uTorrent 1.8.1

Still not for the faint of heart, this torrent utility is one of the easiest to use. The uTorrent executable adds a directory and some option information to your PC, but it is still small enough to run off an old USB key. The memory footprint for uTorrent is very small, and system resources are barely touched. Our testers found that IP phones were difficult to use with a torrent, but uTorrent's simple button interface makes it easy to pause downloading.

The most difficult aspect of using a torrent client is finding the torrents, but included are both a torrent search bar that links to MiniNova and a handy RSS feed download function. Subscribe to select feeds, and uTorrent automatically downloads files as they publish. Adding, starting, pausing, and listing torrents takes merely a click or two each. A speed guide helps you test your ports and adjust system settings for optimal performance.

Even though uTorrent is now owned by BitTorrent, there haven't been many noticeable drawbacks, if any. Some tried-and-true BitTorrent options are available to uTorrent users, such as Local Peer Discovery and DHT Network. The latest version also includes Teredo and Ipv6 support, and patches a critical security error that has been discovered in all pre-1.8 builds, making this one of the secure torrent clients around. Throw in all the other features, and that should make it the torrent program of choice for novices, intermediate, and advanced users.

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