9 best apps to monitor your computer system

Each OS has built-in utilities like System Monitor or Task Manager that allow monitor the processor load, the amount of free RAM, network traffic and others parameters.

They are great for one-time use. But if you need to frequently track such information or want to get more advanced data, it is better to use specialized tools.

1. Open Hardware Monitor

• Supported platforms: Windows.
• Price: is free.

A handy utility for monitoring the temperature of the processor and video card, fan speed, battery voltage, and other sensors. In addition to hardware parameters, Open Hardware Monitor is able to monitor resource consumption. Information can be viewed not only in the application window, but also through a neat widget, floating charts or in the tray on the taskbar.

Download from the official site →

2. CPUID HWMonitor

• Supported platforms: Windows.
• Price: is free.

Another program for monitoring sensor readings with a large equipment base, which developers always keep up to date. Sensors are grouped by type and are clearly displayed in the main window. The most popular parameters, if desired, can be displayed on the taskbar and customize their appearance.

Download from the official site →

3. Rainmeter

• Supported platforms: Windows.
• Price: is free.

A powerful open source desktop customization tool. Rainmeter supports a wide variety of custom skins that not only change the look of Windows, but also allow you to view a variety of system information.

Nice widgets on the desktop display CPU load, memory and disk processor usage, as well as hardware sensor data, depending on the selected theme.

Download from the official site →

4. iStat Menus

• Supported platforms: macOS.
• Price: 12 dollars.

One of the most advanced monitoring utilities that displays any computer parameters and additional data, such as a calendar or weather. iStat Menus features an incredible number of settings and a well-thought-out interface.

Brief information can be viewed in the macOS status bar, and more detailed information in the drop-down menu. Moreover, in the latter case, it is served in portions: when you hover over any parameter, detailed data is revealed, which, in turn, is also expanded into an even more detailed report.

Download from the official site →

5. MenuBar Stats

• Supported platforms: macOS.
• Price: 449 rubles.

Another powerful tool for comprehensive tracking of system resources and information from sensors of internal components. Cpu, memory, disk, network, battery, bluetooth, temperature - all this will be before your eyes in the menu bar.

Clicking on the icon of one of the parameters will open a window with detailed statistics. The latter can be viewed as a combined summary for all data or separately for each of the items.

Download from the official site →

6. Stats

• Supported platforms: macOS.
• Price: is free.

Completely free alternative to the two previous applications, not inferior to them in terms of capabilities. Stats is very similar to iStat Menus in both features and design. The most important indicators are displayed in the menu bar, and detailed statistics for each of them are displayed in a small window on click. Any of the elements is easily customizable, and for the most harmonious integration into the system, support for a dark theme is implemented.

Download from the official site →

7. Conky

• Supported platforms: Linux.
• Price: is free.

One of the most popular system monitoring tools in Linux, which can display almost any information on the desktop: from the amount of memory and the temperature of the processor to the weather and the track playing in the player.

Conky is highly customizable down to the smallest detail. True, this is done through a configuration file. But this is not a problem, since there are many pre-configured widgets for every taste on the web.

Download from the official site →

8. Bashtop

• Supported platforms: Linux.
• Price: is free.

An even more functional utility with huge monitoring and customization capabilities. Bashtop works inside the terminal and will appeal to everyone who loves the console and spends a lot of time there. Despite the limitations of the text interface, the program has a pretty nice appearance and clearly displays a lot of parameters.

Download from the official site →

9. Stacer

• Supported platforms: Linux.
• Price: free.

A useful application for optimizing and tuning various system data, which also offers basic monitoring capabilities. The main screen displays the PC configuration as well as key characteristics like memory and processor. Additionally, you can display resource usage graphs in real time and customize them.

Download from the official site →