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CPU Meter Gadget Review

It's simple, free, and useful. Install it in Windows 7 or Windows Vista

By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 18, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section What Is the CPU Meter Gadget? CPU Meter Gadget Pros and Cons How to Install How to Reinstall More Information The CPU Meter gadget is our favorite system utility gadget for Windows 7. It's easy to read, responsive, and isn't complicated by a hundred and one options. This Windows gadget displays the status of two major system resources you might want to track on your computer: your CPU and memory usage. If you're looking for a simple and attractive gadget to keep tabs on these basic system resources, add the CPU Meter gadget to your desktop. The CPU Meter gadget is available for Windows Vista in addition to Windows 7.

CPU Meter Brief Description

The gadget provides a live reading of CPU and memory usageMinimal configuration makes it uncomplicated—both a pro and a conYou can change the size of the gadget between small and largeThe opacity level can be adjusted anywhere from 100 percent (totally visible) to 20 percentThe gadget can be set up to always be on top of other windows so that it's always a glance awayCPU Meter is included by default in any Windows 7 or Windows Vista installationThe CPU usage is located at the bottom, so the memory monitor is the one at the top

CPU Meter Gadget Pros and Cons

The name of this gadget implies its functionality, and it doesn't disappoint. What We Like Included by default with Windows 7 and Vista Very attractive display Simple to use Very small footprint (doesn't require much RAM or CPU to run itself) What We Don't Like Supports only one CPU No advanced configurations whatsoever

How to Install the CPU Meter Gadget

Getting the CPU Meter gadget on your computer is as simple as dragging it out of Gadget Gallery. Here's how to install it in Windows 7 or Windows Vista: Right-click anywhere on the desktop. In Windows Vista, right-click Sidebar. If you don't see Sidebar, find its icon in the notification area by the clock, right-click it, and then click Open. Click Gadget. If you're using Windows Vista, select Add Gadgets instead.
Drag CPU Meter onto the desktop. Another option is to right-click the gadget and click Add. How to Install a Windows Gadget

Reinstall CPU Meter If It' s Been Deleted

If CPU Meter is no longer on your desktop, and you want it to be, just follow the steps above. However, if you don't see the gadget listed in Gadget Gallery, then it's been uninstalled for some reason. Microsoft no longer supports gadgets, so you can't download CPU Meter from Microsoft's website. However, Windows has a built-in ability to restore previously uninstalled gadgets. While Microsoft no longer hosts gadget downloads, you can get CPU monitoring gadgets from other places like Win7Gadgets. Open Control Panel from the Start menu.
Search for restore gadget (Windows 7) or sidebar (Vista). Restoring Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets. In Windows 7, click Restore desktop gadgets installed with Windows. In Windows Vista, open Windows Sidebar Properties, and click Restore gadgets installed with Windows. Following these steps will reinstall all the default gadgets that came with Windows, but it will not remove any third-party gadgets you installed yourself.

More Information on the CPU Meter Gadget

The CPU Meter gadget is a great pick for very obvious reasons—it works well, it looks good, and it's included with Windows 7 and Vista by default. It's the only system utility gadget included with Windows, so it's no surprise that it tracks CPU and memory use. You'd use CPU Meter if you like to keep tabs on your CPU and RAM use. The gadget is valuable in that it shows you in real-time whether a program you've just opened or are using right now is utilizing lots of memory and/or processor power. This gadget lets you avoid opening Task Manager just to check system resources when your PC is slow. Just glance over at the CPU Meter gadget on your desktop to see these two stats. Admittedly, it's even fun to just watch the dials go up and down, but it also satisfies that bit of computer geek in all of us. If you want to delete the CPU Meter gadget from Windows 7 or Windows Vista, right-click the gadget from the desktop or Sidebar and click Close gadget. Remember that this doesn't remove the gadget from Gadget Gallery, but instead just closes it down. Reopening CPU Meter is as simple as following the installation steps above. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire All CPU Meter Gadget Review Windows 7 Sticky Notes: Post-It Notes for Your Computer How to Install a Windows Gadget Speccy v1.32.803 Review (A Free SysInfo Tool) 13 Best Windows 7 Gadgets for System Monitoring 12 Best Free Spyware Removal Tools (October 2022) Task Manager (What It Is & How to Use It) What Are the Types of System Resources in a Computer? Wise Care 365 v6.3.8 Review (A Free System Optimizer) What Version of Windows Do I Have? How to Remove the Recycle Bin From a Windows Desktop The 9 Best Free Antivirus Software of 2022 Windows 7: Editions, Service Packs, Licenses, and More What lsass.exe Is & How It Affects Your Computer NVIDIA GeForce Video Card Drivers v517.48 (2022-09-27) What's Conhost.exe in Windows? What Does it Do? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies