Maybe I’m just a control freak or maybe I’m just a little too techie for my own good; but I like to know what’s going on with my computer.
- How much RAM am I using?
- How is my CPU handling things?
- Is my computer overheating? Should I manually turn-up my fan speed?
- And what about network connectivity? How much am I downloading right now?
If you’re like me, you like to keep tabs on this while you’re doing various tasks on your computer. Back in the day, I used Yahoo! Widgets (do you remember those?), but what should I use today—on my Mac?
Hello, iStat Menus
The idea of paying $16 was a real turn-off for me. The freemium ecosphere of the Internet sure has spoiled us, hasn’t it?
However, after running through the iStat Menu trial period, the $16 was a no brainer.
I was hooked.
Not only did iStat give me quick info that I wanted at a glance, but it could give me more details without hardly any extra effort, and it was highly customizable.
iStat Menu has been one of the best system apps I’ve ever added.
Here’s how I have mine customized right now:
You can see how mine differs from the screenshot earlier in the post. You can edit the order of the info, what info you want displayed, and how it it’s displayed.
Since I also like to play games on my my Mac, keeping tabs on my system temperature is important to me. As you can see, iStat measures it all:
AND I can manually control my fan. So, if I am getting ready to play a game that’s more intense—like Tomb Raider—I just manually turn on my fans to my present “Medium” setting and keep my entire computer cool while I play, instead of letting it heat up a lot before it automatically kicks on.
You may also notice the system icons on the bottom of the menu (screenshot above). These are shortcuts that come in really handy, too. It’s the little things. 😉
One added bonus I found with iStat Menus was the calendar. I like to see my events at a quick glance as well as multiple time zones. So with one click of the date, it gives me a full view of everything I need when scheduling blog posts and interviews overseas:
Slick!
For the sake of the review, I’ve tried to think of some things I don’t like about it, but that’s been to no avail. If you like to keep tabs on how your system is performing, I think you’ll find iStats Menu to be a solid solution. It’s easy to use, customizable, and I am more than happy to pay $16 to keep such a great app moving forward.
I love iStat Menu!
— Design
— Features
— Performance
— Value for Money
Josh Byers says
Agreed!
I’ve used iStat for several versions now. Specifically I first used it with my Macbook Air and needed to know quickly how much hard drive space I had left.
Its also been invaluable for me to quickly gauge if my computer starts running slow, the CPU monitor lights up and I can instantly tell which app is hogging all the resources.
Its also useful for monitoring my internet connection. It tells me what is using my bandwidth. Too often there are hidden programs sucking it all away. iStat lets me know and kill them.
This absolutely is one of the best utilities I’ve ever purchased and use on a daily basis.
Eric Dye says
We are so on the same page with this. 😛