[Windows] Optimize and manage CPU usage with Process Lasso
January 4, 2013 16
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Controlling what goes on while your computer is running can be tricky. Most of the time, there are things running in the background that you don’t even know about. That is why we all love to use task managers. Although Process Lasso does not bill itself as a task manager, it can help you optimize your computer’s performance, leaving other task managers in the dust.
WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES IT DO
Main Functionality
Process Lasso is a program that automatically helps you optimize your processes, CPU cores, and CPU consumption. The program also allows you to keep an eye on all of the processes running on your computer. This allows you to keep a watch out for disruptive processes that may be hugging up your CPU. Just remember, Process Lasso does not call itself a task manager. The part of the program that appears as a task manager is just there to help with the program’s primary functions, which is process optimization and automation.
The primary purpose of Process Lasso is to catch and kill rogue programs that take up too much CPU. In its most basic form, Process Lasso works by setting a CPU usage threshold level. Any process that crosses the threshold level for more than X seconds is either killed or its priority lowered, in an attempt to lower that process’s CPU usage. This is done to prevent one or two processes from consuming all your computer’s processing power and thus causing a lock up. Process Lasso also works the other way, having the ability to boost the priority of some processes to improve performance, such as when you play a game and the game’s process is boosted and protected to prevent disruption. And it does much more, too.
Pros
- Tons of CPU management/optimization tools including: default CPU affinities, energy saver options, foreground boosting, process classification, gaming mode, hyper-threaded core avoidance, disallowed processes, and default priorities (all these features are offered in both free and paid versions but paid version has more features, too)
- Easily switch between Power, Balanced, and Energy Saving modes
- Comes pre-configured to work out-of-the-box with no settings customization — install it and go
- Can be run as a service
- Offers two versions, free and paid
Cons
- Noticeable learning curve. If you want to customize any settings, it will take some time to get used to the program — primarily due to the terminology, primarily due to the interface, and primarily due to so many bloody options.
- Most of the cool features are only offered in the paid version, although the free version still has the core features necessary for CPU management.
Discussion
There are two versions of Process Lasso: the free version and the pro version. Today we are going to talk about the differences between both versions. Although this program does not bill itself as a task manager, it can pretty much do everything a task manger can do and then some.
First, you should note that the differences between the free and pro versions come down to the number of features included. Right now we are going to list the features that come with the free program. Keep in mind that all of the features listed here are also included in the pro. Free features include: Default CPU affinities, energy saver options, foreground boosting, process classification, gaming mode, hyper-threaded core avoidance, disallowed processes and default priorities.
Before you upgrade to the pro, you do have a chance to download a trail version of pro. This gives you access to more features that are not in the free version, but it still does not offer all of the features that you will find in the pro. The extra features you gain access to during the trial period are (aka the features not available in free version): Application power profiles, process watchdog (which limits memory and CPU usage), CPU throttling, automatic gaming mode, anti-sleep processes, keep processes running, and high performance power scheme processes.
If you do decide to upgrade to pro, it will cost you $24.95, which is actually not a bad price. The extra features you get on top of everything you have seen above include: Core engine as service, multimedia scheduler tool, access to older versions, premium support, and Tweakscheduler tool.
CONCLUSION AND DOWNLOAD LINK
Process Lasso is not meant to make your computer “faster”. If you have a Pentium III and you expect Process Lasso to turn it into a quad-core, you will be very disappointed. Similarly, Process Lasso is not meant to make your programs run “faster”. Rather, Process Lasso is intended to help you manage your CPU in the most efficient way possible, preventing rogue CPU usage from causing problems. In other words, Process Lasso doesn’t make anything “faster”; it stops programs/processes from unnecessarily making your computer/programs run slower. In that regard, Process Lasso performs extremely well; Process Lasso Pro is a terrific program. I especially like the extra functionality the developer has built-in that goes beyond just rogue-CPU-usage-management.
If you are looking for CPU management, Process Lasso is one of the best. Plus, since there is a free version, so you won’t lose much by giving it a go. If you like what you see in the free version, I would recommend taking the free trail of the paid version — that will unlock the paid features for a select amount of tries.If you decided you like pro, you can purchase it. Or you can simply stick with the free version — it may not have as many features as pro but it is still does an excellent job at CPU management.
Price: Two versions, Free and Pro ($24.95)
Version reviewed: 6.0.2.32
Supported OS: Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8
Download size: 1.2MB
VirusTotal malware scan results: 0/46
Is it portable? No
About the author: dotTech Staff View all posts by dotTech Staff
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Best program that is not a task manager but does everything except sweep the floor and make coffee.
Meh. Last year I was able to get a pro license for this well-loved app which I’d wanted for a very long time. It was disappointing. All it did was bog down my system. The same thing happened when I had the pro version of Anvir. I ended up uninstalling both of them. – No, I was not running them at the same time.
Might be something on your system, I hear you saying. That may be true, but I sure don’t know what.
I have been using this for two or so years. I think I am happy to have it, but by now I am not sure how much it helps me since I have long forgotten how this machine acts without it. I find myself turning it off from time to time when it is throttling programs back that I desire to have full access to the power of the machine. There is probably some good way to do that within the bounds of PLasso, but I typically simply end the program, and reboot the computer afterwards.
I’ve seen talk pro and con on this site and on Giveaway of the Day, but no one has offered any documented proof one way or the other. Are there any test results that were performed under controlled conditions that would clear up the uncertainty?
Ashraf,
If you have pro versions of this as well as Anvir and WinPatrol which would you run?
@kelltic: If you have no CPU usage issues, then this program will be of no help to you, which is probably your case.
@AFPhys: If i remember correctly, there are ways to whitelist processes and/or automatically enable gaming mode to prevent throttle of foreground process.
@Frank D: What do you mean? What uncertainty? Please specify.
@al hall: I actually currently use none becausr I have no need for either. I used to actively run WinPatrol Plus because of its default program changes monitoring and homepage change monitoring. I never ran the other two ’cause I had no need.
WinPatrol and Process Lasso do two different things and should be able to run together. anVir has an overlap with the other two.
@Ashraf, sorry I wasn’t clearer. I mean that some folks here and on GotD say it doesn’t do anything for them or slows their PC down, while others (like myself) say it’s a great program. My question is: is there a definitive test we could all see that would show the benefit of using it in terms we could all appreciate — without argument?
Didn’t notice much benefit using the paid version, and usually noticed general performance decrements, even after playing with it for a while. In contrast, with Hacker2, I can set priorities of the programs I want to accelerate, or slow down, and I find it an incredible aid, especially when running browsers with multiple tabs (which was like molasses with Lasso). I don’t even bother using Lasso anymore. I should probably unload it.
PS – Hacker 2 lets you do a wide range of useful things, including assign processes to specific cores, kill stuck programs, etc., in addition to assigning multiple levels of priorities to program speed/execution. It is much more useful for my purposes than Lasso.
@ Mike M — So where can one find this “Hacker2″?
Anyone interested in speeding up their foreground applications in Windows might be interested in TopWinPrio (http://www.lunaworx.net/2010/05/19/luna/topwinprio/). Works great for me, and I use both it and Process Lasso with no conflicts.
Hi Ashraf!!
Nice to see you again in the GATD forum.
Other 2 FREE alternatives worth a try:
* (Portable) Actual Booster
http://www.loonies.narod.ru/actlbstr.htm
* Mz CPU Accelerator
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/CPU-Tweak/Mz-Cpu-Accelerator.shtml
Enjoy!!
Hi Ashraf, all
I use this software (Pro version) since years and have (re)sold it to many customers.
It does a great job, especially on older (weak) machines. The less cores, the better. Especially one could run backup jobs with highest compression w/o interfering /w a normal servers operation.
The automatisms do not work anymore though (at least for me, customers) as the n-core processors are seldom ‘used up’ and it’s hard to define a requirement for automatic down-prioritizing of processes. So I don’t know if it was worth the money today.
Frank
[@Frank] BTW: still /very/ useful on Netbooks (any system /w Atom processors)
@Ashraf: It was great to be able to edit posts (at least) for a few minutes as it had been in earlier times…
[@Rajeev]
Process Hacker2 ?
http://sourceforge.net/projects/processhacker/
But that’s not really doing what Process Lasso does – I bought the Pro version having been introduced to it by GOTD and am very satisfied with it.
[@Ashraf] I have CPU issues with two applications. I’d hoped Process Lasso would help, but it didn’t. Neither did Process Tamer.