Screenshots: Benchmark your hardware with one of these five apps

Introduction

Whether you want to play the latest first person shooter\r\ngame or perform some hard core data analytics, having the right hardware can\r\nmake all the difference in the world. That’s where system benchmarking comes\r\ninto play. Benchmarking allows you to quantify your PC’s performance to make\r\nsure it’s up to the task at hand. This article discusses five benchmarking\r\ntools.

Note: This gallery is also available as an article.

SiSoftware Sandra

Traditional benchmarks are included with the program, but\r\nthe software breaks them down in some creative and useful ways. For example,\r\nrather than simply having a CPU benchmark function, CPU performance can be\r\nbenchmarked using tests that emulate the way the CPU is used when performing\r\ntasks such as scientific analysis, cryptography, and financial analysis.

SiSoftware Sandra sells for $49.99, but a 75-module\r\ntrial is available for download.

Passmark PerformanceTest

Passmark PerformanceTest sells for $27.00, but a free trial\r\nversion is available for download.

FreshDiagnose

The benchmarking tests are related to\r\nprocessor, multimedia, memory, display adapter, hard disk, CD / DVD, and\r\nnetwork.

Fraps

Although not directly related to hardware benchmarking, the\r\ncoolest thing about Fraps is that it can record video from your games. I have\r\npersonally been using Fraps for a few years now to make recordings from\r\nMicrosoft Flight Simulator X.

Fraps sells for $37.00, but a free trial is available for\r\ndownload.

AIDA64 Extreme

Even though AIDA64 Extreme is more of a\r\nreporting tool than a benchmarking tool, it does have benchmarking and\r\ndiagnostic tests built in. The benchmarking tests focus on storage, cache,\r\nmemory, and GPU.

AIDA64 Extreme sells for $39.95, but a free trial version is\r\navailable for download.