The Best Benchmarking Software

The best benchmarking software plays an essential role in performance evaluation and assessment of computer systems, software applications, and hardware components. The tools offer standardized metrics and tests to help users measure and compare the capabilities of a system. They are especially important for system enthusiasts, professional users, and gamers. It’s the ideal way of unlocking your computer system’s full potential in different applications and industries.

This article reviews some of the best benchmarking software for your PC. Most of which are free and easy to access.

1. Geekbench

Geekbench measures GPU and CPU performance, providing the most comprehensive multi- and single-core performance results. It computes GPU performance as well. The software calculates new application areas such as machine learning and augmented reality, letting you know exactly how close the system is to the cutting-edge.

Other covered areas include video editing, image processing, and gaming using the compute benchmark. The OpenCL, Vulcan, and Metal APIs can test the GPU power. The machine learning workloads and GPU API abstraction layer are some of the new additions to the software.

This practical option can be used in everyday datasets and scenarios to measure system performance. All the tests conducted are based on tasks found in real world apps and realistic data sets are used to ensure that the results are applicable and relevant. Cross-platform comparisons are also possible on Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

Pros

• Cross platform compatibility
• User-friendly and simple interface
• Offers comprehensive performance assessment
• Standardized scoring system

Cons

• Simplistic benchmarking approach
• Lacks detailed hardware analysis
• Susceptible to optimization or manipulation for higher scores
• Limited customization options

2. 3DMark

3DMark is designed for performance testing in gaming GPUs and systems. This software offers a set of tests that help measure overall system performance, physics simulation, and graphics rendering capabilities. With this tool, you have all that’s needed to benchmark your mobile devices and PC in a single app. Whether you game using a smartphone, tablet, or PC, benchmarks are designed specifically for such hardware.

3DMark is regularly updated to allow benchmarking of all new APIs and hardware. There are feature tests, stress tests, and benchmarks at your disposal.

Pros

• Widely used for gaming performance benchmarking
• Offers comprehensive performance assessment
• Includes realistic gaming simulations
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Offers online leaderboards and comparisons

Cons

• Gaming focused benchmark
• Version and cost limitations
• Limited customization options
• Influenced by drivers and hardware installed in the system

3. PassMark Performance Test

The PassMark Performance Test assesses the performance of different hardware components such as disks, RAM, GPUs, and CPUs. This software provides a system score with well-detailed results for the individual components. The performance tests can be run from USB drives directly without a network connection.

This is a good option for computer enthusiasts, technicians, and IT admins, especially while on the go.

Pros

• Comprehensive benchmarking solutions
• Customizable benchmarking options
• Offers detailed performance analysis
• Extensive hardware database
• Stress and stability testing

Cons

• Less intuitive user interface
• Limited real-world application representation
• Version and cost limitations
• Lacks cross platform compatibility

4. Cinebench

Cinebench is specifically designed to test GPU and CPU performance in rendering applications. The Cinema 4D engines are used for performance measurement, providing scores based on multi-core and single-core rendering capabilities. This real-world test suite is the best for evaluating thardware abilities. There have been improvements with every release, allowing users to make use of multiple CU cores and the most modern processor features.

If you need to evaluate the hardware performance, you should have this tool in your arsenal. It’s used by professionals in different fields to optimize products, review hardware, and make wise purchasing decisions. The most common tasks are covered as well.

Pros

• Offers realistic rendering benchmarks
• Separate benchmarks for CPU and GPU assessment
• Standardized scoring system
• Cross-platform compatibility
• User-friendly interface

Cons

• Limited scope beyond rendering
• Single threaded CPU benchmark
• Lacks customization options
• Depends on specific rendering engine

5. Novabench

The Novabench software measures disks, RAM, GPUs, and CPU performance. The tool also provides overall system scores as well as individual component scores. This makes it much easier for users to compare the system performance using the modern benchmarking suite in minutes. The tests are pretty accurate as well.

After a test has been conducted, it can be compared to millions of others submitted online. During testing, power performance and temperature are tracked as well. It is a good choice for enterprises and desktop engineering teams. Your system needs to be compatible with Novaench for the installation to be possible. It works well on macOS 11 and above or Windows 10 or higher.

Pros

• Comprehensive suite for benchmarking tests
• Easy to use
• Cross platform compatibility
• Online comparison database
• Offers customizable benchmarking options

Cons

• Lacks specialized tests for advanced components
• Limited real-world application representation
• Lacks frequent updates

6. PCMark

The comprehensive PCMark benchmarking tool can evaluate a computer system’s overall performance. It covers a wide range of tests that can be used to measure the system’s responsiveness, video-editing capabilities, web browsing speed, among others.

PCMark 10 has improved workloads designed for Windows 10, and makes it easier and faster to use. The tool covers comprehensive tests and tasks that need to be performed in a modern workplace.

Battery life tests are also done, covering various common scenarios. SSDs can be tested and compared via various storage benchmarks for impartial and accurate results. The configurations aren’t complicated and can run complete performance tests in real-world activities and applications.

Pros

• Real-world performance assessment
• Comprehensive benchmark suite
• Detailed performance breakdown
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Professional edition features

Cons

• Free version has limitations
• Focuses mainly on gaming performance
• Dependence on specific software versions
• Lacks customization options

7. AIDA64

The AIDA64 tool provides detailed information about different hardware components. It performs different tests to get a system performance breakdown, including GPU, disk, memory, and CPU benchmarks. System stability tests are included as well.

There are various versions of this tool, with AIDA64 being a good choice for PC enthusiasts worldwide. It provides detailed information on installed software and hardware while at the same time helping users to carry out diagnoses for various issues.

The AIDA64 Engineer is popular amongst IT technicians, providing detailed software and hardware information while diagnosing certain issues. Benchmarks for measuring server and workstation performance are offered.

AIDA64 Business is ideal for PC fleet management and has remote functions. It’s a good choice for IT decision-making processes with statistics that assist companies in reducing IT costs.

Pros

• Offers extensive system information
• Wide range of benchmark tests
• Lots of customization options
• Stress and stability testing
• Allows sensor monitoring and logging

Cons

• Complex user interface
• Free version is limited
• Lacks cross platform compatibility
• No online comparison database
• Potential for benchmark manipulation

8. SiSoftware Sandra

SiSoftware Sandra (System Analyzer Diagnostic and Reporting Assistant) offers tests to evaluate network, storage, memory, GPU, and CPU performance. This tool gives you detailed information regarding software and hardware configurations, including the undocumented ones.

While the software works similarly to Windows utilities, there is an attempt to go beyond and show much more. This allows users to draw comparisons at low and high levels. It’s easier to gather information about the chipset and CPU. Video adapters, printers, ports, memory, sound card, Windows internals, network, PCLe, PCI, AGP, firewire, ODBC connections, among others.

Some of the versions include:

• Sandra Lite (free for personal/educational use
• Sandra Advanced (for OEMs)
• Sandra Engineer (commercially exploitable)
• Sandra Professional (commercial)

Pros

• Comprehensive benchmarking suite
• Detailed system information
• Customization options
• Advanced features
• Available on multiple operating systems

Cons

• Complex user interface
• Limited free version
• Lacks online comparison database
• Mainly focuses on gaming performance

9. HWiNFO

The HWiNFO is a system information tool that also has benchmarking capabilities. It can offer comprehensive hardware information, allowing users to run specific tests to assess storage devices, memory, CPUs, and GPUs.

The app supports the latest standards and technologies, offering an overview of all your hardware components. The system monitoring is done in real-time and accurately. There are lists of options available to customize the interface and handle failure prediction while showing the actual status of the system components.

Pros

• Detailed and comprehensive hardware information
• Real-time system monitoring
• Customizable sensor logging and monitoring
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Freeware version available

Cons

• Lacks dedicated benchmarking tools
• Complex user interface
• Limited software troubleshooting features
• Depends on external benchmarking tools

Master the Art of Performance Evaluation

Getting the best benchmarking software is the only way to ensure reliable and accurate measurements. These help evaluate your software applications, hardware components, and computer system performance. Many tests can be successfully completed using such tools allowing users to identify problem areas that should be rectified for better performance.

Have you ever tried using any benchmarking software? If so, which one did you choose and why? Tell us more in the comments section below.