Chip Updater: how good is the software update checker?

Martin Brinkmann
Jul 17, 2014
Software
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15

Keeping your Windows system up to date can be quite the time-consuming task if you do it manually, as you need to check for software updates regularly.

While some programs ship with update checking capabilities, the majority does not. While you could go ahead now and check the websites of the programs to see if updates are available, it would probably take hours to do so depending on how many programs are available on the PC.

Update Checkers automate the process at least for part of the installed software.

The Chip Updater is a new program in the niche that has been developed by the German computer magazine Chip. While the website appears to be in German, the program itself is available in English as well.

Chip Updater scans the installed programs when you start it which can take a while. The results of the scan are displayed afterwards.

Update statistics are displayed at the top. Here you are informed about the number of programs for which updates have been found (free and paid), how many programs are up to date, and programs for which auto-updates are available.

Below that is the list of programs starting with those for which updates are available.

The program name, developer, size as well as the installed and latest version are displayed here for each program. The download button leads to the Chip website where the program can be downloaded.

Criticism

When you compare the updates that Chip Updater finds to the updates that popular programs such as SUMo find, then you will come to the conclusion that its database is not large.

Chip Updater found 17 updates on a test system while SUMo found 68.  Functionality-wise, Chip Updater is lacking as well. You cannot block programs or prevent a particular update from being listed by the program.

This becomes an issue if false-positives are detected -- as was the case with the Steam software -- or if you run a program that you don't want to update.

The decision to load the Chip website every time you hit the download button is also less than ideal. It would be far better to start downloads right away when you hit the download button in the software. But that is something that many other update checkers are not handling better.

Conclusion

There is virtually no incentive to give Chip Updater a try if you are already using another software update program. The main issue is the small database of the program, which is puzzling considering that Chip maintains a large download repository on its website.

And even if you are not using another program, you may want to skip the Chip Updater and head straight for a program like SUMo instead which offer better functionality and a larger software database.

Summary
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Software Name
Chip Updater
Operating System
Windows
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Comments

  1. George Melendez said on July 19, 2014 at 11:26 pm
    Reply

    Thanks for the tip on Patch My PC… it does a formidable job and has quite a few features and options. I still like FileHippo update tool but i will give Patch My PC a spin………

  2. AJ North said on July 19, 2014 at 9:07 pm
    Reply

    Though also not as complete as SUMo, another updater that some may find useful is Patch My PC (a portable application) — http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Signatures-Updates/Patch-My-PC.shtml .

  3. Kyle said on July 19, 2014 at 4:40 pm
    Reply

    Hi,

    I’m the developper of SUMo.
    Thanks for this review… and comparison with our always improving SUMo Freeware !

    1. Andre Leonard said on July 20, 2014 at 6:11 pm
      Reply

      Readers beware. The SUMo link provided on this page takes you to an installer that is infected with the Relevant Knowledge PUP.

      I did not know how terrible it was until I spent over an hour trying to eliminate it.

      http://www.removeonline.com/how-to-remove-relevant-knowledge-virus/

      1. Kyle said on July 20, 2014 at 6:12 pm
        Reply

        RK is optionnal, can be easily removed afterward if selected.

        A “NoRK” version without RK is available on our download page for users who do not want to have RK proposed during installation process.

      2. Martin Brinkmann said on July 20, 2014 at 6:12 pm
        Reply

        You find several other Sumo versions listed there on the same page without it.

  4. Davis said on July 18, 2014 at 10:50 pm
    Reply

    Tried to load the more recommended SUMo from the page recommended in the referenced article. Even from there, Malwarebytes identified and blocked both PUP’s and adware in the download. Could be false positives, but particularly in the case of the adware, I don’t think so. Maybe I’ll try the filehippo one that had some positive remarks here.

    1. George Melendez said on July 19, 2014 at 4:20 am
      Reply

      Sure thing…. give FileHippo update too a try…. as i stated before, no problems with FileHippo and really quite accurate……

  5. Blue said on July 17, 2014 at 4:00 pm
    Reply

    Though some of those types of programs can be useful, a good majority claim available updates when the manufacturer clai
    ms none. On installing those types of updates some programs and hardware fail to operate after those updates so I am wary of those programs.

    1. George Melendez said on July 18, 2014 at 2:11 am
      Reply

      Hi Blue…
      I have been using FileHippo update tool for quite some time and have yet to have any issues so just give it a try… i assure you that you won’t regret it……

  6. Adrian said on July 17, 2014 at 2:44 pm
    Reply

    I use Ninite.

    1. George Melendez said on July 19, 2014 at 4:18 am
      Reply

      Hi Adrian …thanks for the tip on NiNite…….

    2. jinalbert said on July 18, 2014 at 7:35 am
      Reply

      +1 for NiNite. It is excellent for the common plugin apps. I have one installer for Java, SilverLight, Shockwave, Air, QuickTime, .NET plugins. One click, brilliantly update all!!

      Also, recommend PortableApps suite, which has a bunch of portable apps (PDF reader, photo manager, media player, torrent, libre office, etc) and selectable auto update feature. In addition, there are a bunch of portable apps, so no update nags.

      That leave about another 10% of apps that must be install manually, which I can live with.

  7. George Melendez said on July 17, 2014 at 1:35 pm
    Reply

    I was using SUMo also but found it to be very inaccurate and would constantly list programs that have been updated as needing to update. I have been using Filehippo’s update tool and find it to be very accurate and informative. If you know of any other update tool please let me know…….

  8. David said on July 17, 2014 at 10:38 am
    Reply

    If I updated all my software to the latest versions, some licences wouldn’t be valid, many features would be removed, and many things would run far slower – not to mention look terrible.

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