Is there any PC manufacturer where the bundled software is a good thing?

Just curious. With the Sony and Dell models I've used recently, the prebundled software, besides basic drivers, is actually more of an annoyance than anything else. Less is better seems to be the general consensus around here with regard to tweaks to Windows 7 or bundled applications. And utilities that are meant to help the machine run better, like VAIO Care, often seem to just get in the way (particularly if they're buggy, and they often are).

However, over on the Apple side, some people really, really love some of the prebundled software (TimeMachine, iPhoto, and GarageBand being three common favorites). I personally adored iPhoto, and would have bought it if it wasn't free with an Apple. And Time Machine is just a fantastic backup-and-restore program.

Are there any PC manufacturers where the prebundled software and utilities is actually something people look forward to and want, as opposed to a headache to either ignore or uninstall?

 

In my personal experience... not really.
Most of that software is a pain in the neck (to say the least).
Just do a clean install of Windows and put extra software on it of your own choosing that doesn't automatically start with the OS.

Simply removing pre-installed software from startup often doesn't get rid of ALL the services that got placed into the system with their initial install... that can also slow your OS down - which is why complete removal of the programs in question is recommended or even better, a clean OS install.

 

The only welcome software is a bloat free Windows 7 and recovery/drivers dvd`s , so you can do a clean install.

 

If I'm correct, bundled software/ads help to reduce prices, since the companies pay for it

 

only laptops i know that are bloatware free are clevo.
30 day trial of antivirus,30 day trial of microsoft office etc are a pain in the rear.

 

The answer is...... No.
Z.

 

Not really. That being said I don't mind some of Lenovo's software.

 

On this matter, why doesn't any manufacturer supply his hardware bloatware free, except needed drivers (Intel and such)? I think it's pretty clear that they are aware of the fact that most of people hate that software. Then again, I'm on tech forum, maybe majority don't give thought about it.

 

The MS store initiative is a step in the right direction.

Personally, i do use some of the Asus provided software, but the amount is minimal compared to what the machine comes with. In general, bloatware isn't worth it, but there are always a few bundled utilities that may be useful. All that trial software is a plague though.

 

Nope, PC's are bloated from the start and will always be bloated from the start no matter what manufacturer produces them.

 

That's not true. Sagers and Microsoft-store laptops (of all brands) have nothing but a clean install of Windows. Alienwares, Thinkpads, and fresh-start Vaios have next to nothing.

If you want a PC with basically nothing but Windows straight out of the box, you can do that. What I was asking was different--is there anybody out there who offers a software package that is BETTER than just a clean install of Windows.

 

Just grab the usual software you use, no more no less.

 

My sister's Sony VAIO included Adobe Acrobat for free, which is actually useful for making/editing PDFs and normally costs ~$80. The rest of the bundled software was pretty much bloatware.

 

I would gladly take the most virus / spy / ad / mal ware infested computer if it reduced the price by a decent amount. It's not like I'm even going to boot into windows ONCE before formatting and starting with a clean slate.

 

That's funny.
Most computers come with an anti-virus such as McAfee which is a virus itself, you can ask anyone knowledgeable in anti-viruses and they will tell you that having McAfee on a computer is utter garbage.

Not to mention, Alienware's do not come without any bloatware, I had one myself, programs such as command center and other extensions function as bloatware even though you might not think so but they do qualify as bloatware. They slowdown start-up, run throughout the duration that your laptop is on, and slowdown overall performance (Might not be a major slowdown but there is a slowdown.)

If you ask the majority of people on these forums with PC's they will tell you that they had to do a clean install upon receiving the machine in order to bring it up to speed and expectations since the bloatware was terrible.

 

This is simply a ridiculous statement.

Back on topic, HP's utilities are decent, better than Dell's proprietary software, I've found. I don't have a problem with manufacturers including free trials, as long as they provide an easy method of getting rid of them.

 

A good example of ASUS software that some may call bloat is Power-4-gear.
On the G73 Twin turbo will not function without it installed; as Tijo alluded to.

 

This is correct.

You need to acknowledge the correctness of his statement.

For other manufacturers, yes, a clean install of the OS is recommended for advanced users. Most other users know nothing about how to clean install and are happy with their systems. The users on this forum who visit and post are more technically inclined and capable of understanding and preforming a clean install of the OS which is purely optional. Just as tweaking an OS for maximum SSD performance is purely optional.

 

Thank you. Some think that all preloaded software is worthless, it's not in all cases. ThinkVantage is a very useful tool to keep your software up to date with drivers and BIOS updates.

Toshiba has a similar software utility called "Toshiba Software Installer". It goes out and checks their server for drivers and software updates on your computer.

 

HP's Support Center does a similar thing, as opposed to Dell's, which just throws out annoying popups from time to time.

 

Posts have been removed - stay on topic, guys. If you don't have anything relevant to contribute, please do not post. Thank you.

 

I've never used HP's support center. Nice to hear they've got a nice suite of maintenance and Dell is pretty basic support as you say. I have never seen a Dell popup on any of my Dell computers regarding updates.

 

The other thing they have is Coolsense, which is kind of a goofy package but at least allows you some semblance of control over fan aggressiveness and throttling.

 

Yeah, I didn't find HP and Dell's support/update utilities to be very helpful, so I've always removed them. I prefer Thinkpads' System Update implementation: it gets updates only when you run the tool and doesn't run in the background.

To answer Mitlov's OP:
I don't think any PC manufacturer bundles software in the way Apple does: Microsoft isn't really allowed to thanks to antitrust suits (IE9, etc.), and PC manufacturers have come to the realization that for general software, there's probably a better tool out there for whatever they come up with.

So usually, with PCs, the manufacturer-specific software is either profitable trialware or marketable machine-specific utilities (ThinkVantage suite, CoolSense, Beats Audio). I sort of prefer it this way, to be honest: Lenovo's Power Manager is far more advanced than the built-in Windows power management.

 

I've used ThinkVantage and Toshiba Software Installer. Toshiba's version is pretty slick too as it goes out and looks for up to date drivers on your PC/Laptop much like WU does. It then downloads and installs everything you need in one step.

 

Same here, there is some Asus software that i use, namely the ATK drivers for the extra hotkeys, P4G Hybrid, it has more power options, not as advanced as the lenovo software, but the options suit me well and i don't have to bother configuring the power plans.

 

Nope. But personally I've gotten so used to clean installing that I don't really care, I actually like the feeling you get when you clean install a brand new computer. The only software I use from ASUS is the ATK software which I don't really consider bloatware since it's tied to some of the laptop keys and features like the keyboard backlight. Other than that it's all stuff I want or need.

 

Acer laptops are awful for bloat, their empowering technology is ironic, since all it does is slow down your OS and duplicate pre-existing windows features.

 

I've found Dell's stuff to be pretty useful. On the latest generation of E-Series Latitudes they've taken a step back from the "all encompassing suite" that was Dell ControlPoint....the Dell System Manager (only two very small apps: Power Manager and System & Devices Manager) that replaced it is quite light.

Interestingly enough, they have a alternate software package for those interested in an even lighter experience: Dell Feature Enhancement Pack

EDIT: I reinstalled windows to rule out a hard drive issue and tried the DFEP. Its nice enough but you do miss out on some features like the ability to turn off the monitor via FN + D.

I'm trying to keep things lean this time round so I think ill live without it. I can install the monitor off tile like I used to on my old laptop

 

I find the softwares with ThinkPads are very good. You have a clearly superior power manager, better wireless manager, a very good update software, GPS software with integrated Google maps etc.

 

Yes. They're all good because the included software subsidizes the price of a new PC. Figure the average 'Pack of Crap' lowers the price by a hundred bucks......

 

I like the tools from my hp. like coolsense and hp update thingy. hp had a minimal recovery which worked quite well. I had done both a clean install and a minimal recovery. I ended up getting rid of the acronis true image of the clean install. minimal recovery was more then fine.

 

Does the "minimal recovery" include coolsense and the update?

I'm liking HP's approach to it. Lots of stuff up front to help subsidize the purchase, but a straightforward easy way to get rid of the bad and keep the good for people who care.

 

I'd agree. I think ThinkVantage is very helpful. Not familiar with the Toshiba package though.

Invariably, it happens that unless I buy a laptop (recently, always ThinkPads) without an OS (sometimes common in and around my parts), I always seem to clean install and then deliberately install the ThinkVantage software. In this sense, I don't consider the ThinkVantage package to be bloatware. But yes, it is true that previous laptops that I have owned notably an Acer and a Sony did come with a lot of "trial" software - like an anti-virus, various other stuff and their own tool-kit which as someone mentioned in a post above only served to duplicate the same functions within Windows.

I am not saying that this does not happen with the ThinkVantage software (to use an example). So, for instance, there is this "Access Connections" software (I think it is part of the ThinkVantage set of tools), which I don't use (never downloaded) since I use Win 7's wireless connections manager. I forgot to add that one thing I have found helpful while using the ThinkVantage software is that it automatically updates the bios, which was unlike my experience with the Acer (for which I had to go looking high and low) - though the situation may have changed.

Normally, I would associate bloatware with stuff like those trial software etc. and in some extreme cases with some of the OEM's own applications (Sony/ Acer, I am looking at you!).

 

Alienwares are pretty much bloat free.

 

Lenovo has excellent software (as mentioned above) with minimal bloat.

 

I have bought a sony laptop before, no startup bloatware, just a few media programs that I don't use. some sony laptops come with some usually not free programs from adobe. Another good thing about sony is that if your computer gets lost, sony will pay the finder $100 to give it back to you.
(Sticker on bottom of laptop gives instructions to finder)
thats why sony is a bit more expensive than other oem's

 

Using my office's loaner Thinkpad Edge E420 (which I told them to buy about six months ago), I'm struck by how much better ThinkVantage is than VAIO Care and other bundled VAIO software. It does everything you want (diagnostics, recovery media, updates) without getting in your way at the other times. Very, very well done.