7zip alternatives ?

[Johan Klassen]

I noticed that when I was 7zip compressing a 300GB folder the CPU would stay very close to 100% and the CPU temperature was about 70c
I don't want to burn-up my CPU!
I don't want to run the CPU this high for hours on end, 50% usage and 50c is reasonable, any 7zip alternatives recommendations ?

[Stuart McLachlan]

Win 11 "Compress To ..." now offers 7z file  as a compression format.

Google AI says:

No, it is not bad for a CPU to run at 100% for hours, provided that the cooling system is effective and the CPU does not overheat. CPUs are designed to operate at 100% load, and prolonged use at high temperatures is the primary cause of reduced lifespan and potential damage. If your CPU's temperature stays within its safe operating limits, you can run it at 100% for extended periods without concern. 

What to look for:

• Temperature is key:
  High CPU usage isn't inherently bad, but high temperatures are. Monitor your CPU's temperature in addition to its usage. 
  
  

[*]Safe temperatures:
For prolonged heavy loads, temperatures between 65°C and 80°C are generally considered safe and normal. 


[*]Ideal vs. acceptable:
While temperatures under 80°C are fine, aiming to keep them below 80-85°C is a good goal for long-term operation. 

[Johan Klassen]

peazip might be an alternative but I will have to adapt my mind on it's usage, I am so use to right-click & drag to destination -->7zip add to 7z or zip
BTW, the peazip website is a mess, I spent 5 minutes looking for a download link, all it said was to download it by using winget, you can download it from https://github.com/peazip/PeaZip/releases

[Dale Yarker]

"Win 11 "Compress To ..." now offers 7z file  as a compression format." That is good news.

A couple weeks ago I wanted to download a file to my Win 10 machine. It was .7z, Winzip was suggested. Winzip put 5 or 6 shortcuts on my desktop. It even inserted it shelf so when I right clicked a .zip and did open with File Manager it was Winzip that opened.

That is too aggressive! Uninstalled. Winzip may be good stuff otherwise, but I disrecommend it.

I had not come across .7z before. In future I'll download and unpack .7z's on the Win 11 PC, then copy via thumbdrive.

Cheers,

[Eric Pearson]

I routinely shut down other applications so that mine can hog as much CPU time as possible, often 100% for 24+ hours at a time.  The core temperature rises at first, and then stabilizes.  Based on my experience, blow the dust out of your system and you should be fine.  (Unless your system is overclocked or something.)

For extra insurance maybe upgrade your fan, rather than switching away from 7zip.