Software Alternatives & Startups

lsof VS SpeedFan

Compare lsof VS SpeedFan and see what are their differences

lsof

Lsof lists open files for running UNIX processes. It is a

Rating
0 reviews
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.

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, SpeedFan seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 5 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 5
Command Line Tools popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
22 vs 143

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

l
lsof
SpeedFan
Website people.freebsd.org almico.com
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

l
lsof 0 features
SpeedFan 6 features

No features have been listed yet.

  • Cost
    SpeedFan is free software, making it accessible to anyone without any financial investment.
  • Temperature Monitoring
    Allows users to monitor the temperature of various hardware components, such as CPU, GPU, and hard drives, helping to prevent overheating and extend hardware lifespan.
  • Fan Control
    Enables users to manually adjust the speed of fans, providing a balance between cooling performance and noise levels.
  • Customizable
    Offers extensive customization options, including automatic fan speed adjustments based on temperature thresholds and the ability to create user-defined profiles.
  • System Information
    Provides detailed system information, including voltages, CPU usage, and S.M.A.R.T data from hard drives.
  • Support for Multiple Sensors
    Supports a wide range of sensors from various manufacturers, making it compatible with many different hardware setups.

Possible disadvantages

  • User Interface
    The user interface is considered outdated and not very intuitive, which may be difficult for new users to navigate.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some users report compatibility issues with specific hardware, particularly newer motherboard models and certain sensors.
  • Support and Updates
    Updates and official support have become sporadic, potentially leading to compatibility problems with newer hardware and operating systems.
  • Stability
    Users have experienced occasional stability issues, including crashes and incorrect fan speed readings.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive functionality, there is a steep learning curve for users who are not familiar with hardware monitoring and fan control software.
  • Potential Risks
    Improper use of manual fan control settings can potentially damage hardware components due to overheating or excessive strain on the fans.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

l
lsof
SpeedFan

Overall verdict

  • lsof (List Open Files) is a mature, battle-tested Unix/Linux utility that reliably reveals which files, sockets, and resources are opened by processes, making it an indispensable diagnostic tool for system administrators and developers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides comprehensive visibility into open files, network sockets, pipes, and devices tied to running processes
  • Extremely useful for troubleshooting 'device busy' errors, port conflicts, and locating processes holding onto deleted files
  • Highly portable across many Unix-like systems including FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, and Solaris
  • Long history of stable, well-maintained releases with extensive documentation and community support
  • Powerful filtering options let you query by user, process, port, file, or network connection

Recommended for

  • System administrators diagnosing resource and file-locking issues
  • Developers debugging network connections and socket usage
  • Security professionals investigating suspicious process activity and open network ports
  • Anyone needing to identify which process is using a specific file, directory, or port before unmounting or killing

Overall verdict

  • SpeedFan is considered a good tool for those who need precise control over their system's cooling settings. Its functionality and level of detail cater to users who are comfortable tweaking hardware settings. However, its interface and setup process might be challenging for beginners.

Why this product is good

  • SpeedFan is a popular utility for Windows users that provides access to temperature sensors and fan speed control. It is praised for its ability to monitor system temperatures and adjust fan speeds accordingly, which can help optimize system cooling and reduce noise. The software is particularly useful for tech-savvy users who want more control over their computer's thermal performance.

Recommended for

    SpeedFan is recommended for advanced users, overclockers, and anyone interested in detailed monitoring and customization of their PC's thermal management settings. It is especially beneficial for users who need to manage cooling in custom-built PCs or systems with specific cooling needs.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

l
lsof 2 videos + Add
SpeedFan 3 videos + Add

8 Basic lsof Commands Every Sysadmin Needs to Know

More videos

  • - HakTip - Network monitoring in Linux with lsof

How to set up SpeedFan - Free fan control software

More videos

  • - Speedfan Review
  • - SpeedFan Review Parte 1

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
l
lsof
SpeedFan
100% 100%
0% 0%
6% 6%
94% 94%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using lsof and SpeedFan. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Log in or Post with

Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

l
lsof no reviews yet
SpeedFan no reviews yet

We have no reviews of lsof yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

l
lsof 0 mentions
SpeedFan 5 mentions

Tracking lsof since Mar 2021.

  • I NEED HELP! How can I fix this?
    I use an app to check system temps: OpenHardwareMonitor. Some people like SpeedFan, does most of the same stuff. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Question - Are the loading times supposed to be this bad right now??
    That's not super common (but it does happen ofc). It might be worth running a tool to scan the drive and take a peek at the SMART data. I typically use Speedfan https://almico.com/speedfan.php. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Computer has come back from a repair shop wiped and is missing A vital app I used to control fan speeds and I cant redownload it. Any alternative apps?
    You'll get better gpu support from Afterburner, but if you have a weird chipset or an incompatible fan controller, good old SpeedFan still has a few tricks. Source: about 4 years ago

View more

Alternatives to lsof and SpeedFan

When comparing lsof and SpeedFan, you can also consider the following products.