Fan Control vs MemTest86+

Fan Control is a Windows utility by developer Remi Mercier (Rem0o) that gives PC builders granular control over CPU, GPU, case, and AIO pump fans. Instead of relying on motherboard BIOS curves, it reads temperatures from multiple hardware sources at once and lets you graph custom fan-speed responses per component. It uses the open-source LibreHardwareMonitor library for sensor data and supports a plugin system for extra hardware support (including some Dell laptops and HWiNFO integration). The app itself is closed-source but completely free, distributed via GitHub releases and package managers like Winget, Scoop, and Chocolatey.

MemTest86+ is a standalone memory testing software designed to thoroughly diagnose and stress-test computer RAM for hardware faults and stability issues. Operating independently of any operating system, it boots directly from removable media to execute rigorous algorithmic patterns against physical memory addresses. Widely trusted by PC builders, system administrators, and hardware technicians, it helps isolate faulty RAM sticks, unstable overclocks, and subtle memory degradation before they cause data corruption or system crashes.

• Completely free with no ads, license keys, or nag screens
• Very low resource footprint compared to full vendor RGB/control suites
• Extremely granular curve and multi-sensor mixing control
• Active development with a real plugin ecosystem

• Completely free and open source
• Runs independently of the operating system
• Supports both UEFI and legacy BIOS
• Deep diagnostic algorithms detect subtle hardware faults

• Windows only, no macOS or Linux build
• UI and curve editor have a learning curve for first-time users
• Relies on motherboard fan headers being software-controllable, which varies by hardware

• Requires creating a bootable USB drive to run
• Lacks a graphical desktop interface during testing
• Cannot test RAM while the primary operating system is running