It came to my mind several times, but I never established an useful list. However, the guys from ExtremePC have done that and I must say they published some great advices about free programs and sharewares.
The list is very important for PC builders, I mean the ones that configure themselves the computer and don't buy a brand-name one. In this case, the builders have to monitor their hardware, to find out every necessary detail that could lead to a crush. So, let's continue with list of freeware and share.
In the top of the list will be a largely used freeware called CPU-Z. This utility offers complete details about the system's CPU, and also gives information about the motherboard, the memory and the OS. Here are some infos you can get about your CPU: name, the development codename, the socket package, the die process technology, the core voltage, stepping, computer's current clock frequency, the bus frequency, and even cache data.
Another good diagnostic tool would be the HWiNFO3, which has almost the same functions like CPU-Z, Though it comes with more detailed data. HwinFO3 delivers complete reports about CPU, the memory, the motherboard, the PCI bus, the graphics card, the storage devices, the audio hardware and many more. It is free for only 14 days, then you should register.
This utility goes straight for those who push their hardware to the limits. It is called OCCT or Overclock Checking Tool. The tool monitors CPU clocks, the current overclock, voltage information, and the temperature of each core. That's truly amazing, because it helps users not to burn their computers.
The next one is aimed for graphics test. The Real-Time High Dynamic Range Image-Based Lighting (rthdribl) measures the glare, depth of field, detail maps, and even the current frame rate of your display. The rthdribl is based on DirectX 9 and Shader 2.0, but it could also test the modern graphic cards.
I have tested myself these utilities and I strongly recommend their use when you need to check on your PC.
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