How Fast Is Your CPU? Benchmark it!
How fast is your computer's central processing unit (CPU) compared to others? That's one question that CPU benchmarking can help you answer. Another good question is whether your particular CPU is performing up to manufacturer's specs; CPU benchmarking can answer that one too. Here's how to test your own CPU, with free software. Read on... |
How to Run a CPU Benchmark Test
In computing, a "benchmark" is the act of testing the performance of a device using one or more standard test programs. Each test is run several times, usually, to determine an average benchmark performance score. There are many CPU benchmark tests that are widely used, so their test results are generally accepted as valid and meaningful. A good CPU tester will use standard tests and not some unknown program of his own writing.
CPU benchmark software is sometimes run all by itself in RAM, without even the computer's operating system loaded. That way, background processes peculiar to Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc., do not affect the CPU speed test results. The CPU benchmark software comes with its own mini-operating system, just enough standard software to get the computer running and load the benchmark program.
Consequently, CPU benchmark software may have to be burned to CD or copied onto a bootable USB flash drive. Then you would restart your computer and select the alternate boot device. The computer will boot from CD or USB drive instead of loading the operating system from your hard drive.
You can select the tests you wish to run and the number of times each test will run. Then just start the test and go do something else for a while - anywhere from a few minutes to an hourm depending on what you selected. In addition to testing the CPU performance, some benchmark programs will also test the speed of your hard drive, RAM memory, video hardware, and other subsystems. When the tests are finished you will find a log or report of their results. Then you can make a benchmark comparison.
Many benchmark programs ask permission to transmit your test results and information about your CPU to a central repository. There's nothing risky about doing so and it helps build a large database of real-world test results to make benchmark comparisons more meaningful. You may find these CPU Benchmark Charts helpful when comparing the relative speeds of different Intel and AMD processors.
Free Software for CPU Benchmarking
Free CPU benchmark software is available from several sources. NovaBench is a long-established freeware favorite that you can try on your Windows, Mac or Linux computer. Novabench installs and runs without the need to reboot your computer. In under two minutes, it will give you a performance score for your CPU, GPU, Memory and Disk. (The Pro and Commercial versions will run additional tests.) You can click a link in the report to post your scores online, and see how they compare to others.
Other benchmarking software options include Passmark PerformanceTest (Free Trial / Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS); Geekbench 5 (Free Trial or $10 for license / Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS); Cinebench R23 (Free / Windows, MacOS); and PCMark 10 (Windows / Free Basic Edition / Advanced Edition $30).
Paid commercial CPU benchmark software typically runs more tests of a sophisticated nature. Its useful for diagnosing chip design flaws and failures in a professional environment. But if you're just wondering how fast your CPU is compared to similar and other models, there is no need to pay for benchmarking software.
Computer and CPU vendors often hype the performance of their machines on various "gold standard" benchmark tests, claiming this proves their gear is better. Beware of such claims. It is all too easy to tune a test machine to perform optimally on one aspect of a benchmark test suite, then conveniently ignore how poorly the machine did overall.
Another caveat about CPU benchmark tests is that they do not, generally, measure quality of service. They measure raw speed, but not how smoothly data is processed; that is, whether a movie will play in jerks and fits or a game will be realistically responsive. In practice, computer performance will depend on the quality of your Internet connection, installed memory, how many programs are open, and other factors.
Do you have something to say about CPU benchmarking? Post your comment or question below...
|
|
This article was posted by Bob Rankin on 7 Sep 2022
For Fun: Buy Bob a Snickers. |
![]() |
Prev Article: [TIP] Find The Lowest Airfares Online |
![]() The Top Twenty |
Next Article: Geekly Update - 08 September 2022 |
![]() |
Post your Comments, Questions or Suggestions
Free Tech Support -- Ask Bob Rankin Subscribe to AskBobRankin Updates: Free Newsletter Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy RSS/XML |
Article information: AskBobRankin -- How Fast Is Your CPU? Benchmark it! (Posted: 7 Sep 2022)
Source: https://askbobrankin.com/how_fast_is_your_cpu_benchmark_it.html
Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved
Most recent comments on "How Fast Is Your CPU? Benchmark it!"
Posted by:
ColdCity
07 Sep 2022
Where would you find an overall performance. I have 14 year old computer running Windows 10 just fine, much faster than the Vista it came with 14 years ago. I would like to know how much faster a new computer would be.
Posted by:
ChrisR
07 Sep 2022
Hi Bob,
Really useful article as usual.
I've been using the free trial version of Passmark for a few years. I find their database of CPU scores invaluable when assessing a PC that I'm not familiar with, either with a view to purchasing it or if it's one that someone has brought me to fix, complaining that it's slow.
They also have a database of results for graphics card processors, so if graphics performance is an important factor in you choice of PC, it gives you an easy means of comparing performance, other things being equal, of course.
Posted by:
ChrisR
07 Sep 2022
Hi Bob,
Really useful article as usual.
I've been using the free trial version of Passmark for a few years. I find their database of CPU scores invaluable when assessing a PC that I'm not familiar with, either with a view to purchasing it or if it's one that someone has brought me to fix, complaining that it's slow.
They also have a database of results for graphics card processors, so if graphics performance is an important factor in you choice of PC, it gives you an easy means of comparing performance, other things being equal, of course.
Posted by:
ChrisR
07 Sep 2022
Hi Bob,
Really useful article as usual.
I've been using the free trial version of Passmark for a few years. I find their database of CPU scores invaluable when assessing a PC that I'm not familiar with, either with a view to purchasing it or if it's one that someone has brought me to fix, complaining that it's slow.
They also have a database of results for graphics card processors, so if graphics performance is an important factor in you choice of PC, it gives you an easy means of comparing performance, other things being equal, of course.
Posted by:
Bob K
09 Sep 2022
My computer is fast. How fast? Fast enough for me without testing. That is all I need to know.