System Mechanic was developed by iolo, a U.S. company creating computer optimization tools since 1998. Customers can purchase these separately or opt for the company’s suite to enjoy the full package, which includes the registry cleaner. System Mechanic Ultimate Defense runs remarkably well and is an outstandingly complete and user-friendly suite. This makes it suitable for all kinds of customers, as both beginners and experts will feel comfortable and secure using the program to clean their registry and boost computer performance. However, it’s also possible to stick with the basic version and enjoy a fast registry cleaner with customizable scanning and repairing options for an attractive price.
Customers looking for just a registry cleaner can opt for the basic System Mechanic pack. This comes with customizable scanning and repairing, such as the ability to choose which components the program should avoid and which it can analyze in more detail. However, note that System Mechanic Ultimate Defense may be a better option overall since it comes with many more features, making it the go-to option for those customers looking for the most comprehensive suite.
There’s nothing better than a complete suite when it comes to computer optimization. Therefore, the vast range of features of System Mechanic Ultimate Defense makes this a true jackpot as this suite is packed with the most important and requested functions. Moreover, many of these can be configured to work automatically, eliminating the need for constant user interaction to actively protect and improve device performance. The registry cleaner of System Mechanic and System Mechanic Professional is included, but with Ultimate Defense customers can also enjoy plenty of other tools. Privacy Guardian, Malware Killer, ByePass and even an antivirus can all be bought separately from iolo, but are all conveniently integrated in Ultimate Defense.
System Mechanic performs complete scans by default, meaning that if the user doesn’t change any settings, every item in the computer will be comprehensively analyzed. While this seems a huge task, it actually takes much less processing power than expected as System Mechanic scans are fast and CPU impact is minimal. This varies depending on the computer, but users can also customize their scan to make it faster and more specific.
However, we noted in our tests that scans sometimes jam. It doesn’t happen often, and it shouldn’t impact the overall experience of the program, but we were still forced to restart a frozen app more than once. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: uncheck the box where the program keeps getting stuck and then run a separate scan on it.
Despite this, we still recommend performing a complete system scan every once in a while.
The customization options provided by the program are most useful when it comes to repairs. Users can give System Mechanic permission to sweep everything found in the registry, hard drive, or other locations, and that may seem like the obvious choice for many. However, the registry is one of the most delicate components of a computer, and it’s easy to make a mistake. Therefore, to ensure that no program becomes corrupted by the accidental deletion of vital files, it’s always advisable to access the log and go over the files manually, selecting what can be fixed or deleted.
Fortunately, System Mechanic also provides a brief explanation of each problem (empty registry key, corrupted DLL, invalid shortcut, etc.) along with a recommendation of an action to take, which is handy for the less tech-savvy. The useful Search and Recover should be mentioned here too, as it allows the undoing of some actions to fix accidental deletions, for instance. However, you cannot recover anything that’s been deleted by the incinerator.
This is one of the biggest surprises of System Mechanic: the more features a customer adds, the better the bargain. The standard price of the default registry cleaner is $39.95 per year, which translates to a monthly cost of $3.33. But on top of this, there are the Professional and Ultimate Defense versions, which are both well worth the extra investment.
Every option includes an automatically applied 20% discount, which in the case of the basic System Mechanic, cuts $10 from the original price and just over $16 on Ultimate Defense. Without any discounts, the total price for this suite is $79.95 per year. Best Reviews readers can get an additional discount coupon to enjoy an exclusive 70% off.
These discounts come in very handy, but System Mechanic also has its >freemium version for those who want to test it out first. While there’s no time limit to use the program, the range of features is reduced to the minimum. All purchases include a 30-day money-back guarantee, and payment methods include credit cards and PayPal.
Usually, the bigger the company, the better the customer support, and iolo definitely provides a wide range of resources. The forums, knowledge base, and FAQ pages are worth visiting to access the quick install guides and get answers to the most basic questions and problems. There are also glossaries and other reading materials, but for a more direct contact users can resort to a handful of options available 24/7, such as a live chat, email address and toll-free U.S. phone number. The company is also present on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, the latter being particularly useful for watching the many tutorials about the company’s different programs.
System Mechanic is a prime example of a fantastic PC optimization service. Truth be told, there isn’t much to criticize iolo for other than some occasional program jams when scanning. As a whole, though, the program itself works flawlessly as the scans run fast and are easy on resources while still being comprehensive and requiring only as much manual interaction as dictated by each user. A first glance at the price may scare some customers away but considering all the tools included and after applying the discounts, it becomes very competitive and definitively worth the investment.
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I was using the software for so long until they updated with the new one I started having problems that I have to reboot twice because it’s not reading all my drives and some software starts to have problems
Hey Sergio! Did you manage to find a solution? Please go ahead and reach out to the company’s customer service for this issue – there are many ways to contact them, including over the phone at (808) 207-3783 and via live chat. Best of luck, and feel free to comment again if you’re still having an issue. Thanks and have a good day 🙂
On initial startup with “System Mechanic” using “Analyze” it consistently seems to hang-up and not get past “Deceptive and Unwanted programs” during the scan.
This is just 1 of several hundred bugs I’ve found that never seem to get addressed.
Overall it’s okay but I personally won’t be renewing.
I downloaded System Mechicnic as a free trial for 30 days yeasterday, it never downloaaded, so I think its a scam. Cancel!
I have been using Iolo’s System Mechanic for several years now and am very happy with it, following a recommendation from our company’s IT director.
I first used the free download, which made my home PC far swifter and smoother, then paid for a subscription, which I now use on my PC, laptop and children’s PC.
All three are running smoothly, with virtually no snags or slows.
Yes, it needs running every two weeks or so, but most of the tools can be set to run in the background, which is very useful.
Several of my colleagues used to make quarterly trips to the repairman to keep their laptops running properly and have now added System Mechanic. Overall I reckon to have easily saved a small fortune on trips to the repairman, plus huge savings of wasted time.
I get regular offers for reduced prices as a valued customer, which brings the cost down to Peanuts. I have never needed to bother with Customer Service, hence the 4 stars.
This range of tools is invaluable.
Dell recommends System Mechanic, so I downloaded ‘System check up’ and after it scanned my system, it advised that I had 1698 errors. I accepted ‘Fix with system mechanic’ paid my cash and after about 10 days of use, when I run ‘System check up’ again, I still have exactly the same system errors as I had prior to purchasing and downloading ‘System mechanic’
I have run every possible repair system it has, optimised it against my PC, and anti malware/security programmes.
Yes, it scans each time it is selected, and tells me I have 1 registry problem,but always says my system is ‘Good’
And, the reason from purchasing the product?
PC still runs slow!
I would not recommend this software, as it does not do what it is sold to do.