Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

SSD Fan Control VS Sidebar Diagnostics

Compare SSD Fan Control VS Sidebar Diagnostics and see what are their differences

SSD Fan Control logo SSD Fan Control

Sometimes Mac users have to heavily rely on the external hardware system in order to control and monitor the performance of the fan of the Mac.

Sidebar Diagnostics logo Sidebar Diagnostics

SidebarDiagnostics - A simple sidebar for Windows desktop that displays hardware diagnostic information.
  • SSD Fan Control Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-02-02
  • Sidebar Diagnostics Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-20

SSD Fan Control features and specs

  • Temperature Regulation
    SSD Fan Control allows users to manually adjust the fan speed in their Mac devices, which helps maintain optimal temperature levels and prevent overheating.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application offers a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it accessible even for users with limited technical knowledge.
  • Compatibility
    The software is compatible with various Mac models, allowing a wide range of users to take advantage of its functionality.
  • Customization
    Users can customize fan speed settings to their liking, providing control over noise levels and performance.

Possible disadvantages of SSD Fan Control

  • Limited Features
    Compared to other fan control software, SSD Fan Control might lack advanced features such as automatic adjustments based on different workloads.
  • Potential for User Error
    Manual fan speed adjustments can lead to suboptimal cooling if not set correctly by the user, risking hardware damage.
  • Potential Software Conflicts
    There might be conflicts with other hardware-monitoring tools that could affect system stability.
  • Mac-Only Compatibility
    SSD Fan Control is designed specifically for Mac systems, which means it is not available for Windows or Linux users.

Sidebar Diagnostics features and specs

  • Comprehensive System Monitoring
    Sidebar Diagnostics provides real-time monitoring of CPU, RAM, GPU, network activity, and more, all in a convenient sidebar format, keeping crucial system information readily accessible.
  • Customizability
    The application offers a high level of customization, allowing users to adjust the appearance, position, and which metrics are displayed, making it adaptable to individual preferences.
  • Lightweight
    As a lightweight application, Sidebar Diagnostics consumes minimal system resources, ensuring it does not significantly impact system performance while running.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, it encourages community involvement for further development and improvements, as well as provides transparency concerning security and functionality.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Its interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible to both tech-savvy users and those with basic technical knowledge.

Possible disadvantages of Sidebar Diagnostics

  • Windows Only
    Sidebar Diagnostics is only available for Windows operating systems, limiting its accessibility to users on macOS or Linux platforms.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    The application might lack some of the advanced features found in more robust system monitoring tools, which could be a limitation for power users seeking in-depth analysis.
  • Manual Setup Required
    While installation is straightforward, users may need to spend some time manually configuring the settings to their liking, which could be cumbersome for those looking for an immediate plug-and-play experience.
  • Potential for Over-Information
    The array of metrics available might be overwhelming for users only interested in basic information, requiring them to filter out unnecessary details manually.

Analysis of Sidebar Diagnostics

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Sidebar Diagnostics is generally regarded as a good tool for users who want an efficient, real-time system monitoring solution.

Why this product is good

  • Sidebar Diagnostics is considered good because it provides a user-friendly interface to monitor system resources like CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage in real-time. It is lightweight and customizable, fitting unobtrusively as a sidebar on your screen.

Recommended for

    This tool is recommended for users, especially Windows users, who wish to keep an eye on their system performance metrics without consuming much system resources themselves. It’s ideal for gamers, developers, and power users who need to monitor their hardware closely.

SSD Fan Control videos

Solving Heating Issue in Macbook using SSD Fan Control App

More videos:

Sidebar Diagnostics videos

WINDOWS 10: Sidebar Diagnostics

More videos:

  • Review - Windows 10 Sidebar Diagnostics | Best & Beautiful Looking Hardware Monitor Desktop Widget

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SSD Fan Control and Sidebar Diagnostics)
Monitoring Tools
38 38%
62% 62
Device Management
18 18%
82% 82
Log Management
100 100%
0% 0
OS & Utilities
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SSD Fan Control seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 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.

SSD Fan Control mentions (4)

  • Questions about saving/re-using an old Mac.
    5) your fans may run on high after replacement of the drive because the lack Apple specific temp sensors. You can get a utility called ssd fan control set it to smart control and to start up with the system. You won’t have to worry about loud fans after that. Source: over 2 years ago
  • 2011 iMac - 10.13.6 This starts on part of or entire display. Relaunch of Finder stops it sometimes. Any ideas what's causing it ?
    Keep in mind that when you swap the HDD on these iMacs, you'll lose the thermal control on the hard disk. Download this app and run it using the default settings. This will prevent your iMac from sounding like a jet engine and run the fan speeds to default. Source: over 3 years ago
  • What solid state hard drives are compatible with Macs?
    You may also find that the fans spin up loud and persistently if all you do is a straight swap. The app "SSD Fan Control" will sort this out for you. https://exirion.net/ssdfanctrl/. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Dell fan control?
    It's possible to switch between two fan modes with "SSD fan controll" in macOS. Not sure if it'll work with FakeSMC, I'm on VirtualSMC. But I can't turn off EC. The only thing it does is that it writes fan values faster than the EC. Source: about 4 years ago

Sidebar Diagnostics mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing SSD Fan Control and Sidebar Diagnostics, you can also consider the following products

Open Hardware Monitor - Monitors temperature sensors, fan speeds, voltages, load and clock speeds, with optional graph.

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.

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.

smcFanControl - [Download] smcFanControl 2.

iMac HDD Fan Control - iMac HDD Fan Control is an HDD fan control for the Mac operating systems by using which the Mac users can control the speed and noise of the fan of the Mac.

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