Simple ways to check computer performance

Sponsored post by Iolo

There eventually comes a time for PC owners when we must decide between upgrading our computers or taking the time to identify and then fix any issues our current one has. If you are not exactly computer savvy, then upgrading your computer may seem like the most sensible and convenient thing to do. However, unless you want to make this same decision a few years down the road, it’s important to at least consider what may be affecting the performance of your PC — you might be surprised at what a simple diagnostic test can do for your performance.

There are plenty of ways to do this without taking your computer into a professional; you can run built-in diagnostic tools or seek out third-party software that focuses entirely on repairing your PC experience. The choice is yours but there is a good chance that you might have to explore both options depending on the state and age of your computer.

Computers have advanced incredibly in the last twenty years. Still, with program, software, and UI advancements, many other factors can significantly impact the way your computer runs. In this article, we will look at both built-in and third-party options that offer simple ways to check computer performance.

Built-In Computer Performance Benchmark Test

When your computer begins to feel sluggish, you can do many small things before starting any benchmark testing or diagnostic scans. If you have not shut down your computer in a while, you might be surprised at how much a simple reboot can do to performance. The same goes for updating your computer and drivers. Updates can take a long time depending on the state of your PC, but updating your computer can also improve overall performance.

If you have attempted these universal actions to improve performance, and nothing has changed, then you might have to dig a little deeper to find out what’s going on with your computer; this is where benchmarking comes in. Benchmark testing compares software, hardware, and network performance to identify performance metrics that may determine necessary changes or improvements that can be made to your PC to improve your performance.

If you have Windows 10, try the preloaded, built-in benchmark test that comes with the operating system called Performance Monitor. Performance Monitor is a built-in utility that runs a diagnostic scan for ways to check computer performance. This tool can be used to identify and analyze apps, hardware, and software data to fix performance-related issues.

There are many options available to run this utility tool, but the simplest way to launch this tool is to Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard and type “perfmon/report” OR simply type in performance monitor in the search bar- either works. Once the application is opened, it will start to collect necessary data, and you will see “Collecting data for 60 seconds”. Wait for the performance monitor to finish assembling the required data. The Performance Monitor will show graphs of various performance metrics that update in real-time.

After the scan, a system summary will show you all the details about the data collected from your PC. Look for a tab that says Diagnostic Results and click on that. The Diagnostic Results will include various reports consisting of subsections that review different areas of your PC that might affect performance — Warning, Informational, Basic System Checks, Resource Review. Each of these subsections will have various details about your PC, and the performance monitor will also give you a report for ways to maximize performance on your computer.

Additional Ways To Check Computer Performance

Suppose you’ve completed running the Performance Monitor tool built into Windows 10, and you are not satisfied with the report results. In that case, you may need to look for other options, such as third-party diagnostic software that can check and help to improve performance.

At Iolo, we are here to help you get your PC running the way it should and when you have exhausted all other options or simply wish to be proactive with a newer PC, then having software like System Mechanic can help with total check and improve performance, protection, and privacy.