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uTorrent torrent client review | TechRadar
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uTorrent is one of the most popular torrent clients globally. To many, it’s synonymous with torrenting itself. This platform maintains a stellar reputation because of its performance, speed, and ubiquitous features.
I’m reviewing uTorrent to help you decide whether it’s worth the hype. My review will focus on crucial factors like its features, speed, performance, security, and pricing. Read on to learn the pros and cons of uTorrent in detail.
uTorrent: Pricing
Unlike many torrenting clients, uTorrent offers different tiers of its product. Its basic version is free for anyone to download. However, this free version includes ads on the interface, which can be distracting when downloading content.
The paid tiers of uTorrent include
Ad-Free: For $4.95 per year, you can remove all ads from your interface. This version is also optimized to consume less bandwidth.
Pro: For $19.95 yearly, you can enjoy an ad-free experience and integrated virus scanning when downloading torrents.
Pro + VPN: This tier combines the features of the Pro tier and includes a VPN for secure content downloads. A VPN routes torrenting traffic through secure remote servers to avoid being tracked by third-parties.
uTorrent accepts cryptocurrency and credit/debit card payments. The paid tiers lack a free trial.
uTorrent: Versions
Extensive compatibility is one of uTorrent’s strengths. It has apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It also has an Android but no iOS app, which is typical for torrenting clients. Apple frowns upon torrenting apps appearing on its App Store, so you’ll hardly find any torrenting platform compatible with iOS.
uTorrent: Features
uTorrent is the most feature-rich torrenting client in my opinion, as it offers functionalities I’ve hardly encountered in other rival clients. It has a simple mechanism. You’ll first find a .torrent file from an external website. This file contains the metadata of the content you want to download.
Then, you’ll upload the .torrent file on uTorrent to begin downloading the relevant content. uTorrent notably supports bulk downloads at fast speeds, a feature many torrenting clients lack.
I observed fast download speeds when testing uTorrent. The app auto-adjusts bandwidth usage based on your network connection to provide fast speeds.
Download speeds are determined partly by the number of “seeders,” or uploaders, available on uTorrent’s network. Fortunately, as the most popular torrenting client, there’s hardly a lack of seeders to share files on uTorrent and maintain reliable speeds for everyone on the network.
uTorrent lets you schedule downloads ahead of time. For example, you can upload a .torrent file while at the office and instruct uTorrent to download it several hours later when you connect to your home’s WiFi network.
I was able to control my upload and download speeds to conserve bandwidth when using uTorrent. By default, after downloading a torrent on uTorrent, you automatically become a seeder uploading the files for other users on the network. Capping the data upload speed helped me conserve bandwidth when sharing files.
uTorrent supports remote access, which allows you to manage your torrenting activities from external devices. For example, I was able control downloads on a home computer from my smartphone while at work.
During testing, I enjoyed uTorrent’s light performance despite its many features. It’s not a memory hog that strains your PC’s resources and causes its fans to run at full speed. Instead, it’s a lightweight app with a hardly noticeable impact on your PC’s performance.
With uTorrent, you can download content while seamlessly handling other activities on your web browser or desktop apps.
uTorrent’s Android app is similar to its desktop app. It offers light performance, advanced features, impressive download speeds, and a simple user interface. You can use this Android app to control uTorrent on your PC and other devices.
A drawback I observed with uTorrent is the presence of ads on the basic version. These ads are distracting and, occasionally, users get ads for grey apps flagged by virus scanners. You should exercise caution when interacting with ads on uTorrent.
uTorrent: Interface and in-use
uTorrent has a modern, responsive interface that beats most torrenting clients. Its sleek interface spots a white or dark background (adjustable) with features brightly highlighted with contrasting colors.
The features are neatly arranged on the left, and the main menu is on the right. The buttons to add new torrents and begin downloading are boldly displayed on the main menu, so you can quickly find and switch between different features.
uTorrent is easy for a non-technical person to use. It performs excellently in the user-friendliness criterion, which isn’t the case for some torrenting platforms.
uTorrent: Security
Security is paramount when downloading torrents, as ISPs and other third-parties often seek to identify and block users. uTorrent has many security features to protect users from data leaks and cyber threats.
The Pro version comes with an integrated virus scanner. It scans every .torrent file for viruses and alerts you if any are detected. This feature is crucial because .torrent files are a common vector for introducing malware. It protects your PC from potential damage from viruses.
It’s advisable to turn on a VPN to encrypt your traffic before downloading torrents, which I did. This encrypts your torrenting data from third-parties, like ISPs, that want to snoop on it. The Pro + VPN feature includes an annual subscription to CyberGhost VPN. This VPN offers fast servers across the globe, letting you choose the most convenient location for different use cases.
If you already have a VPN, you can get the Pro version instead of the Pro + VPN version. Any reliable VPN will encrypt your uTorrent activities and prevent prying eyes.
uTorrent: Final Verdict
We can confidently call uTorrent one of the best torrenting clients you can choose. It’s not all rosy, as the basic version includes distracting ads and lacks the integrated virus scanner of the Pro version. However, when you exercise caution, uTorrent is one of the best apps for downloading content at impressive speeds.
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