Due to the company's needs, remote desktop tools have always been a super strong demand. However, my requirements for such tools are very simple: they should be able to handle a large number of devices (up to about 20), have fast connections, low occupancy, and almost no delay in operation. I don't want many people to remotely control a computer to play games, so this article does not discuss Parsec (if you have a need for ultra-low latency + high image quality, and the network upload speed is above 30Mbps + good hardware conditions for the controlled end, using Parsec is undoubtedly the best choice).
Teamviewer is not used by dogs#
List of Tools#
Comparison Content#
- Connection speed
- Connection image quality
- Delay situation
- Occupancy of the controlled machine
- Pay-to-win pricing
1. Connection Speed#
In terms of connection speed, all three software are very fast. After adding the device to the list, double-clicking on the icon of the controlled machine can initiate the connection.
In terms of connection method, Todesk and Sunflower default to using channel connections, prioritizing server forwarding. Anydesk, on the other hand, prioritizes UDP P2P connections (foreigners have a public IP address per person, which is reasonable). After establishing a connection, Todesk will automatically switch between server forwarding and UDP P2P connection methods depending on the current network conditions.
For Sunflower, I have encountered a very serious problem, which is that Sunflower cannot initiate a connection from the controlling end. Specifically, there is no response after clicking on the connection, viewing the screen, or transferring files.
For Todesk, I have also encountered a problem, which is that when there are many freeloaders, the operation may be slow and the file transfer speed is slow. However, this is due to freeloaders, and it can be solved by paying.
For Anydesk, there is a fatal flaw. Because it mainly uses P2P connections, the connection speed depends entirely on whether there is a public IP and the upload speed of the controlled end. Once the connection method is switched to server forwarding, the connection quality will become extremely poor, to the point where it is almost impossible to operate.
2. Connection Image Quality#
In terms of connection image quality, Anydesk uses a technology similar to Parsec, so it has the highest image quality among the three. The free version of Sunflower already has good image quality due to server forwarding, and there are no obvious color blocks when playing videos. Todesk's image quality can be divided into several types: if using P2P connections, the image quality will be very low, about 720P, and there will be obvious color blocks and white color deviation when one computer is operating; if using server forwarding, the image quality in the free state depends entirely on the number of freeloaders at that time, while the VIP server forwarding can guarantee standard SDR image quality of 1080P 8-bit 420.
3. Delay Situation#
In terms of operation delay, Anydesk has almost no difference in delay compared to using the local machine when using P2P and having no network issues. The free version of Sunflower has an acceptable delay under normal circumstances, and it is completely usable for non-remote gaming users. The free version of Todesk has almost the same delay as the free version of Sunflower when there are few freeloaders, and the paid version has a similar experience to Anydesk.
4. Occupancy of the Controlled Machine#
The controlled machine can be divided into two categories:
- Taking the worst configuration of AMD 3400G as an example
The CPU usage rate of Anydesk and Sunflower will soar to over 50% the moment the connection is established, and the CPU usage rate of Todesk will reach a maximum of 17%. After the connection stabilizes, if there are scenes with a large number of pixel changes in the picture, the CPU usage rate of Anydesk will stabilize at about 20% to 35%, the CPU usage rate of Sunflower will stabilize at about 42% to 51%, and the CPU usage rate of Todesk will stabilize at about 2% to 9%.
- Taking the medium configuration of AMD 5600G as an example
The CPU usage rate of Anydesk and Sunflower will reach about 12% the moment the connection is established, and the CPU usage rate of Todesk will reach about 5%. After the connection stabilizes, the CPU usage rates of Anydesk, Sunflower, and Todesk are all about 2% to 6%.
5. Pay-to-Win Pricing (Minimum Price)#
- Sunflower Personal Edition: ¥98/1 controlling device/1 year, can simultaneously connect an unlimited number of controlled devices. For example, the cost of 2 controlling devices for 3 years is ¥98 × 2 × 3 = ¥588/year.
- Anydesk Hero Edition: $14.9/3 controlling devices/1 month, can be used by 3 controlling devices to connect 1 controlled device separately. For example, the cost of 3 controlling devices for 1 year is $14.9 × 12 = $178.8/year.
- Todesk Personal Edition: ¥198/1 year, theoretically supports 100 controlling devices and can simultaneously connect 99 controlled devices, but it is not known how many hosts can initiate connections at the same time.
Summary of Pros and Cons#
Based on the current user experience, all three have their pros and cons:
1. Anydesk#
- Pros:
(1) Small installation package, can be used directly as a green version for controlled and controlling ends. When the network conditions are good, the user experience is closest to Parsec.
(2) Fast connection speed, good image quality.
- Cons:
(1) Highly dependent on network conditions, and the forwarding server is located overseas, resulting in a not-so-good experience for domestic LAN users.
(2) Lag or even freezing may occur when the configuration of the controlling and controlled ends is not good.
(3) Does not support remote file transfer.
(4) Very high pay-to-win pricing.
- Suitable for:
(1) Intranet users.
(2) Users with a public IP or services such as intranet penetration forwarding.
(3) Foreign users.
(4) Users with fewer controlling devices and a large number of controlled devices.
2. Sunflower#
- Pros:
(1) Very comfortable when freeloaded and with few devices. The connection speed, delay, and image quality are sufficient for remote editing (but not color grading) and other work.
(2) Large user base, stable service (?).
(3) Occasionally can get a limited version for freeloaders (such as commemorative edition, which can add countless devices and use a lower-speed VIP channel for free).
(4) The software can be linked with many of their own smart devices, such as implementing scheduled startup functions.
- Cons:
(1) Serious vulnerabilities have been exposed multiple times.
(2) Experienced a severe and unusable bug once in personal use.
(3) High pay-to-win pricing.
(4) File transfer speed is limited in the free version (about 60Mbps).
(5) Does not support P2P connections, must use server forwarding.
- Suitable for:
(1) Users who don't mind spending money.
(2) Users who need deep integration with the same brand of smart devices.
(3) Freeload users with low usage frequency and few devices.
3. Todesk#
- Pros:
(1) Better experience than Sunflower when there are few freeloaders.
(2) High file transfer speed even in the free version (about 100Mbps+).
(3) Low pay-to-win pricing.
(4) More cost-effective than Sunflower when there are more devices.
- Cons:
(1) Experienced several crashes in personal use.
(2) The image quality of the pay-to-win version is still average, and the operation delay is similar to the free version of Sunflower.
(3) Small team with slower maintenance speed.
- Suitable for:
(1) Freeload users who mainly use remote file transfer.
(2) Users who do not have high requirements for image quality, have high usage frequency, and have many devices.
(3) Users with limited budget.
Afterword#
Don't ask why I didn't test Parsec, not being able to transfer files is enough reason to pass on it.