lshw vs CPU-Z

Struggling to choose between lshw and CPU-Z? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

lshw is a System & Hardware solution with tags like hardware, system-information.

It boasts features such as Displays detailed information about hardware configuration, Extracts CPU speed, memory size, firmware version, etc, Can output results in HTML, JSON or plaintext format, Works on Linux, *BSD, Solaris, GNU Hurd, MINIX 3, Mac OS X and other UNIX variants, Does not require root permissions to run, Modular design allows easy extensibility and customization and pros including Lightweight and fast, Very detailed hardware reporting, Cross-platform support, Does not require root access, Output can be easily parsed programmatically, Actively maintained and updated.

On the other hand, CPU-Z is a System & Hardware product tagged with hardware-monitoring, system-diagnostics, cpu, memory, motherboard.

Its standout features include Provides detailed CPU information like name, codename, process, socket, frequency, instructions, Shows RAM timings, frequency, size and channel configuration, Displays motherboard details like model, chipset, BIOS version, Reports graphics card details like GPU, memory, drivers, Monitors core voltages, temperatures and fan speeds, Can validate overclock settings and benchmark performance, Lightweight app with minimal impact on system resources, Available for Windows and Android platforms, and it shines with pros like Comprehensive hardware profiling and monitoring, Simple and easy to use interface, Portable app requiring no installation, Completely free with no ads or upsells, Open source code with active development, Trusted utility used by enthusiasts and professionals.

Feature	lshw	CPU-Z
Overall Score	N/A	1
Primary Category	System & Hardware	System & Hardware

Product Overview

lshw

Description: lshw is a small tool for displaying detailed information about the hardware configuration of a system. It can extract information such as CPU speed, memory size, firmware version, etc.

CPU-Z

Description: CPU-Z is a widely-used system information utility for Windows and Android platforms. Developed by CPUID, the tool provides detailed information about the hardware components of a computer or mobile device. It offers insights into the CPU, memory, motherboard, and other system details, aiding users in hardware monitoring and diagnostics.

Key Features Comparison

lshw Features

• Displays detailed information about hardware configuration
• Extracts CPU speed, memory size, firmware version, etc
• Can output results in HTML, JSON or plaintext format
• Works on Linux, *BSD, Solaris, GNU Hurd, MINIX 3, Mac OS X and other UNIX variants
• Does not require root permissions to run
• Modular design allows easy extensibility and customization

CPU-Z Features

• Provides detailed CPU information like name, codename, process, socket, frequency, instructions
• Shows RAM timings, frequency, size and channel configuration
• Displays motherboard details like model, chipset, BIOS version
• Reports graphics card details like GPU, memory, drivers
• Monitors core voltages, temperatures and fan speeds
• Can validate overclock settings and benchmark performance
• Lightweight app with minimal impact on system resources
• Available for Windows and Android platforms

Pros & Cons Analysis

lshw

Pros

• Lightweight and fast
• Very detailed hardware reporting
• Cross-platform support
• Does not require root access
• Output can be easily parsed programmatically
• Actively maintained and updated

Cons

• Text output can be hard to read for humans
• Does not work on Windows
• May fail to detect some hardware correctly
• Not all information may be available without root access

CPU-Z

Pros

• Comprehensive hardware profiling and monitoring
• Simple and easy to use interface
• Portable app requiring no installation
• Completely free with no ads or upsells
• Open source code with active development
• Trusted utility used by enthusiasts and professionals

Cons

• Lacks real-time graphing of sensor data
• Minimal options for customizing or exporting reports
• Requires technical knowledge to interpret some readings
• Interface looks dated compared to more modern apps
• Limited usage on non-Windows platforms

Pricing Comparison

lshw

• Open Source
• Free

CPU-Z

• Free