Key findings
- 3DMark and Superposition are considered two of the most reliable GPU benchmarking tools on the market.
- Cinebench 2024 is also a good option if you want to test both the CPU and GPU for real-world usage simulations.
- FurMark, on the other hand, is only recommended for enthusiasts who want to push their GPUs to the limits.
- You can also run in-game benchmarks to get a general idea of ​​GPU performance without having to download additional tools.
Benchmarking is a crucial part of the PC building process because it allows you to quantify the performance of your newly built PC. By benchmarking components, you will not only learn how well they perform, but also how well they handle high loads and whether they overheat or exhibit anomalies when pushed to their limits.
The graphics card (GPU) is one of the core components that you need to test alongside other important components to make sure everything is in good working order before you can rely on it in everyday use. There are many GPU benchmarks, but they are not all the same as each one tests your PC differently. If you are wondering which GPU benchmark you should try on your PC, read on to find some good options to consider.
5 In-game benchmarks
Gives you a general overview of GPU performance
There's a good chance you've built a gaming PC to play some games, so why not fire up one of these modern AAA titles and run its built-in benchmarks? I know built-in gaming benchmarks don't have the best reputation as they don't accurately represent all in-game scenarios, but it's still good to get a general idea of ​​how your system would perform when gaming and whether it could handle it.
Modern games like Cyberpunk2077 And Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora have pretty good built-in benchmarking tools that I often use to figure out what optimizations I need to make to get stable frame rates. Running these built-in benchmarks wouldn't be my first recommendation. Still, I would say that they can help you measure the performance of your hardware without having to download additional third-party utilities if you already have the games installed.
4 FurMark
Best for stress testing
FurMark is a stress testing utility that pushes your graphics card to its limits and gives you an idea of ​​how it performs under extreme load. In case you're wondering, this benchmark gets its name from its rendering of highly sophisticated 3D fur, the infamous image you see in pretty much all FurMark screenshots or videos.
It provides a lot of useful information about your graphics card, from operating temperature to clock speed to fan speed during testing. There's even an option to set a temperature alert that will go off if your GPU's temperature exceeds certain limits, which is likely to happen during this strenuous test.
Some would argue that benchmarks like FurMark don't reflect real-world usage, and I'd say that's true because it's not meant to. It's essentially a stress test that pushes your graphics card to its absolute limits, sometimes even beyond the recommended limits, which isn't ideal operating conditions. In fact, there have been several discussions on this topic about how stress tests like this can cause irreparable damage to the GPU.
FurMark
FurMark is also a popular benchmarking program, but it is more popular with enthusiasts who often push their GPUs to the absolute limit and know what they are doing.
3 Cinebench 2024
Test both the CPU and GPU
Cinebench 2024 is a one-stop shop that lets you compare both your CPU and GPU in the same utility, making it a great choice for this list. That's right, the new version of Cinebench 2024, which debuted in September 2023, brings back GPU testing that the utility left behind with the release of Cinebench R20. It might not push your GPU to the limits like something like Furmark, but it will give you a good understanding of what to expect from your graphics card in real-world use cases.
The new version of Cinebench, which is free to download, supports the standard rendering engine of Redshift and Cinema 4D and uses the same rendering algorithms for the CPU and GPU implementations. It also has a new user interface and some other internal improvements to give you optimal results.
Cinebench 2024
This new version of Cinebench brings GPU testing back, making it a good fit for anyone looking to download a simple and easy-to-use benchmarking tool that mimics real-world usage.
2 Overlay
A good free option
Superposition is a great free tool for testing your graphics card. We also used it in our guide to benchmarking a GPU, linked at the end of this article. Superposition has also been around for a while and is popular for its ease of use. The basic performance test built into Superposition allows you to select a resolution for the test and a quality preset. From there, you can simply run the program to generate results that highlight the performance of your GPU.
Superposition also lets you monitor things like GPU temperature and clock speeds in real time while the benchmark is running. It also includes a test specifically designed for virtual reality (VR) gaming. Those who like to stress their GPU in the name of testing can also use the built-in stress test, but you'll need to purchase the advanced version to do that.
However, for most users, the free version, which you can download from the link below, should be sufficient. I only recommend upgrading if you want additional features like test loops, leaderboard posting, and more.
Overlay
The free version of Superposition gives you a basic benchmarking tool to measure your GPU's performance and stability. It even includes a free VR benchmark tool, which is great.
1 3DMark
Best overall
3DMark is one of the best and most reliable GPU benchmarking tools that has been around for decades. It was created and developed by UL (formerly Futuremark) and essentially contains a collection of benchmarks like Time Spy, Port Royal, and more. Each of these benchmarks puts your graphics card to the test, forcing it to render different graphics-intensive scenes with predefined or customizable settings.
We regularly run a series of 3DMark benchmarks to test the gaming laptops, CPUs, and GPUs that appear on our test bench here at XDA, so keep an eye out for the 3DMark results next time you read our reviews. One of the best things about the 3DMark benchmark is that you can customize the settings for each run. You can even set it to run in a loop, so you can push your GPU to its limits and collect additional data over time.
I also like the detailed report that is generated after each run, highlighting things like your GPU's score, a monitoring graph with various metrics, etc. You can even compare your results with others in the community to see how your system compares to their machines. 3DMark is a paid program that costs $35, but you can download the 3DMark demo for free on Steam, which gives you access to a limited number of benchmarking options.
3DMark
3DMark is a popular benchmarking utility with a collection of benchmarks for testing your GPU's performance with different settings. The free version of the program is enough to run some basic tests, while the paid version unlocks additional tests to gather more information.
Related
How to run benchmarks for your GPU
GPU benchmarks are a great way to identify performance improvements and ensure your GPU is running at peak performance.
Find the best benchmarks
Unless you really want to push the limits of your GPU and see how far it can go before it breaks down, I suggest sticking to basic benchmarks like 3DMark or Cinebench 2024. Even the free version of 3DMark from Steam would be enough for general testing as it gives you unlimited access to some popular tests like Time Spy And Fire Strike.
Those who really want to test how far they can push their GPU may want to consider something like Furmark. Most modern GPUs have fail-safe mechanisms in place to ensure they fail if they exceed certain power limits and operating temperatures. However, be cautious when running a stress test like Furmark, especially if you're working with an overclocked GPU.