SAWAS Dashboard

SAWAS Dashboard is a free Windows desktop widget that keeps a modular set of tools visible behind regular windows. Its modules combine a clock and date, live CPU and RAM readings, network transfer rates, notes, browser favorites and support links. CPU, RAM and network history is saved locally in SQLite every 15 seconds and can be viewed in day, week or month charts. Favorites can read bookmarks from Chrome and Microsoft Edge profiles, with search and pinning features. The network scanner finds local devices using ping, ARP and reverse DNS, and can run every 30 minutes while the PC is idle. A speed test reports ping, download and upload using speedtest-cli, also with an option to run on that idle schedule. Users can add Python modules by placing a module file in the modules folder and reloading the dashboard. The maker says there is no telemetry, cloud service or sign-in and that dashboard data stays on the PC. However, network-device usernames, passwords and notes are stored in plain text in network_devices.json. The listed requirements include Windows 11, Python 3.10 or newer, PyQt5 and psutil.

SAWAS Dashboard combines system monitoring, local network tools and notes in a free Windows widget, with data kept on the PC according to its maker. Readers should know that saved network-device credentials are plain text.

SAWAS Dashboard suits Windows users who want local system and network readings, notes and browser bookmarks in a customizable desktop widget. The maker describes it as free for private and commercial use.

SAWAS Dashboard is a Windows desktop widget that brings system readings, network utilities, notes and browser favorites into one configurable panel. It best suits people who want those tools on a local PC and are comfortable with a Python-based setup. Its broad feature set costs nothing, but plain-text storage for network credentials is a serious drawback.

Overview

The dashboard keeps clock, CPU and RAM readings, network rates, notes, favorites and support links close at hand behind ordinary windows. Custom layouts let users arrange the modules to suit their work. For a free desktop utility, the mix of monitoring and practical LAN tools is compelling; the Windows requirements and locally stored credentials make it a less suitable choice for people who want a simple install or stronger protection for saved passwords.

Key features

Monitoring and history

CPU and RAM usage and network transfer rates update live. SAWAS saves this history to a local SQLite database every 15 seconds, with charts covering a day, week or month. That makes it useful for checking patterns over time, while keeping the records on the PC rather than in a cloud dashboard.

Favorites and network tools

The favorites modules read Chrome and Microsoft Edge bookmarks and add search and pinning. The LAN scanner finds local devices using ping, ARP and reverse DNS, and can scan every 30 minutes while the PC is idle. A speed test reports ping, download and upload using speedtest-cli, with the same optional idle-time schedule. These tools add real utility for managing a home or office network, though saved device usernames, passwords and notes are kept as plain text in network_devices.json.

Customization, privacy and backup

Users can add Python modules by placing files in the modules folder and reloading the dashboard, which gives technically confident users room to extend it. The maker says there is no telemetry, cloud service or sign-in, and dashboard data stays on the PC. Backups can include settings, notes, counters, support links and known network devices; restoring data creates a .bak file before overwriting it. The local-first design gives users control over their data, but also makes the security of the dashboard folder their responsibility.

Pricing

SAWAS Dashboard is free for private and commercial use, with no ads and no subscription. There is no free trial because the free plan is the product's only published plan. Its source-code ZIP gives people who want to modify the software or add modules a practical starting point. The trade-off is a Windows setup that requires Windows 11, Python 3.10 or newer, PyQt5 and psutil; the FAQ says installation uses less than 100 MB of disk space.

Platforms

SAWAS Dashboard runs on Windows. Its FAQ specifies Windows 11 and the required Python components, so it is not the pick for people seeking the same desktop widget across Android, iOS, macOS or the web.

Who it's for

Choose SAWAS if you want live system readings, local network discovery, browser favorites and notes together on a Windows PC, and value local storage and customization. It is a poor fit if you need cloud access, another operating system, or safer built-in handling of network credentials. For startup trouble, the maker directs users to run start_debug.bat and email the output.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Live CPU, RAM and network readings come with day, week and month history, giving a compact widget longer-term context.
• Pros: LAN scanning and scheduled speed tests make it useful for local network checks as well as desktop monitoring.
• Pros: Free for private and commercial use, with no ads or subscription, and users can add Python modules.
• Cons: Network-device credentials and notes are stored in plain text, which is a meaningful risk for anyone saving sensitive access details.
• Cons: Windows 11 plus Python, PyQt5 and psutil make setup more demanding than a standalone widget.

Alternatives

Browse desktop widget software for more options. Mango Mirror is a better fit for people seeking widgets across mobile, Linux, web and Windows; its free plan covers two screen licenses, while Pro starts at $5.99 a month. Choose Nexus if broader platform support matters: it is free and supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows.

Wdgts 2 suits readers focused on Apple devices, with iOS and macOS support and premium widgets on yearly or lifetime plans. Monitor Flows is worth considering for Windows users who want a larger widget library; its free plan includes 15 core widgets, three pages and five themes. Themia offers Windows widgets with customization on its free plan, while its Pro plan adds unlimited widgets and screens for a one-time $19.

WidgetSpark is another Windows option, with a free set spanning desktop, taskbar and SparkBar widgets and a Pro monthly plan at $1.99. Widgetter is for macOS users. ClocX is a free Windows desktop analog clock for readers who only need a clock.

Verdict

SAWAS Dashboard is a strong free choice for Windows users who want system monitoring, network checks and everyday desktop modules in one locally stored widget. Its customizable modules and history charts give it more range than a basic monitor, but the Python-based requirements narrow its audience and plain-text network credentials are the clearest reason to look elsewhere.