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Windows Task Manager VS Resource Monitor

Compare Windows Task Manager VS Resource Monitor and see what are their differences

Windows Task Manager logo Windows Task Manager

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Resource Monitor logo Resource Monitor

Resource Monitor is a system application in Microsoft Windows operating systems.
  • Windows Task Manager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-02
  • Resource Monitor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-04

Windows Task Manager features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    The Windows Task Manager has an intuitive interface that is easy for users to navigate, offering straightforward access to common tasks and system monitoring.
  • Performance Monitoring
    Provides real-time data on CPU, memory, disk, and network usage, helping users to diagnose system performance issues efficiently.
  • Process Management
    Allows users to view, start, and end processes conveniently. This is useful for terminating unresponsive applications and managing system resources.
  • Startup Program Management
    Enables users to manage which programs start up with Windows, allowing for faster boot times and better control over system performance.
  • Detailed Information
    Provides in-depth details about running processes, including their impact on system performance, resource usage, and associated hardware usage.

Possible disadvantages of Windows Task Manager

  • Limited Functionality
    While helpful for basic tasks, it lacks advanced features found in more robust system monitoring tools, such as detailed application performance history and custom alerts.
  • Potential for Misuse
    Inexperienced users might accidentally terminate vital system processes, leading to system instability or crashes.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Displays detailed information about running processes and applications, which could be misused if accessed by unauthorized users.
  • Resource Overhead
    While minimal, running the Task Manager itself consumes system resources which, on very low-end hardware, might have an impact.
  • Manual Interventions
    Requires manual interventions for process management and does not offer automated solutions for recurring issues or optimizations.

Resource Monitor features and specs

  • Detailed Performance Monitoring
    Resource Monitor provides detailed statistics on CPU, memory, disk, and network usage, allowing users to monitor the performance of their system in real-time.
  • Process and Services Insights
    The tool offers insights into running processes and services, including which resources they are consuming, helping users identify problematic applications or services.
  • Built-in Windows Tool
    As a built-in tool in Windows, Resource Monitor is easily accessible and doesn’t require any additional installation or setup.
  • Interactive Graphs and Charts
    Resource Monitor includes interactive graphs and charts that visually represent resource usage over time, aiding users in understanding performance trends.

Possible disadvantages of Resource Monitor

  • Limited to Windows
    Resource Monitor is exclusive to Windows operating systems, which means users on other platforms do not have access to it.
  • Basic Compared to Third-Party Tools
    Compared to some third-party performance monitoring tools, Resource Monitor may lack advanced features and customization options.
  • Complex for Novice Users
    The detailed information provided by Resource Monitor can be overwhelming for users who are not familiar with system performance metrics.
  • Static Functionality
    Resource Monitor's features are relatively static without much room for customization or extension compared to more robust, third-party monitoring suites.

Windows Task Manager videos

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Resource Monitor videos

Repurpose Your Old Phone As A PC Resource Monitor!

More videos:

  • Review - Resource Monitoring

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Windows Task Manager and Resource Monitor)
Monitoring Tools
78 78%
22% 22
Command Line Tools
75 75%
25% 25
Performance Monitoring
73 73%
27% 27
Log Management
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Windows Task Manager seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 10 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.

Windows Task Manager mentions (10)

  • How economical is your local Taco Bell?
    Do operating system accessibility controls help you distinguish the colors? For example, both Windows 10/11 and MacOS have "color filters". https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/ windows/use-color-filters-in-windows-43893e44 b8b3-2e27-1a29-b0c15ef0e5ce https://support.apple.com/ guide/mac-help/change-display-colors-easier-onscreen mchl11ddd4b3/mac. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Microsoft basically stole my game.
    If you have migrated your Mojang/Minecraft account to a Microsoft account and need assistance, please contact Microsoft Support. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Can't play Minecraft Java since Today
    The error also gave a link to a form if I have problems. I filled the form out and send it. I got an answer back a few seconds later that mojang doesn't do the support anymore and I should go to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Powershell.exe Virus
    End powershell.exe and go the startup tab of task manager and see if it starts up there if it keeps happening call Microsoft support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • block Windows 11 KB's for patch management
    You can find more details on their support site here; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Resource Monitor mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Windows Task Manager and Resource Monitor, you can also consider the following products

htop - htop - an interactive process viewer for Unix. This is htop, an interactive process viewer for Unix systems. It is a text-mode application (for console or X terminals) and requires ncurses. Latest release: htop 2.

Process Explorer - The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'l…

glances system monitoring - Glances is a cross-platform system monitoring tool written in Python. Written in Python, Glances will run on almost any plaftorm : GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, OS X and Windows.

Process Lasso - Process Lasso is NOT yet another task manager.

Process Monitor - Monitor file system, Registry, process, thread and DLL activity in real-time.

SystemExplorer - Homepage of System Explorer. Freeware Tool for displaying and managing system internals