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Windows Task Manager VS SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

Compare Windows Task Manager VS SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor and see what are their differences

Windows Task Manager logo Windows Task Manager

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SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor logo SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor provides deep visibility into health, availability and performance of enterprise applications and multi-vendor servers.
  • Windows Task Manager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-02
  • SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05

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.

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor features and specs

  • Comprehensive Monitoring
    SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) provides extensive monitoring capabilities for servers, virtual machines, and web applications, allowing for a holistic view of your infrastructure.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The platform features an intuitive dashboard and user interface, making it accessible for users with various levels of technical expertise.
  • Customization
    SAM allows for high levels of customization, enabling users to tailor monitoring and alerts to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Scalability
    The tool scales easily with growing business needs, supporting everything from small environments to large enterprise infrastructures.
  • Integration Capabilities
    SolarWinds SAM can integrate with other SolarWinds products as well as third-party tools, providing a more unified monitoring solution.

Possible disadvantages of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

  • Cost
    SolarWinds SAM is a high-end monitoring solution with a pricing structure that can be expensive, especially for small to mid-sized businesses.
  • Resource Intensive
    The solution can be resource-intensive, potentially requiring significant server resources to run effectively, which may impact overall system performance.
  • Complexity
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the depth and breadth of features may be overwhelming for novice users, requiring a steep learning curve.
  • Maintenance
    Regular maintenance and updates may be needed to keep the system running smoothly, requiring continuous attention from IT staff.
  • Alert Noise
    The default alerting system can produce a high volume of notifications, which may lead to 'alert fatigue' unless fine-tuned meticulously.

Analysis of Windows Task Manager

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Windows Task Manager is generally considered a good utility for both everyday users and IT professionals. It's a built-in feature of the Windows operating system, making it easily accessible and trustworthy. Its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features make it an essential tool for system diagnostics and performance monitoring.

Why this product is good

  • Windows Task Manager is a reliable tool provided by Microsoft that allows users to monitor system performance, manage startup programs, and troubleshoot applications that are not responding. It provides detailed information on CPU, memory, disk, and network usage, helping users optimize their system's performance.

Recommended for

  • Users who want to monitor their computer's performance.
  • Individuals looking to troubleshoot unresponsive applications.
  • Anyone needing to manage Windows startup programs.
  • IT professionals seeking a quick overview of system resource allocation.

Analysis of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

Overall verdict

  • SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is considered a good tool for monitoring servers and applications, particularly in IT environments where comprehensive performance tracking and immediate alerting are crucial.

Why this product is good

  • It provides extensive features like real-time monitoring, customizable alerts, and detailed performance metrics. The tool is known for its easy-to-use interface, broad compatibility with different systems, and robust community support. Additionally, SolarWinds offers a rich set of analytics and reporting tools which can help in proactive issue resolution and resource optimization.

Recommended for

    Organizations looking for reliable, scalable monitoring solutions, IT departments handling large or complex infrastructures, Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and businesses aiming to increase operational efficiency through proactive monitoring and alerts.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Windows Task Manager and SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor)
Monitoring Tools
58 58%
42% 42
Command Line Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Log Management
18 18%
82% 82
Performance Monitoring
66 66%
34% 34

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Windows Task Manager and SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

Windows Task Manager Reviews

We have no reviews of Windows Task Manager yet.
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SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Reviews

HWMonitor Review & Alternatives for 2023
HWMonitor is a versatile tool in its own right but if you’re looking for something different or more modern, SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor, Paessler PRTG Network Monitor, and HWiNFO stand in as great alternatives. If you have the budget then SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor offers a full-featured hardware monitoring experience that is easy to configure.
Active Directory Monitoring Tools & Software for Enterprise AD Management!
As a long-time user of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM), I can vouch for its efficacy with monitoring Active Directory environments. This is not necessarily your one-stop-shop for Active Directory monitoring, but in many cases you’d be surprised with the robust capabilities.
15 Best IT Monitoring Tools and Software
SolarWinds SAM is functional for both Windows and Linux and can monitor applications and servers both on-prem and in the cloud.
Source: blog.inedo.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Windows Task Manager seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 11 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 (11)

  • 10 Microsoft Word AI Hacks That Will Transform Your Work in 2025
    Note: Copilot isn’t free. To use it, you’ll need an active Microsoft 365 subscription and the Copilot add-on (officially called Copilot for Microsoft 365). - Source: dev.to / 21 days ago
  • 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 / 9 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
View more

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor yet. Tracking of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Windows Task Manager and SolarWinds Server & Application 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.

Dynatrace - Cloud-based quality testing, performance monitoring and analytics for mobile apps and websites. Get started with Keynote today!

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…

Microsoft System Center - Microsoft System Center provides solutions to simplify the deployment, configuration, management, and monitoring of the infrastructure.

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

Splunk Enterprise - Splunk Enteprise is the fastest way to aggregate, analyze and get answers from your machine data with the help machine learning and real-time visibility.