Buzz
Default on Windows, there are quite a few tools to support users in file compression and extraction. However, this article will only mention the three most popular tools for compressing and decompressing files on computers, namely 7-Zip, WinRAR, and WinZip.
Before comparing 7-Zip, WinRAR, and WinZip, the tester used a 1.3 GB video file and used the file compression tools 7-Zip, WinRAR, WinZip with the best compression settings of each software to evaluate more objectively.
Comparison: 7-Zip vs WinRAR vs WinZIP - Which file compression software is superior?
While 7-Zip stands out as a high-quality open-source tool, WinRAR, although technically free, requires users to purchase a paid license to avoid annoying notifications. Meanwhile, WinZip is a paid file compression tool that locks the software after the trial period expires.
WinZip
Download WinZip here: Download WinZip
WinZip is perhaps the most expensive file compression software today, priced between $30 to $50 for commercial versions. At this price point, users are provided with a rather impressive file compression tool. WinZip supports quick compression of file types such as RAR, 7z, TGZ, GZ, TAR, CAB, ISO, and more.
According to the software manufacturer, WinZip can compress files on a computer in .zipx format with a significantly higher compression ratio than other file compression methods.
To compress files, right-click on the file you want to compress, then select WinZip > Add to Zip. When the WinZip screen appears, choose “Zipx: Best method (smallest size)” under Compression Type and click Add to start the compression process.
The result of compressing a 1.3GB video file on a computer using WinZip is as follows:
- .Zip: 855MB (compression ratio 34%)
- .Zipx: 744MB (compression ratio 43%)
WinRAR
Download WinRAR here: Download WinRAR
WinRAR is a widely-used software among Vietnamese users today. It can easily compress and extract RAR files, and it also supports compression and extraction of various file formats such as ZIP, ISO, 7-ZIP, CAB, and TAR.
To compress files with WinRAR, simply right-click on the file you want to compress, then select Add to archive, and check the option Create solid archive under Archiving options.
Then choose Compression method as Best.
Additionally, WinRAR also features a special compression mode called RAR5 under the Archive format section. This is an improved compression mode that allows for even greater file compression.
Results of compressing a 1.3GB video file on a computer using WinRAR are as follows:
- .RAR: 780MB (compression ratio 40%)
- .RAR5: 778MB (compression ratio 40%)
7-Zip
Download 7-Zip here: Download 7 Zip
Continuing the series of comparing the best compression software for Windows, the tester moves on to 7-Zip. This is a free and open-source compression software worth trying on your computer. Similar to other file compression software like WinRAR or WinZip, 7-Zip offers users a wide range of file format options when extracting files on the computer.
To compress files on the computer with 7-Zip, simply right-click, choose 7-Zip, and click Add to archive to add compressed and archived files. In the file compression interface, select the compression method as LZMA2 (provided your computer has strong configuration), then set the compression level to Ultra.
The result of compressing a 1.3GB video file on the computer using 7-Zip is as follows:
- .7z: 758 MB (compression ratio 42%)
Based on these intuitive test results, it can be concluded that the difference between these three file compression software is minimal. Especially in practice, even when using the largest compression formats, the difference in compression levels between the files compressed with the three software is not significant.
However, considering the needs and efficiency of file compression, users should use 7-Zip for the most suitable file compression and extraction on their computers. Meanwhile, if there is a need to read and extract ISO files frequently, users can combine WinRAR and 7-Zip for the best performance in reading and extracting ISO files.
Wishing you all success!
