Top 9 Best Benchmark Tools on Windows
MSI Kombustor
Resort to this handy piece of software in order to test your graphical cards in an untroublesome user interface that offers plenty of details about your system's components.
MSI Kombustor is a software application which allows you to perform a benchmark test on your graphics card. It can be handled by users who carefully monitor their system's components, such as video gamers and web developers, in this case.
The interface of the program is uncomplicated. Upon initialization, MSI Kombustor automatically displays the primary graphics card, device ID, driver and OpenGL of your computer, as well as the temperature, load level and power of your graphics cards.
There are three 3D tests available for you to run - Wavy Plane (GL2), Fractal Frame (GL3) and Triangle of Death (GL2). So, you can run a stress tests and find out the average frames per second.
It is also possible to run a preset in 1080p or 720p; although it's high-demanding concerning system resources, this type of test is particularly useful when it comes to high-end video games. Additional information and test scores may be checked out on a webpage.
Additional features of MSI Kombustor allow you to perform a GPU burn-in test on the 3D API (OpenGL 2, OpenGL 3, Direct 3D 9, Direct 3D 10, Direct 3D 11) and to select a 3D object between MSI, Torus, Sphere of Box. Moreover, you can enable Post FX (handles motion blur), as well as run an OpenGL 4 and PhysX benchmark test with music.
From the Settings panel, you can enable the anti-aliasing mode (2X MSAA or 4X MSAA), switch to full screen mode and alter the default resolution, as well as pick a fur color map and background image.
MSI Kombustor can put a high level of strain on your computer while running a test, but that's normal. During this time, it is recommended that you interrupt all other user activity on the computer, in order for the app to deliver accurate results. All in all, MSI Kombustor should be appreciated by users who are concerned regarding their graphics card's capabilities.
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3DMark
Check if your machine is capable of running the latest games that take advantage of DirectX 11 by going through a series of visually appealing and powerful tests.
Due to the high amount of video games available on the market and as many different hardware that want to push the limits of gaming, an abundance of benchmarking tools can be found over the Internet so that enthusiasts know exactly what their machine is capable of. One, if not the most popular such tool is 3DMark, with an updated version dedicated to high-end, monstrous gaming configurations.
Eye candy right from the start
The application is polished from all points of view. From the moment you run the installer until the final result is delivered, all elements are nothing less than eye candy. High quality graphics enhance each menu, with sliding animations as you switch between available tabs.
Multiple thorough tests to perform
Once you go through the setup process, you can choose to run all available test cases that stress out your PC to the fullest. Be prepared for a genuine visual experience, with all tests featuring a presentation demo lasting around 5 minutes each, after which dedicated tests are performed in the same visually appealing manner, indicating FPS, current frame, as well as elapsed time.
Compare your machine with others online
After you spend around 20 minutes in front of jaw-dropping graphics, that progressively put pressure on your PC, from the lowest level of details to the most sophisticated physics and visuals, results can be displayed, analyzed and compared with a breathtaking amount of others who were also curious how well their machine performed.
Fully customize each test case
The upper toolbar of the main window features several tabs you can access anytime. Navigating to “Custom”, lets you fully take control of settings you want to stress out. Each test case features individual settings, ranging from resolution, vertical sync, triple buffering, texture filtering mode, MSAA sample count and a lot more options.
Analyze and save the result
As a result, an interactive graph is put at your disposal so you can carefully analyze FPS, GPU and CPU temperatures in a given amount of time and how well hardware performs. Most in-depth analysis is better done online, but you can also save results on your computer to compare with newer devices you install.
To end with
All in all, 3DMark is by far one of the best benchmarking utilities out there. It's available to beginners and experts alike, with default settings being more than enough to get an idea of what your computer can do, as well as thorough quality settings for enthusiasts to squeeze the most juice out of their video cards.
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FurMark
Puts your video card to a rough test case by stressing out your GPU as much as possible to unveil its true potential with the possibility to compare results online.
Paying a ridiculous amount of money does not necessarily mean that the purchased device fully satisfies your needs or expectations. When it comes to hardware, the final frontier lies in taking it through a rough test that can be performed with one of the many available benchmark utilities. FurMark is one of them, aimed at stressing out your GPU and CPU to the maximum to unveil its true potential.
Quick deployment and simple interface
Deployment on your system is done incredibly fast and as soon as it finishes, you have the possibility to bring up the main window. It sports a simple, classic design, managing to include all available features.
Predefined or custom test cases
Detected GPUs are displayed in the main window, supporting a maximum of four. You can choose to run several predefined test cases which involve a simple Burn-in test, Burn-in benchmark with higher resolution that runs for 15 minutes, and two more presets.
However, you are able to customize the test case to fully stress out your graphics card. Fullscreen mode can be enabled, a custom resolution set, as well as the level of Anti-aliasing which can go up to 8x.
Informing you of the risks involved
Hitting the “Settings” button brings forth more options. You can enable dynamic background or camera, burn-in, xtreme burn-in and post-fx. To be on the safe side, you can toggle an option to let you know when the GPU reached a custom temperature so you don't literally fry your video card.
Once you are happy with the custom configuration you can run a benchmark using only options you chose. Before the process is put in motion you are prompted by a warning message, advising you to hit “GO” only if you acknowledge the risks of fully stressing out your graphics card.
Share and compare results online
The actual test runs in a separate window with the resolution set before the process is put in motion. It displays highly detailed objects and various info, such FPS, memory usage, core, temperature, GPU usage and several more. Results can be compared online with a large database online to get an idea of how well your card performs in case you think of buying a new one.
In conclusion
Taking everything into consideration, we can say that FurMark is a reliable tool you can use to get a glimpse of your video card's full potential. The interface gets you quickly up and running, while the results can fully provide info you need whether you want to upgrade your system or just want to see how well a new one performs.
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UserBenchmark
A benchmarking tool that can help you evaluate your computer's performance and compare it to the score obtained by other similar hardware configurations.
From time to time it is recommended that you put your hardware to a test to check if everything runs at it should. One benchmark application that can lend you a helping hand in this matter is suggestively called UserBenchMark.
Test your hard and USB drive, CPU and GPU
UserBenchMark aims to provide you with an objective evaluation of your computer's hardware configuration, enabling you to compare the obtained score to that of other users.
The application is capable of running tests to assess the performance of your hard drive, USB drive, processor and graphics card, displaying both strong points and weaknesses in a complete online report that displays the score, alongside advice to help you fix found issues.
Get an online report and compare scores
The tests UserBenchMark performs include S.M.A.R.T., 4k Align, SATA, TRIM and NCQ for hard and USB drives, as well as read and write speed evaluations. To assess the performance of the CPU, the application runs string, floating and integer tests, while the score for the video card is generated by launching complex DirectX 9 and 10 3D animations that require high graphic resources.
Aside from the overall results, the online report includes scores for each of the tested hardware components, displaying the health of the hard drive, the graphics card and the processor. The developer's website also enables you to compare your result with other computers that have a similar configuration and take the necessary measures to enhance your PC's capabilities.
A benchmarking tool for both beginners and advanced users
UserBenchMark makes it easy for you to check your system's performance, proving to be a good tool in case you intend to upgrade your system. It enables you to compare hardware configurations using the same criteria and bring together components that will make a system responsive and fast. Furthermore, it is very easy to use, so it can be easily handled by all users, regardless of their experience.
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IsMyHdOK
You can use this effective and use-friendly application to run benchmarking tests on SSD, HDD, SD card, USB stick and estimate their read and write speeds.
IsMyHdOK is a lightweight and very straightforward piece of software created to serve in benchmarking operations, enabling you to test out the read and write speed of any system volume.
The benefits of working with portable tools
Subsequent to the download process, you can just decompress the archive and run the EXE file, as the application does not require an installation process in order to function.
As a consequence, you can even store IsMyHdOK on a USB stick or other portable memory drives and carry it with you wherever you go, using it on all compatible computers, without leaving a trace when done.
Run benchmarking tests on your partitions to estimate their performance
IsMyHdOK allows you to choose the targeted volume from a dedicated menu. It supports HDD and SSD drives, but also USB sticks or SD memory cards, so you can work with whichever you need.
IsMyHdOK offers four different test durations, specifically ‘Short Test’ (of fifteen seconds), ‘Quick Test’ (around 30 seconds), ‘Long Test’ (approximately 60 seconds) and ‘Very Long Test’ (of up to four minutes).
The operations consist of reading and writing data continuously, in 4 or 512 kb blocks of data, as well as running in parallel 64 blocks of 4 kb. The ‘Access Time’ refers to the amount of time it takes between each read / write action, being measured in milliseconds.
When finalized, the results are displayed in two tables, for ‘Read’ and ‘Write’ values; on the lower part of the window, you can view the ‘Benchmark’ estimates. Thanks to the ‘Screenshot To File’ function, you can save an image of the results to your computer, in PNG format.
A useful benchmarking instrument
In conclusion, IsMyHdOK is a handy and efficient program that can successfully assist you in measuring the performance level of your computer partitions, enabling you to determine the read and write speed of the disks through various tests.
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OCCT
Benchmark your computer's CPU as well as push it to its limits by overclocking it with the help of this useful and user-friendly tool.
If overclocking has ever piqued your interest, you're probably aware that some testing must be in order after tampering with the base clocks of your components. Only after that has concluded — and a favorable result — can you truly claim that you have indeed successfully overclocked your machine.
Perhaps you do indeed intend to overclock — either now, or some other day. Or maybe you want to see how your parts stack up against others while testing what their thermal thresholds are. OCCT can satisfy both needs: check your overclocked machine's performance, find out what's going on via the detailed graphs presented, and compare your results. It's all within one app.
Detailed, intuitive software
One could label OCCT more of a power-user software than anything else. And that might be true, but even a novice can find their way around this software after a cursory glance.
You can benchmark your CPU's single and multi-threaded capabilities, as well as your memory's read and write speeds. The assessments only run for a couple of minutes, and what are especially useful are the leaderboards that show up afterward — users can better gauge the performance of their system that way.
Users also have the ability to stress-test their components in the app. Before the operation commences, they can change the parameters in the "Test" tab. OCCT provides thorough graphs and tables throughout the test, keeping its users informed about the status of their computer during the process.
Monitor your components
If you merely wish to monitor your PC's harware, this app can provide that as well. Without any prior testing, users can see the temperatures of their CPU, GPU, as well as their clockspeeds and power draw, among other data — all in real-time. The graphs provided are especially useful here, because they're very easy to read and comprehend.
In conclusion, OCCT is a quite popular app in the overclocking communities, and that is not without reason. It is not difficult to use and understand, and thanks to its portable quality, it's an easy recommendation.
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SmartMeter
Conveniently perform heavy load performance tests specific to Apache JMeter and generate reports focused on testing in a distributed mode with this app.
SmartMeter is an extensive piece of software that enables you to create, manage and perform real-time tests to determine the time an average user needs to wait for the browser to load a page.
Allows you to modify metrics and distribute them on multiple monitors
First off, you should know that you require having Java installed on your computer, as otherwise you cannot access the application. While it is not overly complicated, as it entails a simple decompression, the installation process can be tedious you access the developer's website and download the license file and place it in the Custom folder.
Upon launch, you come face to face with sleek and stylish splash screen, but that, unfortunately, might seem a bit crowded. You can access the main functions of the application, namely Start test, Create/Edit Scenario and Start Record, from the right side of the splash screen.
Considering that your website is likely to be accessed from different devices, you can determine whether it can face the challenge and check out how the user experience on various devices with bigger or smaller screens.
Provides you with detailed graphs and reports
You should know that the application gives you a direct link to the community using the tool and that enables you to learn tips and tricks. The app includes an ample documentation that presents all features and functions that you can use to create and manage your performance load test.
As previously mentioned, the program offers you extensive reports on the performance tests, data that you can analyze directly inside the application or in your default web browser.
In addition, the application enables you to perform all tests that you can commonly do using Apache JMeter. Therefore, it can provide you with invaluable insight on how a project behaves against heavy loads and whether it could use some tweaking to enhance its overall performance.
A tool that provides comprehensive results about loading pages
All in all, if you want to make sure that your project can withstand a heavy load while still being capable of high performance, then SmartMeter can be a tool worth testing out.
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PCMark 10
A benchmark offering complete PC performance testing including battery life measurement tools and new tests using popular applications from Adobe and Microsoft.
PCMark provides you with a powerful benchmarking utility that can be used to test the overall performance of a computer system, as well as the capabilities of different hardware components.
What makes it stand out from other similar performance testing applications is its simulated scenarios, which comprise groups of applications one would use at home or at work. Since it can assess the computer behavior in situations as close as possible to typical daily use, it's safe to say that its reliability is undoubtful.
The program's interface displays all the available tests in separate sections. The 'PCMark 10' test is designed for computers used in private environments like modern-day offices, simulating workloads associated with routine tasks.
Offers three main tests and a total of four sub-tests
It's well worth pointing out that this test includes three sub-tests, namely Essentials (covers typical user behavior), Productivity (which measures system performance and office-related workloads with spreadsheet and writing-related activities in mind) and Digital Content Creation test which, as its name implies, test workloads such as Internet browsing, text and photo editing, video chatting, basically almost all digital media content-related tasks.
Opt for the paid versions, and you also get access to the other two tests (PCMark 10 Express and PCMark 10 Extended), and you're also offered the possibility of running custom tests, in-depth hardware monitoring graphs and side-by-side result comparison. In addition, all your offline results are automatically saved.
The PCMark 10 Express may prove to be a far better option for dynamic work environments, as it's a less demanding test than the main PCMark 10 benchmark test described above, mainly because it's comprised only out of the Essentials and Productivity sub-tests. As expected, the PCMark 10 Extended test is the most demanding and the most comprehensive of the lot with a wider range of activities.
Not only does it bundle all the three sub-tests like the PCMark 10 (Essentials, Productivity, and Digitial Content Creation), but it also adds a so-called Gaming sub-test. This last subtest aims to provide you with an accurate real-life score of your computer's graphics and physics performance. Hence, it includes two graphics tests for GPU performance, a physics test for CPU performance, and a combined GPU-CPU test.
A complete benchmarking solution
By comparing the obtained scores, PCMark can reveal real-world performance differences between multiple hardware configurations. Its wide range of tests can measure multiple areas of system performance, with various workloads.
The range of available tests makes PCMark suitable for any type of desktop PC, tablet or laptop, be it a home or a work computer. It is a powerful benchmarking tool, ready to provide information regarding system performance, stability and overclocking capacity.
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Sixtessure
Multi-thread benchmark application developed for high-end CPUs that puts your processor trough short tests in order to output a score based on its potential.
With modern, freshly-built computers, the feeling of pride and power will always be there, especially for dedicated gamers. There are a ton of benchmark tools that can point out your build's potency, but not everyone is savvy enough to understand how a complex benchmark application works. On the other hand, finding benchmark tools that focus only on a single element like CPU, GPU, RAM, etc, can also be employed, especially if one has upgraded a single part only. Take Sixtessure for example, a compact benchmark app that focuses on CPUs only.
What can it do?
Sixtessure claims to be a multi-thread, mini bench tool that employs math, graphics, threads, DirectX, 8 cores , 16 thread, 2D code, and 16 windows screen code. On top of that, Sixtessure is recommended to users who have the latest generations of CPUs, like 9th gen or 10th gen intel chips. Otherwise, their PC will experience some blocking issues. At least that is what the developer stated.
Still, we've tested the application on an 8th gen Intel, and no issues were observed. Also, the final score was pretty good, comparing it with the displayed score on the dev's page.
How it behaves?
Upon launching the application, twelve little benchmark screens will pop up, all with the same screen themes. After several seconds, the windows will disappear, allowing for the final score to be displayed. No matter how many tests you run, the end score appears to be the same.
Sixtessure is also a great way to benchmark CPUs for any machine you want, as it can be run without installing it. Just move it to a flash drive and run it on any PC you can get your hands on.
To sum things up
Sixxtessure is a benchmark tool that targets CPUs only. It is recommended to run it with high-end processors like (Intel) 9th or 10th generation models, but you may try it on 7th or 8th gen too. One downside to this app would be the scoring system min/max values, which are not specified anywhere.
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