Battle WinRar or 7Zip? What's your favourite?

RejZoR

Level 15
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Nov 26, 2016
699
7-zip. Mostly because the creator of this app is also the creator of LZMA2 compression algorithm which is petty much superior to everything else in speed and compression ratio. Meaning if he updates it, the first to get the new tech is 7-zip. Otherwise I also like PeaZip, coz it's cute looking, supports tons of formats and also supports ZPAQ (as well as 7z in both ways). While ZPAQ is incredibly slow, it also compresses stuff beyond what anything else can. For times when you need insane compression at any cost (which is time and machine you need to use it in this case). Too bad its adoption is basically non existent among general public.

WinRAR used to have best compression before LZMA appeared, so I did use it back in the day. But not anymore. Plus, 7-zip's 7z archives are much widely supported since all apps can unpack it. RAR, also, but not as much. ZIP is still the most used, but I think 7z is close second. I wish Microsoft would strike a deal with Igor Pavlov who made 7z/LZMA2 and impliment a full support for it into Windows (for both compression and decompression, replacing old and a bit dated ZIP. LZMA2 is faster and has better compression.
 

Vasudev

Level 33
Verified
Nov 8, 2014
2,224
7-zip. Mostly because the creator of this app is also the creator of LZMA2 compression algorithm which is petty much superior to everything else in speed and compression ratio. Meaning if he updates it, the first to get the new tech is 7-zip. Otherwise I also like PeaZip, coz it's cute looking, supports tons of formats and also supports ZPAQ (as well as 7z in both ways). While ZPAQ is incredibly slow, it also compresses stuff beyond what anything else can. For times when you need insane compression at any cost (which is time and machine you need to use it in this case). Too bad its adoption is basically non existent among general public.

WinRAR used to have best compression before LZMA appeared, so I did use it back in the day. But not anymore. Plus, 7-zip's 7z archives are much widely supported since all apps can unpack it. RAR, also, but not as much. ZIP is still the most used, but I think 7z is close second. I wish Microsoft would strike a deal with Igor Pavlov who made 7z/LZMA2 and impliment a full support for it into Windows (for both compression and decompression, replacing old and a bit dated ZIP. LZMA2 is faster and has better compression.
It can do a quick peek into any number of packed exes and debs and lot more. Its small, efficient, contains no adware and no ads!
 

Lightning_Brian

Level 15
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Sep 1, 2017
742

whizkidraj

Level 8
Verified
Nov 9, 2012
363
Both are one of a kind, I guess if you could use that for both of them, but since since and since we have to only choose one here, I would go maximum times with Winrar ofcourse. In emergency cases, like if a friend asks which extracting software to use...and I may not be able to help him remotely via teamviewer or something, then I would suggest and go with 7zip for such people...but for me as I said, most of times it will be Winrar.
 

shmu26

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Jul 3, 2015
8,150
My favorite is Bandizip, because it maintains Mark of the Web (Zone.Identifier information), which is important. It allows security mechanisms to recognize the file as originating from the internet, and treat it with appropriate suspicion. If you use Winrar or 7zip, your unzipped files will be stripped of the mark of the web.
 

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