Would Like Opinions on using Task Killers

[jj741]

The following article that I was referred to suggests using a task manager (such as the 'Advanced Task Cleaner' app) to kill apps that don't need to be running, or to even setup an auto-kill list:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/25319/
(see the section: 'Use a Task Manager to See What is Always Running')

But this article strongly recommends against using one:
http://www.howtogeek.com/127388/

I'd be very interested to hear what knowledgeable people have to say about this difference of opinion.

 

[EvilMonkey]

At the time that first post was published (in 2010) they might've been needed. They no longer are. Some people still swear by them, but they do more harm than good. Android manages memory just fine now.

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

At the time that first post was published (in 2010) they might've been needed. They no longer are. Some people still swear by them, but they do more harm than good. Android manages memory just fine now.

This pretty much nails it. Any Android pre-ICS probably could have benefited from using a task killer to some degree (though even then it was debatable), but since then Android has much improved it's handling of apps. The problem with a lot of these task killers is that many of the apps it "kills" will just automatically start up again (as they are designed to run in the background), and it takes a lot more power to constantly kill them and start up again, effectively negating the purpose of running a task-killer in the first place.

There are some more modern apps, like SnapDragon's Battery Guru and Greenify (this one requires root), that can be effective on today's modern (ICS and above) phones. Basically, they work but suppressing sync cycles (Battery Guru) or by putting lesser used apps into a hibernated state (Greenify), which avoids the behavior described above. The actual battery savings you can get these apps seems to vary with an individual's usage, but some folks do report an improvement.

Long story short...yes, for the most part you should avoid task killers...but there are other types of apps that do offer to provide battery savings.

 

[garublador]

Those two articles are actually saying the same thing. You want to make sure there isn't an app using more battery than necessary. The first article is not saying to kill any task you don't' think you're currently using, just to use the task killer to identify apps that suck your battery life.

One thing I will point out about these battery saving articles is they almost never give any sort of indication of how much battery you might save using any of these methods. Is it really worth compulsively managing your WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth settings to save 5% battery for the day? In some cases you can save significant amounts of battery life, like with turning your brightness down or potentially managing syncing yourself, but some suggestions that are "rules of thumb" just aren't as important as they once were. I'd highly recommend trying most of the "battery saving" tips one at a time and for a few days at a time to see how much difference each one actually makes.