Skip Navigation LinksHome > Our Research

Research Studies

Title Date Download
The Impact of Time/Usage and PC Tune-Up Software on Selected PC Performance Factors

This study was designed to measure whether PC performance does worsen over time and whether PC tune-up software has an impact on such performance degradation. For each of the tested indicators of performance, researchers found significant degradations over time and found that a PC tune-up is effective in reversing this performance degradation.

07/10/2009 Download
PC Responsiveness: Observed Changes Over Time

This study measures whether startup time lengthens over a period of time and, if so, what factors may contribute to this impact. The study quantifies changes over time by observing machines starting from a brand-new PC to one that is two years old. Researchers found that over a two-year period, Windows startup time more than doubled, with an increase of 267%, the number of unnecessary startup tasks increased, from zero to 12, and the impact of unnecessary startup tasks sharply increased, accounting for 89% of the CPU usage.

07/10/2009 Download
Windows Startup: Observed Changes Over Time

This study measures whether startup time lengthens over a period of time and, if so, what factors may contribute to this impact. The study quantifies changes over time by observing machines starting from a brand-new PC to one that is two years old. Researchers found that over a two-year period, Windows startup time more than doubled, with an increase of 267%, the number of unnecessary startup tasks increased, from zero to 12, and the impact of unnecessary startup tasks sharply increased, accounting for 89% of the CPU usage.

07/10/2009 Download

Machine Class

To reflect the wide array of computers encountered in the field, iolo Labs divides PCs into a series of machine classes. These classes group and differentiate the most common uses for PCs and provide a snapshot of the hardware currently associated with each use. Machine classes establish a vernacular used by iolo Labs—when research is performed, testing can readily capture both the computer configuration and the typical use of the computer. Currently, iolo Labs defines five machine classes: Gamer, Power User, Home Office, Light User, and Dinosaur; each is described in the below table. Read more...