Ashampoo PowerUp 3 Review
Windows keeps tons of secrets almost unimaginable to a regular PC user. In order to access these hidden functionalities one must have a thorough knowledge of the internal working of the system registry. But why bother spending hours fiddling through thousands of lines of registry codes just to modify a single Windows configuration? Considering the risk involved in directly editing the Windows registry, it’s just not worth it.
Now, you can unravel the mysteries of Windows with Ashampoo PowerUp 3, a revolutionary windows tool with tons of awesome system tweaks to safely fine tune Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000. Discover hidden functionalities you never before thought possible. Configure your system to behave just the way you want it. You can even achieve full system optimization with just a few mouse clicks. With Ashampoo PowerUp 3, your Windows is a stranger no more!
Feature Set [5/5]
Ashampoo PowerUp 3 is a collection of three programs, namely, the PowerUp main tools, the system optimization tools and the desktop tray tools. Each of these programs offer unique and significant functionalities essential in customizing the behavior of Windows and in keeping your system running in top shape at all times.
The main PowerUp program is a powerful tool to customize Windows settings and configurations. This program allows users to fine tune specific areas to suit their needs. This can also be used to discover weak points of system’s current configuration and set the appropriate values for better performance. Features include custom system tweaks for general Windows operation and control, display and layout of the desktop and Windows Explorer, user interface settings, pointer devices configuration, Windows system paths, drives and file system control, boot up configurations, security and user privileges, network and internet settings, application and file icons for the Desktop and Start Menu and Microsoft Office and Outlook configurations. Modifying some of these settings may require users to restart their computer before they can see the changes they made.
The second component of Ashampoo PowerUp XP Platinum is the Windows optimization program. The Windows optimization program has two sub-components, namely, the Registry cleaner which functions like an ordinary registry cleaner except that it scans a broader range of errors and is able to correct these errors safely and automatically; and the File Wiper, a unique system utility that frees up valuable space on your hard drives by searching your computer’s folders for redundant files and optionally wiping them permanently, giving you more storage space on your disks
Finally, Ashampoo PowerUp 3 comes with a system tray tool which give users quick access to commonly used PowerUp configurations plus additional tools such as SwitchDesk and XP Firewall. SwitchDesk allows users to create multiple desktop instances so users can work more efficiently without the hassles of dealing with too many open windows and dialog boxes. By default, 3 pre-defined desktop instances are available and users are free to add more as the need arise. This feature is similar to virtual desktop features common to Linux desktop managers such as KDE and Gnome.
Ease of Installation [5/5]
Ashampoo PowerUp XP Platinum comes with a 10Mb installation package and takes less than a couple minutes to install. Installation process is automated and requires minimal user intervention except when specifying a different installation path. No advanced system configuration is required to install this application.
Help/Support [5/5]
Ashampoo PowerUp XP Platinum comes with a comprehensive user’s manual that provides users a complete overview of the software. All areas of the software are discussed in details starting from the software’s system requirements, installation guide, individual features, uninstallation and contact information. Aside from the offline manual, PowerUp XP Platinum offers online help features that enables users to purchase licensed copy of the software, recommend the software to a friend, access to special offers and newsletter, link to Ashampoo website, products and support and a feature to auto-download and update existing copy of the software.
Safety [4.5/5]
PowerUp XP Platinum incorporates as many safety features as possible, allowing automatic backup of current Windows configurations for safety precautions. However, the risk of corrupting the system due to wrong settings still exists and lies entirely on the user’s ability to discern which configurations are safe to modify and which are not. PowerUp XP Platinum tries to make a safe rollback of all changes when possible. All in all, this software is safe to use provided users take extra care modifying crucial Windows settings that may cause damage to the system especially the Windows registry.
Software Stability [5/5]
PowerUp XP Platinum runs seamlessly both on high and low-end machines. Memory usage varies depending how on many components are active at the same time. No sudden program crashes or stalls were encountered during several random test runs.
Summary [4.9/5]
Probably, PowerUp XP Platinum is one of the best Windows tools ever released this year. Its extensive collection of useful tools to fine tune and optimize the system is beyond the usual features offered by other system applications available today. We highly recommend everyone to grab themselves a copy of this software and be amazed of what it has to offer.
Single software license for PowerUp XP Platinum starts at $49.99 with minimal charges for additional licenses. You can also take advantage of our 25% discount on all orders. An outstanding offer for a complete system software package.
















