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CPUBalance: improve PC responsiveness

CPUBalance is a program for Microsoft Windows devices that is designed to retain system responsiveness during high load times.

It is designed by the creators of Process Lasso, a popular application that does that as well, and a lot more.

CPUBalance is powered by ProBalance, the process optimization technology that improves the responsiveness of the Windows PC.

What makes CPUBalance unique is the fact that it ships with a more advanced version of ProBalance. While that functionality may find its way into Process Lasso eventually, CPUBalance will always feature the latest algorithm while Process Lasso may not.

Another interesting thing about CPUBalance is that it runs as a standalone application but also in cooperation with Process Lasso. If you have installed Process Lasso on your system, it will extend Process Lasso by adding the latest controls and engine updates to the application.

CPUBalance

probalance

Note: CPUBalance is currently offered as a beta software, and not free software. It is available for $9.95 for a limited period of time. This is a third of Process Lasso's yearly price of $29.95 and about a sixth of the lifetime license price of $57.

CPUBalance adds an icon to the Windows System Tray on launch. It will run an update check as well which you cannot disable right now. While there is an option under "check for updates" when you right-click on the system tray, selecting it won't change the setting in the latest beta version.

The main program settings list quite an array of options to tweak the ProBalance configuration. The following options are provided right now:

  • Set the minimum CPU usage when you want the program to start making automatic adjustments to improve responsiveness.
  • Set per-process CPU usage when adjustments should start or stop.
  • Set the allowed time over CPU quota before adjustments begin.
  • Set the maximum and minimum time for adjustments.
  • Lower processes to idle priority instead of below normal (not selected by default).
  • Ignore all foreground processes, and all processes not running at normal priority.
  • Exclude system services from restraint.
  • Change affinity during restrained (only change CPU affinity, round robin CPU affinity selection, reduce CPU affinity by one randomly selected processors) (not selected by default)
  • Disable ProBalance functionality when the PC is idle. (not selected by default).
  • Lower I/O priority during restrating.
  • Disable CPU Core Parking during ProBalance restraint.
  • Set excluded processes.

CPUBalance Insights

cpubalance insights

CPUBalance Insights, which you can start from the system tray menu, is a log of sorts that lists the processes on the system that had to be retrained the most.

Each process is listed with its name, count, frequency of action and the last restraint time and date.

There is little else to do there other than opening the logs which displays additional information and options to filter the listing.

Closing Words

It is difficult to test programs that improve PC responsiveness. Some say that these programs are mostly snake oil, while others swear on them.

CPUBalance is a professionally designed program for Windows but it is quite difficult to come up with a target audience for the program. Process Lasso users may be interested in it as it extends the application, but is it worth the extra money? If Process Lasso works fine, there is little need to pay extra.

Non Process Lasso users on the other hand may prefer free solutions such as the recently reviewed Project Mercury which offer similar functionality.

Nothing is keeping you from giving CPUBalance a try. You can download the program from the developer site currently and install it just fine without need for activation right away. This should give you enough time to find out if it is beneficial on your system.

 

This article was first seen on ComTek's "TekBits" Technology News

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