Norton Utilities Premium Review

Norton Utilities Premium Review

By Dusan Agbaba  April 1, 2021

Norton Utilities Premium Review Helps you manage your browser history and personal information on your PC  How to Keep Computer Running Smoothly with Norton Utilities Premium

Norton Utilities Premium helps you automatically optimize your PC’s processing power, memory and hard drive for better performance upon startup or when you launch high-demand apps. At last, there’s an easy way to help increase and maintain your PC’s performance. Having a properly functioning computer is a must. There isn’t only one reason why we like our computers to run smoothly. If the processes are slowed down we often get annoyed that we have to wait for a while to open up programs on the computer or while we are working. We all use our computers daily for a lot of reasons. We may use it for our work, do our finances, communicate with clients, schedule appointments, or simply for entertainment and a computer that runs slowly is simply a problem. This annoyance may occur due to hard drive fragments, Windows Registry going awry or junk files have simply piled up. Another reason why our computers run slowly may be that it has been infected with a virus or some other type of malware. This can be a huge issue since it may indicate that our data and personal information are at risk. That is why we all aim to keep our computers running smoothly and it can be a huge time and money saver. Unfortunately, no matter how important protecting and maintaining our computers, we often overlook this aspect. We aim to provide you detailed information on why this is important and which software you can use to keep your computer running smoothly. Yes, we are talking about the Norton Utilities Premium.

What Can Slow Down My Computer?

Your computer’s operating system has to manage plenty of tasks at once, including memory, drive space, process power, and so on. And on top of that, it has to keep the programs running at the same time, and we use plenty of programs on a daily basis. All this drains the power of your computer and if something is not right the whole system might slow down. There are a lot of things that may reduce your computer’s performance, but usually, it all comes down to your PC’s resources being used inefficiently. So, here are all the things that can slow down your computer:

  • Lack of RAM (Random Access Memory)
  • Running out of disk drive space/memory (HDD or SSD)
  • Your hard drive might be old or fragmented
  • You have too many background programs running constantly
  • Or you have too many startup programs running
  • Windows or driver updates are outdated
  • Presence of viruses or other malware
  • Special and visual effects

Why is Regular Maintenance Important?

You probably already know how valuable your computer is to you. But just like any other valuable thing in your life, you need to take good care of it in order to avoid any of those above-mentioned issues. But how important it is to keep regular maintenance of your computer will become clear to you after these few reasons. 

Protection from malware

No matter how often you sweep the computer or do a virus check, the machine is still vulnerable to harmful viruses. So, regular maintenance and checkups will prevent those lurking viruses and other malware from infecting your computer. A part of your regular maintenance should consist of removing junk files, updating the system and drivers, and checking if your antivirus is up to date as well. So, if you take care of these few things, your computer won’t slow down its performance and you will be safe from threats.

Speed up your computer

Slow computers are frustrating and we are often in a hurry to do something. So, if you maintain it regularly you will make sure it runs smoothly. Over time, our machines get clogged up with junk files and all that can slow your machine. Also, you should make sure to clean the computer physically, too, in order to keep it from overheating. 

Prevent data loss

Even though it can often happen that you lose data, it still can wreak havoc on your life. In order to prevent such chaos, you need to prevent your computer from slowing down because when it does slow down it can ask for system reboots which can result in data loss. So, regular maintenance can keep your data safe.

How to Speed Up Your Computer?

Now that you know potential issues of your computer slowing down and why it is important to do regular maintenance, let’s see how you can take care of your computer if the issues occur. 

Restart your computer

The first thing to do if you notice your computer is slowing down is restarting it. When your systems are running they can fill up the RAM which results in slower processes. And with a restart, you are allowing your computer to refresh a bit, it closes down background programs and allows updates to be scheduled. Once you restart your computer things could go back to normal. If they don’t another issue might be present.

Clean your hard drive

Once the hard drive memory gets full the computer slows down because there isn’t enough space for it to work properly. Every OS needs a certain amount of space in order to swap files, prevent fragmentation, and create temporary files. So, if you notice it slowing down, check the hard drive memory. If it’s full, or near full, make sure to delete anything you don’t need on it. Also, don’t forget to empty your Recycle Bin and to remove any unwanted programs from your computer in order to keep the storage as free as possible.

Defragment

When we free up some space on a hard drive, it actually remains where the deleted data was as a fragment. After a while, the drive can fill up and it uses those free fragments, and this can slow down your computer. So, the solution is defragmenting or defragging which can organize the disorganized bits of data on the drive. Basically, defragmentation can speed up the computer’s processes. 

Close background programs

Sometimes, when you simply click that X button to close a program, it can still run in the background. Too many programs running in the background results in a slowed-down computer. To close all those programs that you are not currently using when sitting at the computer, make sure to open the Task Manager and click on “end process” to desired programs. 

Disable startup programs

If you are noticing that your computer takes too much time to boot, it might mean that you have too many startup programs trying to open. Many programs actually have a default setting to automatically boot when you turn on the computer, so go through the programs and check their settings. 

Scan for malware

Malware and viruses are able to slow down your computer if it’s infected. If you don’t already have an antivirus, it is a good time to install it, and you can try some of Norton 360 products for that and simply scan for any issues and viruses. If they show up in the scan, you can easily delete them with your antivirus.

Having a computer that runs smoothly is a must and as soon as we notice the processes are slowing down it means it’s time to do some maintenance. You can do all those options for freeing up space on your own and one by one, but there are programs that can help ease the process. What we are going to mention and help you understand better is how Norton Utilities Premium can actually help you keep your computer running without any issues or delays. There are some other programs that can help with this, so let’s get into it. 

What is Norton Utilities Premium?

Norton Utilities Premium is a tune-up software that is a great fit for improving the performance of your computer. It is one of the best software designed to clean PCs and it works on comprehensive technologies that can help everyone keep their PC performance at the highest quality. With Norton Utilities Premium you can easily follow through all the steps mentioned above for speeding up the performance of your computer, including removing files, scanning and detecting malware, fixing system issues, closing background and startup programs, and many other things.
With Norton Utilities Premium you can easily follow through all the steps mentioned above for speeding up the performance of your computer, including removing files, scanning and detecting malware, fixing system issues, closing background and startup programs, and many other things.

What are the Features of Norton Utilities Premium?

Creators at Norton understand how it is important to keep your computer healthy and running smoothly. That is why they decided to make the entire maintenance so much easier for everyone by creating Norton Utilities Premium. Norton Utilities Premium helps you with a lot of tasks:

  • Optimizes your computers’ processing power, hard drive and memory
  • Provides smoother gaming, editing and streaming experience
  • Cleans your PC and speeds it up by fixing common issues that can cause slowdowns and/or crashes
  • Identifies and helps remove unwanted startup programs
  • Frees up space on the hard drive and allows easier and faster access to programs
  • Securely disposes of any personal documents and data and prevents unwanted people from accessing them
  • Maintains your digital privacy and enables deleting browser file downloads. 

This Norton product takes care of your computer in the easiest ways with its great features. So let’s take a look at them. 

  • System dashboard - this great Norton Utilities Premium feature provides users with a great step-by-step guide on how to successfully maintain your computer and make it run smoothly.
  • Startup optimizer - Norton Utilities Premium blocks bloatware at startup in order to speed up the boot process and time and overall improve system performance. Plus, it automatically disables potentially dangerous programs at startup. 
  • File shredder - this feature helps with the safe and secure disposal of personal documents and, at the same time, it keeps them safe from unwanted accesses. 
  • Disk defragmentation - helps you speed up your PC so it never slows down its performance. It helps by grouping files for faster retrieval and processing. 
  • Automatic cleanup - Norton Utilities Premium also optimizes your computer and provides better performance by automatically removing browser history and/or junk files. 

System Requirements for Norton Utilities Premium

Even though plenty of Norton products are compatible with almost all devices, Norton Utilities Premium is designed only for PCs. However, in order to successfully run Norton Utilities Premium on your computer, it has to have a Windows operating system. So let us look at the system requirements for installing Norton Utilities Premium. 

Microsoft Windows 7, 8, and 10:

  • CPU: 1 GHz
  • Memory: 1GB for 32-bit, and 2GB for 64-bit

As you can see, only Windows OS 7 and up are compatible with Norton Utilities Premium. Also, some additional hardware requirements are in place, too:

  • 100 MB available on hard disk space
  • SVGA (1024x768) video
  • CD-ROM or DVD drive (if it is not installed via electronic software download)
  • Internet connection needed to activate the product and receive updates. 

What is the Price of Norton Utilities Premium?

A one-year subscription to Norton Utilities Premium starts at $39.99. After that, Norton subscription automatically renews and it is a bit pricier. However, even though the price is a bit higher, it is a competitive price and it comes with plenty of features that will keep your computer running smoothly. Plus, you can boost up to 10 PCs with Norton Utilities Premium.

Norton Utilities Premium: Get the tools you need to get your PC running like new

How to Buy Norton Utilities Premium?

If you decide to subscribe to this Norton Utilities plan, and you are looking for boosting up to 10 PCs in your home, you can buy your subscription at our product page .
Once you click on the Subscribe now button, you will be taken to check out, which looks like this:
If you decide to subscribe to this Norton Utilities plan, and you are looking for boosting up to 10 PCs in your home, you can buy your subscription at our product page or official Norton site.  
Once you click on the Subscribe now button, you will be taken to check out, which looks like this:

After selecting the desired plan, you need to create an account with Norton and sign up right at their website. To sign up you need to enter your email, name, phone number, address, and a password of your choice. 

How Do I Install Norton Utilities Premium?

Note: the download and installation process is the same for all Norton products, including Norton 360 packages. Just follow the instructions for installation on the desired device. 

After you have purchased your Norton Utilities Premium, it is time to install it. The first step is removing any other previous version of Norton Utilities Premium if you have it installed. Make sure that you have an internet connection and sign in to your Norton account in order to download the Norton Utilities Premium software. Once downloaded follow these steps in order to install it on your computer(s):

  1. The first step is logging in to your Norton account. Type in your email address and password and click Sign In. If you don’t remember your account password, click on Forgot username or password and follow on-screen instructions for the recovery. 
  2. In My Norton portal, click Download
  3. In the Get Started part, click on Agree and Download
  4. Once the download is complete, run the installer from the browser and press Ctrl+J keys to open your Downloads window, and double-click the file downloaded. 
  5. If the User Account Control window pops up, click Continue. And simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 
  6. If a prompt window for activation appears, enter your product key as it is written in the subscription page. Type in all the letters and numbers, and remember the hyphens will automatically be entered so you don’t have to type them in. 

Pros and Cons of Norton Utilities Premium

Pros

Cons

  • Competitive price
  • License limitations
  • Improved performances
  • Only Windows OS
  • CPU optimizer, RAM reclaimer, Power optimizer, Fast Write, great additional tools
  • No Windows 10 S features
  • Real-time system monitoring
  • No community-based features
  • File recovery and shredding available 
  • No desktop widgets
  • Great user interface 
 
  • No subscription fees
 

Is It Worth It?

We all use our computers daily but we do often forget to do regular maintenance. There are files piling up daily and we simply don’t have the time to make space and delete what is not necessary, or such tasks take too much time. With Norton Utilities Premium, these tasks become much easier and the user interface is easy to navigate and you can easily choose how you want to improve your computer’s performance. What is more, Norton Utilities can automatically solve many problems that are slowing down your computer, which makes PC maintenance even easier. And when you add a competitive price to this mix, it is safe to say that investing in the Norton Utilities Premium subscription is worth it!

What are Other Options for Computer Maintenance?

There are many different software for keeping your computer running smoothly. They all offer basically the same features as Norton Utilities Premium but at different rates and packages. The one that we are going to mention here is definitely CCleaner. It has plenty of features, people often use it, we all know it has a free version, but people often forget that it also has paid plans with better options. So, let’s get into it. 

CCleaner 

CCleaner is probably the most used tune-up tool. This is mostly due to it having a free version, but that version doesn’t cover it all. CCleaner actually has three plans and we can look into them, their features and pricing, and see how it compares to Norton Utilities Premium. 

CCleaner plans and features

As mentioned, this software has three plans and all of them include different levels of features and computer maintenance tools.
As mentioned, this software has three plans and all of them include different levels of features and computer maintenance tools

The first plan of CCleaner is free, as we all know, and anyone can download it at their site. The features it includes are a bit limited, though:

  • Faster computer and
  • Privacy protection

So, the free plan offers some level of privacy protection for your computer and files, and basic tools to clean up your computer, the registry, disk space and remove any unwanted tools and software, as well as clear browsing data. The second plan, CCleaner Professional is not free, and the price starts at $19.95 and it offers a bit more than the free one:

  • PC Health check
  • Software updater
  • Privacy protection
  • Faster computer
  • Scheduled cleaning
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Premium support 

This upgrade actually allows you to clean your device even more thoroughly than the free one. It also has a new feature Health Check which can help determine if there are any infected files present. Plus, you can monitor the real-time status of your computer and update your software, among many other things. 

Lastly, the third and the most pricey plan is CCleaner Professional Bundle, priced at $29.95. It can provide maintenance tools for up to 3 PCs, and it offers a lot more features than the last two:

  • PC Health Check 
  • Software updater
  • Privacy protection
  • Faster computer
  • Scheduled cleaning
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Premium support 
  • Disk defragmentation
  • File recovery
  • Hardware inventory

This plan adds to the last one but it adds three useful features. There are additional tools for defragmenting your disk and recovering files. Plus, you get to install it on three different computers. 

Priced vs free?

We all like free stuff, but when it comes to software it is bound to offer fewer options when it is free. Respectively, CCleaner with a free version offers very few options for maintaining a computer, but to plenty of people that is enough to keep their computers running smoothly. However, with the priced ones, they can gain more benefits, more security and more protection of their computers’ processes. Ultimately, it is up to the user to tailor the plans to their needs. 

Norton Utilities Premium vs CCleaner

When it comes to user needs for computer clean-up and maintenance, they are different. However, ultimately, we all need good software for keeping our computer running great. Over time, files do pile up, disks do get fragmented and many issues could occur if the computer is not protected and maintained properly. It is up to the user to choose, but let’s look at the pros and cons of both Norton Utilities Premium and CCleaner

Norton Utilities Premium

Pros:

  • Competitive prices Norton Utilities Premium Review
  • More features included
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Safe way to shred files
  • Improved performances (CPU optimizer, RAM reclaimer, etc.)
  • Great user interface

Cons:

  • No free version
  • No Windows 10 S features
  • License limitations

CCleaner

Pros:

  • Rich in features
  • Clean and clear design
  • Free version

Cons:

  • Plenty of ads on the free version
  • Notable performance impact

Bottom Line Norton Utilities Premium Review

The bottom line is that users will eventually choose which product they would like to use. However, even though both products offer great features, Norton Utilities Premium might stand out a bit more, despite not having the free version. The features of Norton Utilities Premium, such as CPU optimizer, Power optimizer and RAM reclaimer do make this product stand out among many competitors. Plus, the layout of the entire user interface is simple and professional and it can really help out new users navigate easier and better. Norton Utilities Premium is a well-rounded package and covers many things that can help fix issues of a slow computer. 

FAQ Norton Utilities Premium

Norton Utilities

How do I turn off auto-renewal?

If you wish to cancel the automatic renewal services of Norton LifeLock take these steps:

  1. Sign in to Norton
  2. In the My Subscription tab, move the slider to OFF next to the product which you want to disable.
  3. In the Automatic Renewal page select the reason for canceling from the dropdown menu and click Continue
  4. Click Turn Off

Can Norton Utilities Premium be used on phones?

Unfortunately, Norton Utilities Premium cannot be used on smartphones. Check the system requirements section to find out which devices support it.

Norton Utilities vs Norton Utilities Premium

Norton Utilities Premium is an updated service with robust features that have been built from the ground up to help keep your Windows PC running like new. Norton Utilities Premium helps you automatically optimize your Windows PC's processing power, memory, and hard drive when you launch high-demand apps. Norton Utilities Premium   uses your PC idle time to automatically update and optimize system functions, keeping your PC running like new, so it won’t slow you down. Norton Utilities Premium also helps fix common issues and frees up space to provide faster access to the programs you want, when you want them. In addition, it helps you maintain your digital privacy by enabling you to erase browser file downloads and helps you permanently dispose of personal documents. Norton Utilities does not provide the same functionality or robust feature set