Norton is very much a stalwart of the software world, having become famous for its PC optimization tools and security utilities. It is also something of a rarity, bringing genuine, noticeable and measurable results. But just what does this mean.

As you would probably expect, there are not only several components to  Norton Utilities, but more than one way to use them. For people who do not want to get too involved, there are various one-click options for getting quick results. But there is also the option of taking things slowly, working through all of the recommendation that the software offers after analyzing your computer  

In the Dashboard, you're given a handy overview of your system, complete with the breakdown of various issues that have been detected. This can range from problems in the registry, junk files wasting space, or unnecessary startup program increasing boot times and slowing down your computer. You are free to get quick result by clicking the Repair All button to apply all of the recommendations, or you can spend time checking which you would like to use.

Separate to this is Norton Utilities' Toolbox where you will find numerous cleanup and optimization tools -- again, these can be used in automatic or manually mode. There are in fact a huge number of tools here, including no fewer than five individual cleanup tools -- all-in-one cleanup, internet cleanup, Windows cleanup, registry cleanup and advanced uninstaller.

There are also several tool available in the Speed up Section such as a memory optimizer, startup time reducer, and defragmenter.  The Protect section is home to various privacy-related tools such as a secure file shredder, and there's also the Recover section to help fix numerous problems with your computer.

A really nice inclusion is Real-Time Boost which does very much what you would expect from the name. A series of algorithms are used to optimize power usage, boost CPU speed, free up memory and much more. The results are impressive.

Something that puts many people off buying optimization and maintenance software is the cost involved -- but with Norton Utilities you get a great deal. As is the case with some many software titles these days, you pay for Norton Utilities on a subscription basis. At the moment the usual annual price of $69.99 has been slashed to $39.99, but the deal is even better than it first seems. Rather than including a single license, you can in fact use the software to boost the performance of up to ten computers -- perfect for the modern, multi-PC home!