PowerISO Review
A user-based, PowerISO review that takes a look at the pros and cons of the virtual drive. It looks at alternatives and provides info on why it’s perfect for you.
Quick Summary
Power ISO is a great software that you can download and install for free to your machine. It creates a virtual CD/DVD ROM drive that allows users to mount ISO files (Disk image) and access files saved in CD/DVD format. Next to this, it can extract, open, create, edit, encrypt, compress, and burn ISO image files. It also has extra features and supports all disc image types out there.
Today, we will take a look at the PowerISO software. We will review its pros and cons and see how this incredible free software can address all ISO-based needs you might have.
Pros and Cons
Like in all things in life, nothing is ever truly perfect. So here are some pros and cons I’ve encountered during my years of using PowerISO.
Pros
1. It’s genuinely free. Even with a premium version, the free version gives you access to all the features.
2. The PowerISO software comes supported on all major operating systems. All its features are supported on Microsoft Windows(32/64-bit), Linux ubuntu, and command-line utilities for both OSX and Linux.
3. It is regularly updated. PowerISO ensures that the latest technology and more tools are incorporated in new releases.
4. The download file size is relatively small, making it a quick download.
5. International recognition. It has many worldwide users who also provide information via online forums like Reddit.
6. It has a tool that allows you to create bootable drives. The bootable drive can be used to recover or re-install windows on a PC.
Cons
1. Although the free version has all the tools you will ever need, the premium version is slightly better.
2. The free version has a startup dialog box that some users may find annoying. This is the small window that pops-up when you open the program. They will ask you to upgrade to the paid version each time the program is opened. The dialog box can be removed by upgrading to premium.
3. They have limited technical support from the program’s creators.
4. Tutorials they provide are hard to understand.
5. The free version needs you to uninstall it then download and install the newest version.
Quick Navigation
// A Review of PowerISO’s Features and Benefits
// Alternatives
// Conclusion
Why Trust Me?
My name is Kim Kantai. I’ve got nearly eight years of working in the IT industry. I’ve used PowerISO for as long as I can remember. PowerISO helps us to create disk images that can’t be corrupted and are used for system backups.
The creation of multiplatform systems requires different frameworks that have to work together for the system to function. Creating a disk image with PowerISO helps us sleep better at night, knowing the data can’t be attacked by viruses or get changed by computer systems as data is transferred between different storage devices. Do you know what an ISO is? ISO files are also called ISO images and are an exact copy of files stored within an optical disk (CD/DVD). Since newer laptops don’t have a CD/DVD ROMs, virtual drives are what we use to access ISO files.
PowerISO FAQs
What is ISO?
This is the image of the archive file that is burned/written on an optical disk. It contains everything that would be on a physical CD/DVD, even the file system. The file system is a process that manages how and where data is kept on a storage disk. It also controls how the information is stored and managed.
It is free software that mounts an ISO image and functions as a virtual optical drive. It enables the user to use all the tools of an optical drive without the need for a CD/DVD and drive.
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How much does PowerISO cost?
The free software has no hidden costs or charges. All the features that you will ever need are accessible on the free version. The paid version costs US$29.95 and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How secure is PowerISO?
We can’t talk about security without putting your privacy first. PowerISO is a simple install and use software. You do not need to create an account, enter your details, and verify the account. It does not support third-party applications. It does not show you ads. If you do not have an account, how can your details be stolen?
A Review of PowerISO’s Features and Benefits
Are you already waiting to try out PowerISO? Now let’s take a look at just some of its key features.
Virtual drive
it is an integral feature that emulates an optical disk drive. It enables you to mount a disk image and access it as if you were using a physical optical drive. ISO image files can be mounted and accessed. Mounting is placing the ISO file on the virtual drive so they can be accessed.
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Add and extract
It comes with the ability to add other files to an existing ISO image and extract all or specific files in an ISO image.
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Copy
It can create many copies of ISO images and mount each on an individual virtual drive. It enables each copy to be processed quickly using different processes.
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Compression and encryption
Able to compress (make the storage space a file uses much less) ISO files and set passwords to control who can use the files contained on the ISO.
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Burn
A great feature that lets you burn an ISO image directly to a physical CD/DVD. It is used when you want to burn multiple identical discs. Burning a disk is the process of writing (or adding) things like videos and files on a CD/DVD or other recordable discs.
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Multi-format support
PowerISO supports a majority of formats and file extensions. Whatever format you can think of, It will work on PowerISO.
Reasons Behind My Ratings
Cost 5/5
It’s freeware. It costs nothing for all of its of tools and features.
User-friendliness 4/5
The software is direct and easy to navigate. Most tools can be executed in 3 to 5 mouse clicks. It doesn’t get a 5/5 because its interface can be slightly enhanced to give it that modern feel.
User support 3/5
Dedicated technical support is excellent for the premium version. The free version does not get as much support. The software is well documented, and tutorials/user manuals provide a lot of help. Moreover, there are several video tutorials and online forums that will provide the specific information you might need.
Tools and functions 5/5
The free version comes with everything you ever need. Even tools that you can use to test disc sectors.
Alternatives
It’s well known that competition fosters creativity. In the ISO based sphere, PowerISO also has some competitors. Though they all offer similar features, each adds its twist to provide users with that extra function that eventually wins us over.
Most of the differences are in the user interface and ease of use. Some alternatives might offer reduced features on the free/trial versions and go all out on the premium versions. focusing on free and useful software, below is a list of alternatives to PowerISO
1. MagicISO, developed by a firm with the same name. It is an optical disk image extracting, editing, and creating tool. It can also manage up to 15 virtual drives and offers compression and encryption tools. Encryption is the process of converting. Some users have, however, pointed out that payment is required to process CD Image files.
2. Daemon Tools lite by Daemon tools is a worthy contender, considering its modern interface and ease of use. It is a paid version that retails from $34.99 to $49.99 with a 14-day free subscription or 20-day trial period for new customers. It covers all the virtual drive uses. It features extras, such as a tool for remapping controller buttons (for your joystick/gamepad) to keyboard keys.
3. WinCDEmu from SysProgs. It’s a free CD/DVD emulator that supports as many virtual drives as your machine can handle, literally unlimited. It has fewer extra features, but it comes with a small download size. It does not require your PC to restart after installation.
Conclusion
Most software in the virtual driver’s category offer nearly identical tools and features. Most are also free or offer a trial period, with the paid versions focused mainly on user support and high-volume users. It makes the selection of such software a little complicated. As a user of PowerISO, I selected it for its ease of use, lack of glitches/errors, and the new tools that come with each update.
However, the ultimate reason I would recommend PowerISO is that its free version is very good or even better than the paid alternatives. What about you? What’s your favorite?
