SysMetrix 3.44

Getting this Nicholas Decker-developed application off the web, which is the first step you must take should you decide to give it a try, will only take a moment. The SysMetrix download weighs in at 6.0MB, which isn’t that much. On a high-speed internet connection it will take but a moment to get SysMetrix off the web and onto your computer. Personally I don’t particularly like it when a download takes forever to download.

After the download completes, you will have to install the application on your computer – that would be the second step you must take. At the time of writing this and according to the developer, SysMetrix works fine with the old but popular Windows XP, with the much avoided Windows Vista, and with the latest and greatest, Windows 7. And speaking of using SysMetrix on your Windows-powered computer, you will be glad to know that you can use the application free of charge for as long as you want because its freeware.

Once SysMetrix is up and running, it is finally time to enjoy the functionality it has to offer. What does this application do, you ask? As I mentioned in the title way up there, it is a skinnable clock and metering application. It displays a floating clock on the desktop; the floating part means that you can drag and drop the clock anywhere you want. You can customize the way the clock looks by choosing one of the multiple skins it has to offer.

The fact that SysMetrix is a metering application means it can monitor a wide variety of statistics: CPU usage, Windows uptime, memory usage, drive space usage, system volume, and many, many more.

The clock’s default skin (Veristic colors) for example displays CPU usage, disk statistics (used space, free space), memory usage, TCP, the date, Recycle Bin Statistics. Double click various areas on the clock and you can launch the Task Manager, Date and Time Properties, your browser, Windows Explorer. If you right click the SysMetrix floating clock, you can, among other things, easily logoff, restart, shutdown, force shutdown Windows.

If you hover the mouse cursor over the SysMetrix icon in the System Tray, you will see how much CPU and RAM you’re using (a percentage). Double click the icon and you will launch the Task Manager. Right click the icon and you will have access to the following:
- Run Explorer, web browser, email client, text editor, media player.
- System volume settings
- Mute volume
- Show desktop icons
- Activate screensaver
- Minimize SysMetrix to the System Tray
- Exit SysMetrix
- SysMetrix configuration – access this one and you will be able to customize your SysMetrix experience.

To sum it up, SysMetrix is free, it looks great, it puts a skinnable floating clock on your desktop, and it monitors numerous statistics. If I were to pick three words to describe this app, I would pick I LOVE IT. It packs a lot of functionality into a free and easy to use application.

Pros

• Freeware
• Easy to use
• Skinnable clock
• Powerful metering application
• It can do a lot of things (a detailed list is available here)

Cons

• None that I could think of

Additional information on SysMetrix is available here.

SysMetrix has been reviewed by George Norman on 15 Feb 2011. Based on the user interface, features and complexity, Findmysoft has rated SysMetrix 5 out of 5 stars, naming it Essential