of RAM and CPU resources.

Cleaning your hard drive of debris

Performance and the amount of free space on your hard drive may drop due to so-called junk files that accumulate during system operation. Optimizing Windows 10 involves deleting such files and cleaning up the disk. In this case, you can use both standard Windows tools and third-party software.

Ten has a Disk Cleanup tool, which we will now try. In order to launch it and start cleaning the hard drive, do the following:

1. Open Windows Explorer and right-click on the desired drive. In the context menu that opens, select “Properties”.

1. In the next window, press the button labeled “Disk Cleanup”.

1. In the next step, mark those items that should be cleaned and click on “Clean up system files”.

After this, the cleaning process itself will begin. Don't forget to save all data and close running programs.

How to speed up your work with proper defragmentation

Defragmenting magnetic media is a critical part of increasing system speed. There are several ways to do this. First, it's worth noting the built-in capabilities.

The following procedure is provided:

1. Open Explorer and right-click on the desired drive. In the menu that opens, we need the “Properties” item.

1. In the window that opens, select the “Service” tab and click “Optimize”.

1. Here you can see how fragmented the disk is. In our case, everything is fine, since automatic optimization works, which defragments once a week.

1. To start optimization, click the “Optimize” button, and if you want to set the automatic mode, then click on “Change parameters”.

If, as in our case, the percentage of fragmentation is 0 - 15%, then no work needs to be done. If more, then you can optimize the disk. It is important to remember that for the utility to work, you need to have as much free disk space as the largest file on it occupies. The process can take from 5 minutes to several hours. It all depends on the degree of clutter on the media.

It is strictly forbidden to use a defragmenter for SSD drives. Instead of benefit, you will only get tens of times more wear and tear, which will ultimately lead to rapid damage to the device.

Defragmentation using third-party programs

The built-in utility of Windows 10 is good, it has made significant progress when compared with 7 and 8, however, there are better solutions in the form of third-party software.

Let's look at several programs that can optimize the Windows 10 hard drive and eliminate fragmentation of its files:

• PiriformDefraggler is a “relative” of the famous CCleaner. The tool is “smarter” than the standard utility: it can analyze a significantly larger amount of data. It also has the advantage of being completely free. The interface is clear and does not cause difficulties. As you can see in the screenshot, the program found fragmentation where “Ten” assured us of zero problems.

Download PiriformDefraggler

• Auslogics Disk Defrag. Another powerful program, similar to the previous one. The tool is distributed free of charge, and its functionality goes far beyond ordinary defragmentation.

In the program's operating mode there are several levels of defragmentation. The first, superficial, is designed for quick scanning and correction of basic problems (it needs to be done once a week). There is also an in-depth analysis, which requires much more time, and it is enough to conduct it once a month.

Download Auslogics Disk Defrag

Only one antivirus!

No computer can do without an antivirus. It is important to use high-quality software that can cope with most threats. But sometimes users make a grave mistake and install 2 or even more antiviruses. Programs begin to scan each other, conflict and slow down the PC, and the latter sometimes simply freezes. You can use different programs to perform an effective scan, but only one should be installed at a time.

Note: Windows 10 uses a built-in antivirus, the functionality of which is sufficient for all occasions. But if you decide to replace it, don’t worry about the conflict: Microsoft has taken care of everything and when you install a new defender, the built-in one is disabled automatically.

Programs to improve PC performance on Windows 10

Above, we looked at some applications that allow you to get a performance boost in Windows 10. There are entire packages of tools for fine-tuning the system and speeding up its operation. Let's look at two such programs.

Glary Utilities

This is one of the most famous and beloved programs for speeding up the operating system. The functionality of the utility includes: cleaning disks of debris, searching for duplicate files, searching and removing unwanted software, optimizing the disk subsystem, cleaning and defragmenting the registry, optimizing RAM and many more useful functions.

A little lower there is a screenshot in which you can see that the program, before it even started, had already analyzed the loading speed of our system and suggested disabling elements that were slowing it down.

There is also a one-touch cleaning mode: you click on a button, and as a result the program scans your PC with different tools and at different levels. The cleaning result is worthy of the highest praise. The simplicity of the interface, ease of use and good performance make GloryUtilities the best choice today.

Download Glary Utilites

Advanced System Care

Another powerful application, or rather a set of programs, for cleaning, optimizing and securing Windows 10. This software can not only improve PC performance, but also answer the question - how to speed up the Internet in Windows 10. Here the emphasis is on maximum convenience and ease of operation.

Download Advanced SystemCare

There is also functionality for advanced users. You can enable advanced mode and you will have access to much more flexible and functional settings. The application interface is very convenient and looks great. The screenshots show the main functionality of Advanced SystemCare.

TweakNow PowerPack

Another large package of utilities for optimizing Windows 10 or earlier versions of the OS from Microsoft. Due to the presence of a number of fine settings that require certain knowledge, the program is more suitable for advanced users. Screenshots can be seen below.

Thanks to the above instructions, you already know how to speed up a computer or laptop running Windows 10. There is no need to talk about the need for such a procedure, because even on modern PCs the load becomes so high that the machine begins to slow down. Only timely implementation of all the recommendations given will allow the “Ten” to live without glitches and brakes.

Download TweakNow PowerPack

Windows 10 optimization video

In order to measure computer performance using tests, it is not necessary to download any third-party applications and utilities.

It is enough to use the resources already built into the operating system.

Although to obtain more detailed information the user will have to find a suitable program.

Based on the test results, you can draw conclusions about which part of your PC or laptop requires replacement sooner than others - and sometimes you can simply understand the need to buy a new computer.

The need to perform a check

Computer speed testing is available to any user. The test does not require any specialized knowledge or experience with specific versions of Windows OS. And the process itself is unlikely to require spending more than an hour.

Reasons why you should use the built-in utility or third-party application refers to:

• Unreasonable slowdown of the computer. Moreover, not necessarily the old one - the check is needed to identify problems with new PCs. For example, the minimum results and indicators of a good video card indicate incorrectly installed drivers;
• checking the device when selecting several similar configurations in a computer store. This is usually done before buying laptops - running a test on 2-3 devices with almost identical parameters helps to find out which one is better suited to the buyer;

• the need to compare the capabilities of various components of a gradually modernized computer. So, if the HDD has the lowest performance value, then it should be replaced first (for example, with an SSD).

According to the results of testing, which revealed the speed at which the computer performs various tasks, you can detect problems with drivers and incompatibility of installed devices. And sometimes even poorly functioning and broken parts - for this, however, you will need more functional utilities than those built into Windows by default. Standardized tests reveal minimal information.

System check

You can check the performance of individual computer components using the built-in capabilities of the Windows operating system. Their operating principle and information content are approximately the same for all versions of the Microsoft platform. And the differences lie only in the method of launching and reading information.

Windows Vista, 7 and 8

For versions 7 and 8 of the platform, as well as Windows Vista, the performance counter of computer elements can be found in the list of basic information about the operating system. To display them on the screen, just right-click on the “My Computer” icon and select properties.

If testing has already been carried out, information about its results will be available immediately. If you are running the test for the first time, you will have to run it by going to the performance test menu.

The maximum score that Windows 7 and 8 can achieve is 7.9. You should think about the need to replace parts if at least one of the indicators is below 4. For a gamer, values ​​above 6 are more suitable. For Windows Vista, the best indicator is 5.9, and the “critical” indicator is about 3.

Important: To speed up performance calculations, you should turn off almost all programs during the test. When testing a laptop, it is advisable to plug it into the network - the process significantly consumes battery power.

Windows 8.1 and 10

For more modern operating systems, finding information about computer performance and starting to calculate it is no longer so easy. To run a utility that evaluates system parameters, you should do the following:

1Go to operating system command line(cmd via menu "Run" caused by pressing keys simultaneously Win + R);

2Enable evaluation process, leading the team winsat formal –restart clean;

3Wait for the job to complete;

4Go to folder Performance\WinSAT\DataStore located in the Windows system directory on the computer’s system drive;

5Find and open the file in a text editor "Formal.Assessment (Recent).WinSAT.xml".

Among the multitude of text, the user must find the WinSPR block, where approximately the same data is located that is displayed on the screen of Windows 7 and 8 systems - only in a different form.

Yes, under the name SystemScore the general index calculated from the minimum value is hidden, and MemoryScore, CpuScore And GraphicsScore indicate the memory, processor and graphics card indicators, respectively. GamingScore And DiskScore– performance for gaming and for reading/writing the hard drive.

The maximum value for Windows 10 and version 8.1 is 9.9. This means that the owner of an office computer can still afford to have a system with numbers less than 6, but for full operation of a PC and laptop it must reach at least 7. And for a gaming device - at least 8.

Universal method

There is a method that is the same for any operating system. It consists of launching the task manager after pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys. A similar effect can be achieved by right-clicking on the taskbar - there you can find an item that launches the same utility.

You will be able to see several graphs on the screen - for the processor (for each thread separately) and RAM. For more detailed information, go to the “Resource Monitor” menu.

Using this information, you can determine how heavily loaded individual PC components are. First of all, this can be done by the loading percentage, secondly - by the color of the line ( green means normal operation of the component, yellow– moderate, red– need to replace the component).

Third party programs

Using third-party applications, checking your computer's performance is even easier.

Some of them are paid or shareware (that is, they require payment after the trial period ends or to increase functionality).

However, these applications conduct more detailed testing - and often provide a lot of other information useful to the user.

1. AIDA64

AIDA64 includes tests for memory, cache, HDDs, SSDs and flash drives. And when testing a processor, 32 threads can be checked at once. Among all these advantages, there is also a small drawback - you can use the program for free only during the “trial period” of 30 days. And then you will have to either switch to another application, or pay 2265 rubles. for a license.

2. SiSoftware Sandra Lite

3.3DMark

4.PCMark 10

The application allows you not only to test the operation of computer components, but also to save test results for future use. The only drawback of the application is the relatively high cost. You will have to pay $30 for it.

5. CINEBENCH

The test images consist of 300 thousand polygonal images that add up to more than 2000 objects. And the results are given in the form PTS indicator - the higher it is, the more powerful the computer. The program is distributed free of charge, which makes it easy to find and download it on the Internet.

6. ExperienceIndexOK

Information is displayed on the screen in points. The maximum number is 9.9, as for the latest versions of Windows. This is exactly what ExperienceIndexOK is designed for. It is much easier to use such a program than to enter commands and search for files with results in the system directory.

7.CrystalDiskMark

To test a disk, select the disk and set the test parameters. That is, the number of runs and file sizes that will be used for diagnostics. After a few minutes, information about the average read and write speed for the HDD will appear on the screen.

8. PC Benchmark

Having received the test results, the program offers to optimize the system. And after improving performance, a page opens in the browser where you can compare the performance of your PC with other systems. On the same page you can check whether your computer can run some modern games.

9. Metro Experience Index

10.PassMark PerformanceTest

conclusions

Using different methods to test your computer's performance allows you to check how your system is performing. And, if necessary, compare the speed of individual elements with the performance of other models. For a preliminary assessment, you can conduct such a test using built-in utilities. Although it is much more convenient to download special applications for this - especially since among them you can find several that are quite functional and free.

Video:

In previous Windows 10 operating systems, in the computer properties you could easily find an assessment of the system performance that the computer itself produced. But in the tenth version of Windows, this option disappeared from this menu, but it was not removed completely, but moved, since the rating was rarely useful to users and only took up space. Next, we will look at ways to check and find out how the system is working using built-in programs, as well as find out the level of PC performance through third-party applications and widgets, but first you need to understand what the “Performance Index” is.

Why performance assessment is needed

The performance index or assessment of a computer's performance is how well and quickly it copes with assigned tasks relative to its potential capabilities. The system evaluates itself and uses a ten-point rating scale, or more precisely, from 1.0 points to 9.9. If your computer's performance index is below 7.0, then you should think about the fact that the system is overloaded or cannot cope for other reasons.

How to check your computer's performance in Windows 10

So, in previous versions of the operating system, you could find the data you needed in the “Counters and Performance Tools” section, but now this section is missing. Therefore, it is impossible to find the rating in the computer properties, but this can be done by running certain commands.

Through command execution

1. Using Windows Search, open Command Prompt.
2. Start the automatic computer evaluation process by running the winsat formal –restart clean command.
3. Wait for the operation to complete, which may take several minutes, as the system has a large number of statistics to evaluate. You won't see the evaluation result on the command line; you'll need to open Explorer to find it.
4. Go to the special folder by going to the following path: C:\Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore. Let's move along the path
5. The final folder will contain a file called Formal.Assessment (Recent).WinSAT.xml, which you must run through a browser or text editor.
6. After opening a file with a large amount of text, find the WinSPR block in it and view performance statistics for each of the evaluated computer components.

The lines called by the open file mean the following things:

• SystemScore is a Windows 10 performance index calculated using the minimum value.
• MemoryScore - RAM.
• CpuScore - processor.
• GraphicsScore - graphics performance (meaning interface operation, video playback).
• GamingScore - gaming performance.
• DiskScore - hard drive or SSD performance

Through third party programs

You can find many third-party programs that allow you to evaluate the performance of your computer, but now we will look at one of the best of them - Winaero WEI tool. The application has a simple and pleasant design, distributed free of charge on the official website of the developer -

http://winaero.com/download.php?view.79. To use this program, you just need to launch it; it will do the rest itself: it will evaluate system performance and provide detailed statistics about individual parts of the computer. The assessment is carried out according to the same ten-point system: from 1.0 to 9.9. By clicking the Re-run the assessment button, you can restart the assessment process.