GSmartControl vs MemTest86
GSmartControl
gsmartcontrol.shaduri.devMemTest86
memtest86.comSide by side
| Figure | GSmartControl | MemTest86 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $6.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 11 |
| Spec score · Hardware Diagnostic Software | 8.4 (#2) | 8.8 (#1) |
| Integration | GSmartControl is a graphical interface for smartctl from the smartmontools package; smartmontools is a runtime requirement. | Site Edition supports PassMark Management Console integration and reporting. |
| Purpose | GSmartControl is a graphical interface for smartctl that lets users inspect SMART data and run drive tests. | MemTest86 boots from USB and tests computer RAM for faults using memory test algorithms and patterns. |
| Support | Users are directed to report bugs through the GitHub issue tracker after consulting the troubleshooting page. | Free users receive a public forum, while Pro and Site users receive phone, email and forum support plus 12 months of upgrades. |
Plans
MemTest86
- Pro Site Edition$5,557, paid once
- MemTest86 Pro Support Extension$76 a year
- Free EditionFree
- Free EditionFree
- Pro Support Extension$76 a year
- Pro Download$116, paid once
- Pro Download$116, paid once
- Pro USB Drive$144, paid once
- Pro USB Flash Drive$144, paid once
- Site Edition$5,557, paid once
In their own words
GSmartControl
GSmartControl is a graphical interface for smartctl, used to inspect drive SMART data and run tests. It displays drive identity, capabilities, attributes and device statistics, and automatically highlights anomalies. Users can enable or disable SMART and adjust global or per-drive smartctl options. Saved smartctl output can be opened as a read-only virtual device. The software supports ATA drives, including SATA and PATA, and NVMe drives, plus some devices behind USB bridges and selected RAID controllers. SCSI and SAS drives are not supported, though some information about them may appear. GSmartControl is free software under the GNU General Public License version 3. Downloads include Linux packages, Windows installers and portable archives, FreeBSD ports, macOS packages and source code. smartmontools is a runtime requirement, but official Windows packages include the required software. Useful operations require root or Administrator privileges because operating systems restrict direct hardware access. Supported systems listed include Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, DragonFlyBSD, macOS and Solaris; QNX support is described as untested.
MemTest86
MemTest86 is a bootable utility that checks computer RAM for faults using memory test algorithms and patterns. It runs from a USB drive without an installed operating system, although Windows, Linux, or an Intel-based Mac can be used to create that drive. Version 11.7 requires UEFI firmware and x86 or ARM64 hardware, and does not support Apple Silicon M-series Macs. Its listed coverage includes 14 algorithms, such as SIMD, Row Hammer, and DMA tests, and support for DDR2, DDR3, LPDDR4, LPDDR5(x), ECC, CDIMM, and CAMM2 memory. It can create customizable HTML reports and, on supported configurations, decode an error address to identify a failed DIMM or chip. The Free Edition supports up to 16 CPU cores; Pro supports up to 512 and adds automation and custom tests. Site Edition adds PXE-based LAN deployment and Management Console integration. The Free Edition costs nothing; Pro Download costs $116, paid once.