Sure, benchmarking your graphics card could sound like rocket science, nevertheless it’s not as tough as you may assume. Roll up your sleeves, as a result of this information will present you simply how simple, pleasant, and vital it’s to benchmark your GPU. And not simply if you’re overclocking! We’ll cowl benchmarking for each stability and efficiency.
For much more info, make sure to take a look at our roundup of the best graphics cards, in addition to our supplementary information to the best GPU benchmarking software.
Why it is best to benchmark your GPU
First, although, right here’s why you need to be benchmarking your graphics card even when you aren’t attempting to make it to the highest of the aggressive overclocking charts:
- To get a baseline efficiency metric in order that you recognize in case your GPU is performing because it ought to by evaluating to different customary outcomes.
- To be capable to examine your present PC’s efficiency in opposition to your future {hardware} upgrades. How a lot efficiency will you acquire by shopping for a brand new graphics card? Now you’ll know!
- To test for stability and different vitals like thermals, clock speeds, and so on.
First, take a look at for stability and temperatures
Now that you recognize why it is best to benchmark, it’s time to get into the how. Let’s begin with stability and vitals. It’s uncommon, however generally a graphics card will be faulty from the manufacturing facility. That can imply a lifeless card, however in lots of instances you’ll get what are known as “artifacts”—principally imperfections on the picture, flickering, and even pulsating colours.
The first program we’re going to make use of is Unigine Heaven 4.0. It’s free for private use and runs a loop of a graphical setting that actually makes use of your GPU. The first order of enterprise right here is to ensure your graphics card can run with out shutting down or displaying any bizarre graphical glitches, so it is best to permit it to run Heaven for at the very least 30 minutes, to permit the GPU to rise up to temperature.
If all appears good, you’ll additionally wish to regulate the vitals, Those shall be displayed within the prime proper nook, alongside together with your GPU data.
The first very important is temperature, which might point out varied potential points together with your {hardware} and case airflow. If your GPU rapidly reaches its most temperature restrict, it might point out a uncommon (however attainable) problem with its thermal paste, or (extra probably) restricted airflow in your case if there isn’t sufficient clearance for the followers to get cool air.
A customized liquid-cooled GPU setup created by the writer.
An excellent instance of latest points have been within the GDDR6X reminiscence temperatures of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3090 Founders Edition. You’d by no means know with out stress-testing the GPU that the reminiscence can get very near the VRAM temperature restrict, probably throttling your efficiency. (Some folks have efficiently up to date their thermal pads and seen a big enchancment)
How have you learnt the traditional working temperature in your graphics card’s GPU core? It varies by mannequin (Google your GPU title for concrete particulars) however fundamental reference-style coolers can typically run as excessive as 84 Celsius, whereas some bigger graphics playing cards with hefty warmth sinks and a number of followers—like EVGA’s fantastic FTW3 series—will be decrease within the 60s and 70s. You’ll know when you’re within the hazard zone in case your temperatures are within the larger 80s, and your followers are spinning aggressively; this typically will point out poor case airflow. Add some followers or open some case panels and temperatures ought to enhance. That’s a direct profit of data gained whereas benchmarking and testing your GPU.
You can even regulate the core clock and reminiscence clock of your GPU, to ensure it’s performing close to the meant specs. An simpler manner is to simply run the benchmark possibility in Unigine Heaven, after which you’ll be able to examine your rating with others on-line and get an excellent baseline to be sure you’re within the ballpark.
How to benchmark your GPU to gauge baseline efficiency
An instance of 3DMark Time Spy scores and estimated sport efficiency.
After you’ve examined for stability and thermals, you’ll be able to take your benchmarking diploma as much as a doctorate by testing efficiency. Here we’ll use the popular 3DMark benchmarking suite, which incorporates some free modes. Time Spy (which assessments DirectX 12 graphics efficiency) and Port Royal (ray tracing efficiency) are a number of the most generally used benchmarks round. 3DMark even has a web-based corridor of fame the place you’ll be able to examine your scores in opposition to others!
What numbers must you regulate? It’s easy. There’s one complete rating, after which separate particular person scores for the CPU and GPU when you’re operating Time Spy. Port Royal simply has GPU scores and a complete rating. If you make a tweak to a part in your PC, the person scores provide you with a greater thought of the have an effect on it has on the overall rating. (This particularly helpful when you’re seeking to overclock. Take a have a look at our article on Nvidia’s Automatic overclocking tool in GeForce Experience.)
A full web page of scores and outcomes for 3DMark’s Port Royal take a look at.
3DMark mark can even present you the approximate body charge efficiency you’d get on a selected sport and determination, which may be very helpful info to gauge your efficiency and examine it in opposition to what new upgrades could accomplish for you. If you’re doing a little overclocking, operating 3DMark can even reveal instabilities in your system, resembling crashes, so you’ll be able to regulate your numbers and check out once more.
How to benchmark your GPU in video games
Another very enjoyable approach to benchmark your GPU is to make use of the automated benchmarks constructed into many video games. (Check out our GeForce RTX 3080 Ti review to see some frequent ones, or the list of games with built-in benchmarks on the all the time improbable PC Gaming Wiki.)
The outcomes overview from Shadow of the Tomb Raider‘s built-in benchmark.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a favourite of mine as a result of you’ll be able to simply see the frames per second efficiency that you just’re getting in every scene, supplying you with an excellent indication of how the sport will run general. As a bonus, when you upgrade your graphics card or other PC hardware, you’ll be able to re-run the benchmark and also you’ll know precisely what positive factors you’ve netted.
More superior avid gamers can use software program resembling Fraps or OCAT to manually benchmark efficiency of video games that don’t have a built-in benchmark, however this can require extra time, testing, and determining a repeatable testing state of affairs to keep away from potential scene-to-scene variance.
Game on.
There you’ve gotten it! You’ve graduated to GPU benchmarking professional. Now you understand how to test that your graphics card is steady and absolutely functioning, the right way to validate efficiency numbers to ensure your GPU is as much as spec, and the right way to gauge the baseline efficiency of your {hardware} for future improve comparisons. And who is aware of? You could take pleasure in benchmarking a lot, you’ll turn it into a hobby!