Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CNET VS Open Hardware Monitor

Compare CNET VS Open Hardware Monitor and see what are their differences

CNET logo CNET

CNET is a website that provides you with the latest tech news and tech reviews. The homepage of the website is a huge feed of the latest tech stories that would take you hours to sort through. Read more about CNET.

Open Hardware Monitor logo Open Hardware Monitor

Monitors temperature sensors, fan speeds, voltages, load and clock speeds, with optional graph.
  • CNET Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-21
  • Open Hardware Monitor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-31

CNET features and specs

  • Comprehensive Coverage
    CNET provides extensive coverage on a wide range of topics including technology news, product reviews, software, and how-to guides.
  • Expert Reviews
    The site features detailed expert reviews of the latest gadgets and tech products, offering valuable insights and recommendations.
  • User Reviews
    CNET allows users to leave reviews and ratings for products, giving a community perspective in addition to expert opinions.
  • Up-to-Date Information
    CNET is known for keeping its content current, regularly updating its articles, reviews, and news stories to provide the latest information.
  • Video Content
    The site offers a variety of video content, including tutorials, unboxings, and reviews, providing a rich multimedia experience.

Possible disadvantages of CNET

  • Advertisements
    CNET contains a significant amount of ads and sponsored content, which can be distracting and may affect the user experience.
  • Biased Reviews
    There have been claims that some reviews are biased, possibly due to partnerships with certain tech companies or advertisers.
  • Navigation Complexity
    The website’s layout can be complex and overwhelming, making it difficult for users to find specific information quickly.
  • Performance Issues
    The site can sometimes be slow to load, partly because of the heavy media content and numerous ads.
  • Information Overload
    Given the sheer volume of content available, users may sometimes find it challenging to sift through and find relevant information.

Open Hardware Monitor features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    Open Hardware Monitor is available for free and its source code is open to the public, allowing for transparency and community-driven improvements.
  • Wide Hardware Support
    The software supports a broad range of hardware devices including CPUs, GPUs, hard drives, and motherboards, making it versatile for various monitoring needs.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application features a straightforward and easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for users of all technical levels.
  • Customizable
    Users can customize the display and logging options to fit their specific needs, providing flexibility in how data is monitored and recorded.
  • Portable
    Open Hardware Monitor can be used without installation, allowing it to be run from a USB drive or other portable media.

Possible disadvantages of Open Hardware Monitor

  • No Official Support
    Since it is an open-source project, there is no official customer support, which can be a disadvantage for users needing immediate assistance.
  • Limited Development Updates
    The project development and updates have slowed down, making it potentially less reliable for the latest hardware and operating systems.
  • Windows-Centric
    While primarily designed for Windows, its functionality on other operating systems like Linux and macOS can be limited or require additional configuration.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    Certain newer or less common hardware components may not be fully supported, leading to incomplete or inaccurate monitoring data.
  • No Integrated Alerts
    The software does not offer built-in alert systems for critical hardware statuses, necessitating manual monitoring and intervention.

Analysis of CNET

Overall verdict

  • CNET is generally considered a reliable and trustworthy source for technology news and reviews. Its long-standing reputation in the tech journalism industry and its commitment to providing detailed, unbiased information make it a good resource for tech enthusiasts and consumers.

Why this product is good

  • CNET is a well-established technology news website that provides reviews, news, articles, blogs, and podcasts on a wide array of tech-related topics. It is respected for its thorough product reviews and comparisons, making it a valuable resource for consumers looking to stay informed about the latest tech trends and products. The website also features how-to guides and a robust video library, offering a comprehensive multimedia experience.

Recommended for

    CNET is recommended for anyone interested in technology, including tech enthusiasts, consumers looking to purchase new tech products, and individuals seeking information on how to use and troubleshoot technology in their daily lives.

Analysis of Open Hardware Monitor

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Open Hardware Monitor is a reliable and efficient tool for system monitoring. However, it might lack some advanced features found in professional-grade software. Still, it is an excellent choice for those who need a straightforward and cost-effective solution.

Why this product is good

  • Open Hardware Monitor is considered good by many users due to its open-source nature, allowing users to access the source code and contribute to its development. It's also praised for its simplicity, offering a user-friendly interface that provides comprehensive monitoring of various hardware components such as CPU, GPU, and temperature sensors. Another advantage is its compatibility with a wide range of hardware and that it does not require installation, which makes it highly accessible.

Recommended for

    Open Hardware Monitor is recommended for tech enthusiasts, system builders, and casual users who need an open-source and easy-to-use tool for monitoring their system's hardware performance. It's particularly suitable for those who appreciate the ability to customize and contribute to open-source software.

CNET videos

CNET's favorite 2020 laptops so far

Open Hardware Monitor videos

open hardware monitor video, dawnload and tutorial.wmv

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CNET and Open Hardware Monitor)
Software Marketplace
100 100%
0% 0
Monitoring Tools
20 20%
80% 80
Online Services
100 100%
0% 0
Device Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare CNET and Open Hardware Monitor

CNET Reviews

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Open Hardware Monitor Reviews

HWMonitor Review & Alternatives for 2023
Open Hardware Monitor is an on-device utility for PCs running Windows. The tool reports on the hardware statuses on the computer on which it is installed, which means that it doesn’t operate as a remote monitoring system. However, this software is available for use free of charge.
Top 8 BEST NZXT CAM ALTERNATIVES
The Open Hardware Monitor supports most hardware monitoring chips present on today’s mainboards. The core temperature sensors on Intel and AMD processors can be used to monitor the CPU temperature. The temperature of AMD and Nvidia visual cards and the temperature of SMART hard drives can be viewed. The monitored values can be presented in the main window, a desktop gadget,...
Source: gisuser.com
10 Best Nzxt CAM Alternatives
The Open Hardware Monitor interface is like a directory. It’s not as optimized as the Nzxt CAM interface, but it’s much easier to use. Just click on a specific hardware and get all the information about it.
11 Best CPU Temperature Monitor For Windows PC To Check Accurate CPU Temp Readings
The Open Hardware Monitor is a free open source tool that monitors CPU temperature, fan, and clock speeds, and voltages of a PC. Due to its lightweight and simplicity, it is one of the best PC temp monitoring software. You can easily check CPU temperature and maintain it under optimal limits.
Source: www.softlay.com
20 Programs to Analyze and Benchmark Your Hardware
If you're after a monitoring program for a Linux computer, your options are unfortunately rather limited. However, for 10 years, software developer Michael Möller has been running an open source project to help fill this niche -- meet Open Hardware Monitor.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Open Hardware Monitor should be more popular than CNET. It has been mentiond 154 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

CNET mentions (19)

  • Transfer a domain
    Thank you for your response. I admit I was lazy at first. I got a dodgy feeling when I did a renewal for one domain in August 2022, but I figured I would move it before the next renewal. Now cis.net is telling me that I would be in breach of the hosting contract that I first "signed" when I signed up for hosting via a cnet.com promotion back in 2020. Supposedly the contract renews at the same terms and I am not... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Who in this group know DOS
    I still use dos today. especially when diagnosing network issues. Need to know you router IP address? start / run / type cmd and then ipconfig. It displays your ip address and that of your default gateway (your router). Then simply run a ping to an outside source. I ping cnet.com as I know they will respond. You can run a tracert to cnet.com and it will show your time between hops and where the issue may be... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • What is the best place to get unbiased news?
    Another website I remember scoring well was CNET.com, which was random, but a bonus if you're into tech stuff. In addition to tech stuff (which is of course their main bread & butter), they'll cover things going on in the news (ex: legislation, Covid, world news) as big things come up. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Is a personal blog the best way to promote your Software Projects in 2022?
    I wonder about this too...because of the competitiveness of getting eyeballs on the internet--you need 200,000 impressions/view per day with Google AdSense to your site to make around $70K / year--I tend to think that it is very difficult to get your blog viewed, given how much traffic-driven websites really need the views. Thus, you should probably try to use a downloadable software website like amazon.com or... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • NASA Mars Rover Spots Spaghetti-Like Object
    That's why you're reading it on cnet.com and not nasa.gov. Source: almost 3 years ago
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Open Hardware Monitor mentions (154)

  • Game freezes every few minutes or so
    Https://openhardwaremonitor.org/ this tells you your temps Https://www.geeks3d.com/20211115/gpu-caps-viewer-1-54-released/ This cranks your gpu to max Https://www.jam-software.com/heavyload this cranks your CPU to max. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Free Tech Tools and Resources - Hardware Monitor, Offboarding Script, WiFi Scanner & More
    Open Hardware Monitor tracks critical system metrics, including temperature sensors, fan speeds, voltages, load, and clock speeds. Monitored data can be displayed in the primary application window, a customizable desktop gadget, or the system tray. -SPOF recommends it for "real-time monitoring of CPU, GPU, and hard drive temperatures, as well as fan speeds and voltages.". Source: over 1 year ago
  • My multi-monitor desktop setup (not pretty but useful)
    Programs (mostly free/sharewares): Google desktop apps: Google Chrome or MS Edge or whatever you use as a browser. And if you're lazy: https://chromeless.app/ to create the apps. Microsoft PowerToys: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/ Total Commander: https://www.ghisler.com/ ContaCam: https://www.contaware.com/contacam.html Open Hardware Monitor: https://openhardwaremonitor.org/ Stickies:... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Game crashing every match.
    Game crashes all the time and you already did all of the above = all aboard the diagnostics train as it may be a number of things, from bad graphics card driver all the way overheating problems or malfunctioning components. Do the easy steps first (clean reinstall of the graphics driver + checking temps, under heavy load, and googling what's the maximum safe temperature for your processor + graphics card, it... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Why is my PC unbearably feeble despite having decent specs?
    Open Hardware Monitor is pretty simple and solid. Just look through all the statistics for anything that's a temperature and make sure none of them are higher than, say, 50c when idle, or ~80c when you're doing something. Laptops have a slightly wider range of acceptable temperatures so there wouldn't be any immediate cause for alarm if it was slightly hotter than that, as long as you were doing something... Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CNET and Open Hardware Monitor, you can also consider the following products

Filehippo - Filehippo is your key to opening files that Windows claims are "in use by another user" or simply "can't be found." Avoid the hassle.

SpeedFan - Hardware monitor for Windows that can access digital temperature sensors located on several 2-wire SMBus Serial Bus. Can access voltages and fan speeds and control fan speeds. Includes technical articles and docs.

Brothersoft - Free software download, The biggest software directory for freeware and shareware download at brothersoft. com.

CPU-Z - CPU-Z is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system : Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels.

Softonic - Softonic is a website that offers downloads for free software and games.

AIDA64 - AIDA64 is a system information, diagnostics and benchmarking solution for Windows PC.