Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

HWiNFO VS NetBox

Compare HWiNFO VS NetBox and see what are their differences

HWiNFO logo HWiNFO

Professional System Information and Diagnostics. Comprehensive Hardware Analysis, Monitoring and Reporting for Windows and DOS. FREEWARE. download. Advertisements.

NetBox logo NetBox

NetBox is an open source web application designed to help manage and document computer networks. NetBox was developed specifically to address the needs of network and infrastructure engineers.
  • HWiNFO Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-25
  • NetBox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-15

It encompasses the following aspects of network management:

IP address management (IPAM) - IP networks and addresses, VRFs, and VLANs Equipment racks - Organized by group and site Devices - Types of devices and where they are installed Connections - Network, console, and power connections among devices Virtualization - Virtual machines and clusters Data circuits - Long-haul communications circuits and providers Secrets - Encrypted storage of sensitive credentials

HWiNFO features and specs

  • Comprehensive Hardware Monitoring
    HWiNFO provides detailed information about system hardware, including CPU, GPU, motherboard, RAM, and more, which helps users monitor and diagnose hardware components easily.
  • Real-Time Monitoring
    The software offers real-time monitoring of system sensors, such as temperature, voltage, and fan speeds, allowing users to keep an eye on critical system parameters.
  • Custom Alerts
    HWiNFO allows users to set custom alerts for various hardware parameters, ensuring they are informed of any abnormal conditions promptly.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The interface is intuitive and provides detailed yet organized information, making it accessible for both novices and advanced users.
  • Free for Personal Use
    HWiNFO is free for personal and non-commercial use, providing powerful tools without the need for a financial investment.

Possible disadvantages of HWiNFO

  • Overwhelming Amount of Information
    For users who are not technically savvy, the extensive amount of data provided can be overwhelming and potentially confusing.
  • Limited Logging
    The software's logging capabilities are somewhat limited, which might not meet the needs of users requiring extensive and long-term data logging.
  • No Mac Version
    HWiNFO is not available for macOS, limiting its use to Windows and DOS platforms only.
  • Basic Graphical Presentation
    The graphical presentation of data, such as charts and graphs, may appear basic and less visually appealing compared to some other monitoring tools.
  • No Built-in Stress Testing
    Unlike some competitors, HWiNFO does not include built-in stress testing tools, so users need additional software for stress testing purposes.

NetBox features and specs

  • Open Source
    NetBox is open-source software, which means you can use and modify it freely without having to pay for a license. This can significantly reduce costs and allows for customization according to specific needs.
  • Comprehensive IPAM and DCIM
    NetBox includes both IP Address Management (IPAM) and Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) functionalities, offering a single platform to manage diverse aspects of network infrastructure.
  • Extensible via API
    NetBox provides a robust API that allows integration with other tools and systems, enabling automation and enhanced functionality through scripting and third-party applications.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The web-based user interface is intuitive and easy to use, even for those who may not have extensive experience with network management tools.
  • Active Community and Support
    NetBox has an active community of users and contributors, which helps in quickly addressing issues, sharing knowledge, and contributing to the continuous improvement of the software.

Possible disadvantages of NetBox

  • Initial Setup Complexity
    The initial installation and configuration of NetBox can be complex and time-consuming, potentially requiring a good understanding of Python, PostgreSQL, and other dependencies.
  • Resource Intensive
    As a web-based application, NetBox can be resource-intensive, requiring a capable server environment to run efficiently, which might not be suitable for very small-scale deployments.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Despite its intuitive interface, the broad set of features and functionalities might overwhelm new users, leading to a steeper learning curve.
  • Limited Built-in Reporting
    NetBox has limited built-in reporting capabilities, which might necessitate additional tools or custom reports to meet specific reporting needs.
  • No Built-in Alerting
    NetBox does not have built-in alerting mechanisms for tracking changes or unusual activities, so additional monitoring and alerting systems may be required.

Analysis of HWiNFO

Overall verdict

  • Yes, HWiNFO is a good tool for both beginners and advanced users who need accurate and detailed information about their computer's hardware.

Why this product is good

  • HWiNFO is considered a reliable and comprehensive system information and diagnostics tool, known for its detailed hardware monitoring and reporting capabilities. It supports a wide range of components and has a user-friendly interface.

Recommended for

    Individuals who want to monitor their system's hardware status in real-time, enthusiasts who enjoy detailed system analysis, and IT professionals who require precise diagnostics for troubleshooting purposes.

Analysis of NetBox

Overall verdict

  • Yes, NetBox is considered a good tool for managing complex networks and data centers. Its strong community support and continuous development contribute to its robustness and reliability in production environments.

Why this product is good

  • NetBox is a popular open-source tool for network automation and management, favored for its comprehensive features such as IP address management (IPAM), data center infrastructure management (DCIM), and its extensibility through plugins and a REST API. It provides a user-friendly web interface and is highly customizable, making it suitable for various network configurations and workflows.

Recommended for

    NetBox is recommended for network engineers, system administrators, data center managers, and IT professionals who need an effective solution for managing IP addresses, network devices, and cabling infrastructure in medium to large-scale operations. It is particularly advantageous for those looking for an open-source option with a strong community backing.

HWiNFO videos

HWiNFO Walkthrough

More videos:

  • Review - Product Review - HWiNFO - Professional System Information and Diagnostics
  • Review - HWiNFO - an introduction of THE Monitoring Tool

NetBox videos

Accessing NAPALM via the NetBox API

More videos:

  • Review - Network to Code NetBox with Jeremy Stretch and John Anderson
  • Tutorial - Netbox Global Review- How To Earn Money Browsing The Internet

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to HWiNFO and NetBox)
Monitoring Tools
45 45%
55% 55
Device Management
100 100%
0% 0
Log Management
0 0%
100% 100
System Information
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare HWiNFO and NetBox

HWiNFO Reviews


8 Best SpeedFan Alternatives for Computers for Windows and Mac
They have got a bunch of add-ons, which will increase the usability of the platform. HWiNFO has a system health monitor. It can alert you when something goes south. Mac users may be disappointed to know that it’s only available for Windows. Another best feature we liked about the software is its ability to export overviews into XML, HTML, and CSV formats.
Source: xtendedview.com
HWMonitor Review & Alternatives for 2023
There are also add-ons to enhance the core monitoring experience of HWiNFO. Add-ons available for HWiNFO include RivaTuner/MSI Afterburner/EVGA Precision On-ScreenDisplay, Rainmeter plug-in, HWiNFOMonitor, LCDHost plug-in, and more. Each add-on adds a new feature to the program. For example, the HWiNFOMonitor extension adds a customizable sidebar that adds additional graphs...
7 Best Speedfan Alternatives for 2023
There are also a number of plugins you can download for HWiNFO to monitor your system even better. For a free application, it offers a lot and many people donate to the developers because they like it so much. Unfortunately, HWiNFO is not compatible for mac users.
11 Best CPU Temperature Monitor For Windows PC To Check Accurate CPU Temp Readings
HWiNFO is another CPU temperature monitor for Windows PC to check CPU temp, GPU temp, CPU load, frequency, and fan speed. This system information tool displays tons of info about your PC hardware. If you simply want to monitor CPU temp then HWiNFO is not your choice because the way this tool shows data might confuse you.
Source: www.softlay.com
20 Programs to Analyze and Benchmark Your Hardware
If HWinfo shows far too much detail for you, then there's always Speccy. This little program is made by the developers of CCleaner and it's essentially a system summary. There is some sensor logging built in, as you can see in the image below: the little green bar graphs actively plot temperature values or amount of RAM, storage, etc used.

NetBox Reviews

11 NetBox Alternatives
NetBox is a resource modeling application that is specially designed to automate networks and empower network engineering as well. It manages all the needs of networks and works under the license of Apache 2.
The 10 Best IP Address Management Tools for Linux
NetBox is certainly one of the best open-source IPAM solutions reviewed by our editors. It comes with a simple but elegant user interface that packs a serious punch in terms of functionalities. NetBox was initially developed by the network engineering team at DigitalOCean and has since evolved into a full-fledged IP management application. It is very popular among...
12 Open Source/Commercial Software for Data Center Infrastructure Management
NetBox is an open-source IP address management and data center infrastructure management platform, which was created by the network team at DigitalOcean to store the information about your networks, virtual machines, inventories, and many more.
Source: www.tecmint.com
Best IP Address Management Tools for Linux
NetBox is an open-source web based IP address management and data center infrastructure management application. It was developed more particulary to address the requirements of network and infrastructure engineers.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, NetBox seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 21 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.

HWiNFO mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of HWiNFO yet. Tracking of HWiNFO recommendations started around Mar 2021.

NetBox mentions (21)

  • Share your greatest free tools
    Netbox. https://netbox.readthedocs.io/en/stable/ Your “Source of Truth” for your network. NetBox is an infrastructure resource modeling (IRM) application designed to empower network automation. Initially conceived by the network engineering team at DigitalOcean, NetBox was developed specifically to address the needs of network and infrastructure engineers. NetBox is made available as open source under the Apache... Source: about 3 years ago
  • What do you use to track disks and other hardware?
    Currently we are using [SnipeIT](https://snipeitapp.com/) to track our disks, hardware and machines, and [Netbox](https://netbox.readthedocs.io/en/stable/) to track physical layout and locations. Source: about 3 years ago
  • What does a longer career related to computing infrastructure look like?
    You might find it educational/interesting to have a look at Netbox. It's a fairly well respected piece of software that manages network hardware and configuration. Source: about 3 years ago
  • How does proper documentation look like?
    You could take a look at netbox . It’s a little hard to set up at first but worth it in the end IMO. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Web Application That Shows Switch Ports Mapping
    However I'd suggest that Netbox is the more modern and functional solution to this problem. Source: about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing HWiNFO and NetBox, you can also consider the following products

Speccy - Speccy - find the details of your computer's specs. Great for spotting issues or finding compatible upgrades. Download the latest version free.

phpIPAM - phpipam is an open-source web IP address management application (IPAM).

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.

RackTables - Racktables is a nifty and robust solution for datacenter and server room asset management.

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

DCImanager - DCImanager is a platform for managing physical equipment. Connect any physical equipment to a single platform. Use the platform to manage your servers, switches, PDU as well as physical and virtual networks.