Acronis True Image 2015 brings new interface, faster online backups

Acronis International has unveiled Acronis True Image 2015, a significant update for its popular PC (and Mac) backup tool.

An entirely new interface makes it easier than ever to run basic backups. Choose your source – which can now be "Entire PC" -- and destination, and it’s ready to go immediately.

This simplified approach isn’t just skin deep, either: True Image 2015′s new focus on the core backup process means a host of "rarely used" features have been dumped.

The user guide points out that Acronis Extended Capacity Manager, .tib <> .vhd Backup file conversion, Disk Editor, Boot Sequence Manager, File Shredder, Import and export of backup settings, Try&Decide and Mail backup are all no more.

There are compensations. A deduplication system for online backups helps to avoid duplicate blocks being uploaded unnecessarily, which Acronis says improves performance by an average of 10 percent.

Recovery is easier, with a simplified Media Builder (create Acronis and Windows PE discs from one interface) and optional recovery via wifi.

"Universal Restore" means the program can take a backup from one PC and restore it to any other (subject to hard drive sizes, of course), regardless of manufacturer, making it useful as a migration tool.

All the key configuration settings are still available, of course. Click the Options button and you can set up a backup scheme and method (full, incremental, differential), exclusion rules, password protection, validation, pre and post-backup commands, email notifications, a schedule, maybe even wake up a sleeping computer to run your backup job.

A word of warning: if you made regular use of tools like Try&Decide then the new stripped down Acronis True Image 2015 might not appeal. But in general we think it makes sense to focus on the program’s core features, and if you’d like to try them out for yourself, a 30-day trial – with unlimited free online backup space -- is available now.