So now that iStat is a paid app (don't get me wrong I like the app but thats not what this thread is about) I went looking for an alternative app with the same functionality, but free I came across MenuMeters and it is VERY similar, lightweight, and best of all its free. Just thought I would pass this on.
I found them as well. Good product, and the right price This is why I complained about istat menus going the paid shareware route. I don't have a problem with people trying to make a living, but those particular apps are more eye candy, gee whiz type of apps.
I thought that MM did not work with Snow Leopard... My Leopard set stopped working at any rate so I paid for the iStat Menus... it is certainly worth every penny and more of the $10.
Thanks for sharing this. I was going to pay for iStat forced updated to 3.0, then went looking for a discount coupon, and nothing showed up. Also other users review in Macworld made me stop from paying. One user mentioned its MacBook fans were behaving strangely with iStat, and other mentioned that bjango is not a serious company, not sure about it but anyway, I'll give Menu meters a try.
This one (http://www.atpurpose.com/atMonitor/) appears to be the best, and best looking, of the free options. I happily paid for the iStat though. Along with BetterTouchTool, the 2 utilities I most need on OSX. I have no problem with the fan feature on my 2010 i7 MBP.
Fyi, menumeters works fine in Lion, and shows all threads of each processor core. No temps tho.. but iStat lost a customer trying to get $25 for an app that basically mirrors the system monitor in your menubar. I'd have paid 10.. dummies.
+1 to that. iStat is way overpriced for an app that doesn't actually do anything other than read stats and display them. Checking menumeters out now though, good to know it works on Lion too.
I using MenuMeters, little poorer but it's simple and free. http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/ You can adjust colors of the icons / text - yes, iStat looks better The iStat Menus - totally overpriced ($16), it's should cost no more than $4.99 on AppStore. .
Thanks a lot. Just what I need. I like iStat Menus but in Canada they want $20 after taxes... not worth it for such a simple app. $10 at most is what I would pay, ideally for such a simple app $5 would be nice.
atMonitor provided gpu usage and diode temperature. Now that it is defunct and doesn't appear to work on Yosemite, do any of these apps provide this information?
Anything for El Capitan? I see MenuMeters gave up. Currently I am using atMonitor, is working, trying to get used to it.