(This especially useful if you’re looking to overclock. If you make a tweak to a component in your PC, the individual scores give you a better idea of the affect it has on the total score.

Port Royal just has GPU scores and a total score. There’s one total score, and then separate individual scores for the CPU and GPU if you’re running Time Spy.

What numbers should you keep an eye on? It’s simple. 3DMark even has an online hall of fame where you can compare your scores against others! Time Spy (which tests DirectX 12 graphics performance) and Port Royal (ray tracing performance) are some of the most widely used benchmarks around. Here we’ll use the popular 3DMark benchmarking suite, which includes some free modes. An easier way is to just run the benchmark option in Unigine Heaven, and then you can compare your score with others online and get a good baseline to make sure you’re in the ballpark.Īn example of 3DMark Time Spy scores and estimated game performance.Īfter you’ve tested for stability and thermals, you can take your benchmarking degree up to a doctorate by testing performance. You can also keep an eye on the core clock and memory clock of your GPU, to make sure it is performing near the intended specs. That’s a direct benefit of knowledge gained while benchmarking and testing your GPU. Add some fans or open some case panels and temperatures should improve. You’ll know if you’re in the danger zone if your temperatures are in the higher 80s, and your fans are spinning aggressively this often will indicate poor case airflow. How do you know the normal operating temperature for your graphics card’s GPU core? It varies by model (Google your GPU name for concrete details) but basic reference-style coolers can often run as high as 84 Celsius, while some larger graphics cards with hefty heat sinks and multiple fans-like Sapphire’s fantastic Nitro+ series-can be lower in the 60s and 70s.

Kombustor benchmarking