#1 IObit Advanced SystemCare Review in 2024
IObit Advanced SystemCare is a thorough PC optimization and security suite that's been around for quite some time. As someone who's always on the lookout for efficient ways to keep my computer running smoothly, I decided to put this software to the test.
In this IObit Advanced SystemCare review, I'll share my hands-on experience with the software, examining its features, performance, and overall value. Whether you're dealing with a slow PC or just want to ensure your system is running at its best, you might be curious about what this tool has to offer.
Here's what you'll learn in this review:
- How easy it is to install and use IObit Advanced SystemCare
- The effectiveness of its PC optimization and cleaning tools
- How well it protects your privacy and security
- Its impact on system performance
- Whether it's worth the price tag
Let's examine and see what IObit Advanced SystemCare is really capable of!
In a Hurry? Here's a Quick Summary
If you're short on time, here's a quick overview of my findings after thoroughly testing IObit Advanced SystemCare:
What You'll Like:
- Easy to use interface with dark mode option
- Comprehensive set of PC optimization tools
- Effective privacy protection features
- Real-time protection against online threats
- Includes a VPN service in the Ultimate version
What You May Not Like:
- Higher system resource usage during full scans
- Some features require separate downloads
- Limited customization options for some tools
- Occasional promotional pop-ups for other IObit products
What Makes This IObit Advanced SystemCare Review Different?
Many IObit Advanced SystemCare reviews out there just scratch the surface, often repeating information from the product's website. But that's not my style. I believe in giving you a real, hands-on perspective.
For this review, I purchased and installed IObit's software it on my Dell XPS laptop. I spent about two weeks thoroughly testing every feature, running multiple scans, and monitoring its impact on my system performance. I've captured 20 screenshots to show you exactly what to expect when using this software.
What you're about to read is based on my personal experience, not just marketing claims. I've put IObit Advanced SystemCare through its paces, testing its effectiveness in real-world scenarios. So, whether you're considering buying this software or just curious about its capabilities, you'll get an honest, detailed IObit Advanced SystemCare review.
Buying IObit Advanced SystemCare
For this IObit Advanced SystemCare review, I wanted to go all in. So, I opted for the most comprehensive package they offer: Advanced SystemCare Ultimate. This version includes not just the optimization tools, but also antivirus protection powered by Bitdefender's engine. The other versions are Malware Fighter Free and Malware Fighter Pro.
IObit offers a significant discount for the first year, which made the decision easier. I got a 40% discount on a 1-year subscription for 3 PCs. What caught my eye was their 60-day money-back guarantee - that's twice as long as most antivirus companies offer, giving you plenty of time to test it out.
The buying process was simple. I clicked the 'Buy' button, reviewed my order, entered my personal information and payment details. I had the option to pay via debit card, wire transfer, or Skrill. The payment was processed by 2Checkout, which is a reputable payment processor.
After completing my purchase, I received two emails: one with my invoice and another containing my license key and download link. The whole process was effortless and trouble-free, which is always a good start when trying out new software.
Installation
Installing IObit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate was a breeze. I used the download link provided in the email I received after my purchase. The installer launched quickly, and I was presented with the first step of the installation process.
A welcome screen for Advanced SystemCare Ultimate Installer with options to proceed with the installation.
One thing to note: during installation, I was offered additional software like a VPN, a screen recorder, and a desktop organizer. While these might be useful for some users, I declined as they weren't part of my Ultimate subscription and would require additional payment to activate.
The actual installation took about 30 seconds, which is impressively quick. In the final step, I was asked if I wanted to subscribe to their newsletter for tips, a free ebook, and special offers. After that, I activated the software using the license key from my order email by clicking the 'Activate Now' button on the left sidebar.
Overall, the installation process was quick and simple, though I'd prefer if the additional software offers were less prominent.
Interface
When you first launch IObit Advanced SystemCare, you're greeted with a sleek, dark blue interface that's both modern and easy to use. The main window is resizable, which is a nice touch for customizing your workspace.
The main manual malware detection features: Quick Scan, Full Scan, and Custom Scan.
The layout is well-organized, with a sidebar on the left containing links to major feature categories: Antivirus, Care, Speed Up, Software Updater, and Action Center. The main area of the window displays options for each selected feature, making it easy to navigate and use the various tools.
In the top right corner, you'll find a notification bell, access to the toolbox window, and the settings menu. The settings menu is where IObit Advanced SystemCare really shines in terms of customization. You can choose between dark and light themes, change the background image, modify the side navigation style, and even adjust the font size and window transparency.
Interface customization options including skin selection, navigation style, and font size adjustments.
One feature that impressed me was the language options. IObit Advanced SystemCare supports 36 languages, which is more than any other antivirus software I've come across. This makes it accessible to a wide range of users around the world.
The general settings allow you to enable or disable various features like the user account control warning, Performance Monitor app, and context menu items. This level of customization is great for users who like to tailor their software experience.
The general options include enabling performance monitoring and customizing context menu actions for faster PC enhancements.
Overall, I found the interface to be user-friendly and visually appealing. The ability to customize various aspects of the UI is a big plus, allowing users to set up the software in a way that best suits their preferences and workflow.
Major Features
Now, it’s time to delve into IObit Advanced SystemCare antivirus’s essential features. We’ll highlight its unique aspects and consider why it could be a solid choice for securing your system.
Real-Time Protection
One of the key features of IObit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate is its real-time protection against malware and other online threats, such as spyware, adware, and trojans. This feature is enabled by default, but you can adjust its settings to suit your needs.
Configuration screen to toggle real-time protection and set the level of security for monitoring and handling threats.
In the settings, you can choose from three protection levels: low (protects executable files only), medium (protects executables, DLLs, documents, and compressed files), and high (protects all files). I appreciate this flexibility, as it allows users to balance protection and system performance according to their preferences.
You can also decide how the software handles detected threats. It can either process them automatically without notifications or alert you when a threat is detected. I prefer to be notified, but the automatic option could be useful for less tech-savvy users who just want the software to handle everything in the background.
Web Protection
IObit Advanced SystemCare offers a suite of web protection features, accessible from the Antivirus tab. These include email protection, ads removal, surfing protection, and a homepage advisor. To use these features, you need to install the IObit Surfing Protection browser extension.
The red warning screen notifies you that the current website has been reported as unsafe, advising against continued access.
The extension is available for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer. In my testing, I found the ad removal feature to be quite effective. It also did a good job of highlighting safe and potentially dangerous links in Google search results.
To test the web protection capabilities, I visited several test websites:
The results were mixed. While it successfully blocked some threats, it missed others that I would expect a top-tier security solution to catch. This suggests that while the web protection is useful, it might not be as thorough as some dedicated antivirus solutions. For example, Norton and Bitdefender have better results.
Scan
Next in this IObit SystemCare review, I'll show what it's really like to use the program. First, the scanning options to check your system for threats and optimize performance.
Quick Scan
The Quick Scan is accessible from the Antivirus tab and focuses on scanning critical files on your device, such as executables. In my test, it scanned almost 30,000 objects in a matter of minutes.
The outcome of a quick scan, displaying detected threats and their source files, with options to fix them.
During this scan, it detected 3 threats that I had intentionally downloaded from a previous web protection test. I chose to fix these threats, and IObit Advanced SystemCare resolved them in just a few seconds. This quick response to detected threats is impressive and reassuring.
Full Scan
The Full Scan is more comprehensive, checking all types of files on your computer system. You can initiate this scan from the Antivirus tab as well. In my tests, Advanced SystemCare scanned over 603,000 objects in 55 minutes and detected 7 threats.
A full scan result with a list of identified threats and their locations, along with a button to fix these issues.
During the scan, you can see real-time information about which files are being scanned, how many objects have been scanned, detected, and fixed, as well as the elapsed time. I appreciate the ability to pause or stop the scan at any time, giving users more control over the process.
One useful feature is the ability to choose what happens with detected files. You can set it to automatically fix issues, or to fix issues and then restart or shut down your computer. This flexibility is great for scheduling scans when you're not actively using your PC.
Custom Scan
The Custom Scan option allows you to select specific locations on your hard drive to scan. While it's similar to a Quick Scan in terms of speed, the ability to choose scan locations is useful. However, I found the customization options to be somewhat limited compared to some other antivirus solutions I've used.
Ransomware Protection
In today's digital environment, ransomware is a significant threat. Did you know that ransomware is the most common form of malware? That's why I was particularly interested in testing IObit Advanced SystemCare's ransomware protection capabilities.
A comprehensive view of various protection features including real-time antivirus protection, privacy settings, and browser security.
The Anti-Ransomware Shield can be enabled under the Antivirus tab > Protection details > System Protection. When you turn it on, you'll need to restart your device for the changes to take effect.
One feature I liked was the ability to choose which file types to protect. For instance, if you're not concerned about document files, you can uncheck them in the File Type list. This level of customization allows you to balance protection and system performance.
To test the effectiveness of the ransomware shield, I used a ransomware simulation app. IObit Advanced SystemCare managed to block 14 out of 22 simulated ransomware attacks. While this is a decent result, it's not the best I've seen from top-tier antivirus solutions. It suggests that the ransomware protection is good, but there might be room for improvement.
Silent Mode
Silent Mode is a handy feature for those times when you don't want to be disturbed by notifications or background processes. You can enable it from the Antivirus tab > Protection details > System Protection > Auto Silent Mode.
Settings to automatically enable Silent Mode during specified full-screen tasks, reducing unnecessary notifications.
When activated, Silent Mode reduces resource consumption and ignores non-critical notifications. It does this by changing the protection level to low, automatically denying access when a threat is detected (without notification), canceling update services, and postponing scheduled scans.
An interesting feature is the ability to add user-specified programs to trigger Silent Mode. This means you can set certain applications (like games or video editing software) to automatically activate Silent Mode when they're running. I found this particularly useful when I wanted to focus on resource-intensive tasks without interruptions.
Privacy Protection
IObit Advanced SystemCare offers a suite of privacy protection tools, accessible via the Antivirus tab > Protection details > Privacy Protection. There are three main features in this category:
Access Protection
This feature automatically blocks untrusted programs from accessing your sensitive data. It's designed to protect against risks from ransomware, phishing sites, and junk messages.
Privacy protection interface showing options to secure browsing data, contacts, and cloud storage.
I found the interface for this feature to be quite user-friendly. You can easily add or remove programs from the trusted and untrusted lists. Moreover, you can specify the types of sensitive data you want to protect, and even add specific files or folders to secure. This level of customization is impressive and allows for very detailed control over your privacy settings.
Fingerprint Protection
This interesting feature aims to disguise your online identity to keep your true identity and online activities private.
Advanced privacy protection settings to enable browser fingerprint protection and keep browsing activities private.
You can select which browsers to enable fingerprint protection for (Chrome, Edge, and IE are supported). Additionally, you can add websites that you trust and allow to collect your digital fingerprint. While I couldn't verify the effectiveness of this feature independently, the concept is intriguing and could be valuable for privacy-conscious users.
Anti-Tracking
The Anti-Tracking feature automatically clears your browsing data to avoid online tracking, targeted ads, and privacy leaks.
Here are the options for clearing browsing data across different browsers to prevent tracking and ensure privacy.
I particularly liked the flexibility of this feature. You can choose exactly what type of browsing data you want to clear and from which browsers. There's even a "Recommended" button that will select common data types for you, which is helpful for less tech-savvy users.
All these privacy features include a History graph where you can see what was deleted and blocked and when. This provides a nice overview of how the software is working to protect your privacy over time.
Care
The Care tab is where IObit Advanced SystemCare really shines in terms of system enhancement. It offers 12 modules designed to clean and optimize your PC for top performance.
System care features highlighting options like privacy sweep, junk file clean, and system optimization scans.
To use this feature, you can either select all modules or choose specific ones you want to run. After clicking the "SCAN" button, the software will analyze your system.
In my test for this IObit Advanced SystemCare review, it found nearly 17,000 items to be cleaned in about 5 minutes. Clicking on "Fix" resolved all issues in a matter of seconds. This extensive approach to system cleaning is impressive and can potentially make a significant difference in your PC's performance.
A summary of identified issues and recommended fixes for improved system performance and security.
Let's break down some of the key modules:
- Privacy Sweep: This module removes your activity history and surfing traces. I found it meticulous, but make sure to close your running browsers before cleaning for best results.
- Junk File Clean: It cleans up unnecessary files to free up disk space. You can customize what types of files to clean in the settings.
- Registry Clean: This feature cleans up the registry in depth, which can potentially improve PC performance. However, as with any registry cleaner, use it with care.
- Spyware Removal: It detects and removes spyware and other security threats. In the settings, you can adjust the scan priority and enable "full detection" for more meticulous scans.
- Internet Boost: This module aims to accelerate your internet speed. While I didn't notice a dramatic change, your results may vary depending on your network setup.
- System Optimization: This feature optimizes system performance based on how you use your PC. I liked that you could choose different optimization modes like "business PC" or "game machine".
- Security Reinforce: This reduces the risk of data theft or system damage by optimizing various system configurations. It offers both basic and deep reinforce options.
Speed Up
The Speed Up tab offers several tools designed to boost your system performance, including Turbo Boost, Startup Optimizer, and Real-Time TuneUp.
In Speed Up tab, you can adjust startup items to improve the system's boot speed and overall performance.
Turbo Boost
Turbo Boost aims to optimize your computer by disabling unnecessary services and background apps.
You can boost system performance by disabling unnecessary background services and apps for better efficiency.
You can choose between Work Mode, Game Mode, and Economy Mode, each optimized for different situations. I found the Game Mode particularly useful when I wanted to squeeze out extra performance for gaming sessions.
Startup Optimizer
This feature helps speed up your computer's boot time by managing startup items.
Detailed list of startup programs with an option to disable non-essential services to reduce boot time.
The interface provides detailed information about each startup item, including its "disable rate" and impact on boot time. This makes it easy to decide which items to disable or delay. I appreciated the ability to manage not just traditional startup items, but also browser startups and scheduled tasks.
Real-Time TuneUp
Real-Time TuneUp enables Performance Monitor and Auto RAM Clean to monitor and release system resources in real-time.
The small Performance Monitor window displays CPU, GPU, RAM, and fan metrics in real time.
The Performance Monitor displays key information like RAM, CPU, and Disk usage. I found this tool particularly useful for identifying resource-hungry processes and ending them quickly to free up system resources.
Software Updater
The Software Updater helps keep your important programs up to date, which is crucial for both security and performance.
Software Updater showing outdated programs In my testing, it accurately identified outdated software on my system and offered one-click updates. This feature can be a real time-saver, especially if you have many programs installed.
While IObit Advanced SystemCare offers many useful features, it's important to consider its impact on system performance. During my testing, I found that while running a full scan, the software consumed about 70% CPU power and 400 MB of RAM.
The Windows Task Manager indicates that all installed software, including browsers and media players, is up-to-date.
This is higher than the average of 25% CPU and 300 MB RAM typically seen in other antivirus solutions. While this might not be noticeable on high-end machines, users with older or less powerful computers might experience some slowdown during scans.
However, it's worth noting that when not actively scanning, the software's impact on system resources was minimal.
Conclusions
After thoroughly testing IObit Advanced SystemCare, I can say it's an extensive suite of tools for PC optimization and security. Here are my key takeaways from this IObit Advanced SystemCare review:
- The software offers a wide range of features, from basic system cleaning to advanced privacy protection tools.
- Its user interface is well-designed and easy to navigate, even for less tech-savvy users.
- The Care scan feature is particularly impressive, offering a one-click solution to clean up and optimize your system.
- The antivirus component, powered by Bitdefender's engine, provides solid real-time protection against malware.
- Some features, like the Software Updater and Startup Optimizer, can be real time-savers.
- The impact on system resources during full scans is higher than average, which might be a concern for users with older PCs.
Overall, I would recommend IObit Advanced SystemCare for users who want a comprehensive solution for both system optimization and security. It's particularly well-suited for those who prefer an all-in-one tool rather than managing multiple separate programs.
However, if you're primarily looking for antivirus protection and have limited system resources, you might want to consider lighter alternatives. For advanced users who enjoy fine-tuning their system, IObit Advanced SystemCare offers a wealth of tools and options to investigate.
Remember, the effectiveness of system optimization tools can vary depending on your specific hardware and usage patterns. While IObit Advanced SystemCare worked well on my system, I recommend taking advantage of the 60-day money-back guarantee to thoroughly test it on your own PC before making a long-term commitment.
Looking for alternative antivirus solutions? Check out Norton, Bitdefender, and McAfee. For more options, refer to our list of the best antivirus software for 2024.
Octav Fedor (Cybersecurity Editor)
Octav is a cybersecurity researcher and writer at AntivirusGuide. When he’s not publishing his honest opinions about security software online, he likes to learn about programming, watch astronomy documentaries, and participate in general knowledge competitions.