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AVG Performance is a collection of software titles designed to tune up various devices.  Making up this package are PC TuneUp for Windows, Cleaner for Android and Cleaner for Mac.  The product, consisting of a CD and Installation Guide booklet with an activation code printed on the front cover, comes with a one-year licence for use on unlimited devices that are for your person and home family use.  Rather than containing the actual code for the various products, this CD provides a link to the relevant AVG Performance website from where the User Guide and software can be downloaded and subsequently installed.

Acting as the nerve centre for AVG Performance, as it also does for AVG Protection, is AVG Zen.  It is this software that allows you to connect all your devices together and carry out actions from a single device.  For example you can check on the status of other devices within the AVG Zen compass plus instigate a security scan and carry out maintenance work that might be required.  You can also use AVG Zen to add additional devices into the network.

When AVG PC TuneUp is first installed on a Windows computer, it is supposed to offer a welcoming scan of the host computer but this failed to happen and instead I was offered the opportunity to purchase an upgrade to the product’s Pro version.  This was not what I was expecting and led be to believe that the problem was caused by the presence of a cut-down, time-limited version of the AVG PC TuneUp that came as part of the AVG Protection package that I had installed earlier.  Once I had uninstalled AVG PC TuneUp and then run the installation again, the problem disappeared.  Installing AVG PC TuneUp on a second system, which did not have AVG Protection, was error free.

See also: Utility software

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As mentioned, AVG PC TuneUp, once installed, will run a welcoming scan to indicate areas where the AVG software can be of assistance.  This maintenance checks targets Registry issues, broken shortcuts, the system cache and logs, browser data, startup and shutdown plus where a hard disk defragmentation is necessary.  On a test machine, which is rarely used other than for reviewing products, a total of 465 issues were identified along with a possible saving of 1.08GB of hard disk space.  This was not a bad initial return considering the lack of use this computer had been put to in the past.

Having carried out this scan and fixing of the various issues with the user’s permission, you can access the software’s dashboard view of its functionality.  The dashboard divided its functionality into five panels covering Maintenance, Speed up, Free up, Fix problems and All Functions.  Along with the maintenance tasks, there are options to disable programs running in the background with an indication as to the impact they have on the smooth running of the system. 

You can also disable any of the programs that form part of the Windows start-up procedure.  Right clicking an item will bring up the appropriate website so that you can gain more information which will help you decide whether to disable an item or not.  There is also a fall-back option as AVG PC TuneUp keeps a record of all its tasks so that you can undo any actions latter.

Searches can be carried out for duplicate files along with the system cache and logs to identify items for removal to free up more disk space.  AVG PC TuneUp will identify possible problems that could affect the running of the computer.  Recommendation will be made regarding how these issues can be handled and fixed.

For a more direct approach to dealing with aspects of the computer, the All Functions panel contains all the tools made available to you.  These tools are classified into groups designated as Installed programs, Hard disk, Usage data, Registry, Computer, Recommendations, Windows, Mobile devices and AVG PC TuneUp.  While some of these tools are available elsewhere, it is useful to have access to them from a single location.

While Windows users get AVG PC TuneUp, Mac users will have to make do with the dual functionality offered by AVG Cleaner for Mac.  This software contains just two modules.  You get a tool to clean junk from a disk and another that will search out duplicate files to help release disk storage space.

Android users can visit the Play Store and download AVG Zen and AVG Cleaner apps.  These two apps have lists of 5 and 8 permissions respectively.  The Android version of Cleaner offers a great range of functionality to that available with the Mac version.  Android Cleaner can be used to clean the cache and history sections plus optimise battery settings used profiles that are based on use in the Home, Work, Car or when low battery conditions apply.  There is also an App Manager which can identify running apps and those that are taken up valuable storage space.

Obviously AVG PC TuneUp is the main element of this product and the reason while most people will purchase the product.  The Android Cleaner element and the AVG Zen software is a valuable addition but the Mac software adds little to the value of this product which is priced at £29.00.  Minimum system requirements call for a 1.0GHz processor with 512MB of RAM running Windows XP (SP3) and later.

http://www.avg.com/gb-en/performance