14 DAY TRIAL // All home users want to have the best possible PC configuration that can run the latest games, process audio and video with optimal speed and no quality compromises. It's also really nice when you have a management console that will enable you to monitor and administer the computer's performance and offer quick access to the most often used applications. The question is can you get all these features in a single package?
Well, you actually can and Pristy Utils is a versatile freeware solution that combines system monitoring, administration and optimization. With this suite of applications, you'll be able to easily manage your home PC and improve its overall performance with a few clicks.
Pristy Utils features a power management module, a useful web assistant that manages the Internet related functions and a system information component that reveals all the facts and figures about your computer. There is also a set of tools for cleaning system memory, secure erasing unwanted files and viewing the time in style with an original built-in desktop clock. The utilities are inter-connected in the Pristy Utils Toolbar and there is also a Tray Agent designed to help you access them more easily.
The power management module, namely System PowerDown, will allow you to perform a quick shutdown, reboot your system, log off a user, set the PC into sleep mode or lock the desktop with a single click. Pristy Utils also offers you the possibility to schedule any of these operations for a time and date you want. There's even a Preset menu that contains several time intervals from three minutes to 24 hours. The System PowerDown utility will let you set the system time by accessing the Clock Setup in the Options menu.
Once you've sorted out the power management settings for your computer, it's time to address the Internet features that Pristy Utils presents you. The Web Assistant component of this applications suite is designed for easy web access, searching and e-mailing from a single interface. It will automatically recognize the default system browser and all the web pages will be launched instantly. This module comes with a powerful searching facility that includes eight search engines for various types of information you may want to find. The actual search operation can be done using a specific engine or in multi search mode, that is to say using all the sources at once.
There is a separate Web Search menu that provides access to a total of 18 web search pages, so it's easy to find anything with the help of Web Assistant. As if these websites weren't enough, in the Info section you'll find 16 information suppliers and the News menu adds twelve more sources, so you cannot miss any piece of information needed. As far as the web services are concerned, Pristy Utils comes with 19 integrated sources that cover music, photos, movies, tech support and other areas you are interested in.
The Web Assistant component will work best if you access a tabbed browser so you can use the multi search mode and open all the sources simultaneously as the application gives you this possibility. The Internet companion also comes with a Favorites section that is designed to assist you in saving and accessing your preferred websites. For a faster access to the web pages, you can set up as much as eight quick links that will act like a phone speed dial. There is also another feature which needs to be mentioned and that is the mailing facility that enables you to send e-mail messages in virtually no time at all.
The third major component of Pristy Utils is the PC Detector that will provide you with detailed information about almost every component of your system. It covers the CPU, display and audio devices, RAM, networking, data storage and I/O connected devices. This utility will also allow you to perform sound or PC speaker tests and browse your computer's hard drive using the default Explorer tool. A minor drawback of this particular module is that it will only test a two-speaker system.
A useful tool provided by Pristy Utils is the Memory Cleaner that is capable of displaying the computer memory status and freeing it so that the system will work faster, having less memory in use. To complement this optimization function, there is File Wipeout, a little application that will erase any file beyond recovery. This comes in very handy when you need to permanently get rid of unwanted remains of uninstalled software, temporary or other unnecessary files.
The Desktop Clock gadget of Pristy Utils will allow you to view the current time, the CPU frequency and system uptime. You can use this watch as a replacement for the system clock if you get bored with the default one.
The Good
Pristy Utils offers a very useful set of power management and web access facilities that will ease the administration of a PC and will enhance the Internet browsing experience.
The suite itself, as well as the components are very low on system resources and offer very easy to use tuning options.
The Bad
On the downside, besides the occasional typos, Pristy Utils definitely needs more system optimization functions since the existing ones are rather scarce.
Also, the rather Spartan interface of the application could be more refined and should offer a few more features in addition to the colored skins.
The Truth
Given the fact that it's free for home use, this applications suite is definitely worth a try as it performs very well in the power managing and Internet assisting tasks and comes with a few useful system optimization tools.
However, Pristy Utils could do a lot better if it got more functions and an improved interface to serve the purpose it was built for: system management and optimization.
