Bill2's Process Manager 3.4.4.0

Overview

Bill2's Process Manager is a task manager replacement which can take advantage of multi-core processors with its affinity settings.

The task manager can display the list of currently-running processes which the user can see detailed information about before deciding whether any of the processes need killing or a change in CPU running priority.

The standout feature of this task manager replacement is that rules can be created that can help use the prioritization and affinity settings in a useful way depending on what processes are running at the time. Priorities can also be automated so the user only has to set a process priority once for their favorite program and it can be adjusted upwards or downwards each time the program (and process) is launched.

Installation

The installation required 3.8 MB of available space to install. The installation completed without issue.

There was no adware, toolbar or malicious software included with the setup package.

Bill2's Process Manager requires Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 8 / Windows Server 2003 (32-bit and 64-bit supported).

Interface

The interface includes a basic list of Windows processes running presently with the process name, process ID, CPU utilization, current priority and other information presented. Within this screen it is possible to click on a process, then right-click to see a context menu with options to change the process priority or kill the process altogether.

There is also a detailed list of options which allows the user to configure the application, adjust security settings, set which process get an automatic priority and to create rules for both priority and affinity settings.

Pros

• Set both priority and affinity settings for a Windows process
• Create an automated list of priorities and affinity settings that the Process Manager can remember each time the process loads again
• Add rules to suit based on what processes are running and which ones should get a higher (or lower) priority
• View a detailed list of the configurations for the application
• Kill a process quickly
• Hyper-threading technology can be manually turned on or off depending whether this feature is supported by the computer CPU; there is also automatic detection option

Cons

None.

Alternatives

System Explorer is another task manager that offers many similar features but also includes a way to permanently set the priority of a process to avoid needing to do so each time the application is loaded. Attractive overlay when hovering over the system tray icon too. 

Conclusion

Bill2's Process Manager is a good replacement option for the task manager which offers both a rules-based approach and an automated option for managing both priorities and affinity settings for programs and processes.