The number of benchmark apps is staggering, so we compiled seven of the best ones in categories like the best all-in-one benchmark, best benchmark for gamers, best benchmark for virtual reality (VR), and more. After you install and launch Novabench, you can easily run the entire suite of benchmarks by clicking Start Tests. Novabench will automatically run through all of its benchmarks and then present you with an overall score, which you can compare on their website. This benchmark allows you to choose the game you want to be able to play, after which you download a lightweight benchmark app. The app reports back to Can You Run It and lets you know whether or not your PC is up to the task. Armed with this information, you won’t ever accidentally buy a game you can’t play, and you can make strategic upgrades to keep your computer up to date. Like a lot of our favorite benchmarks, UNIGINE comes in a handful of different versions. The main difference is you only have to download the specific benchmark that you’re interested in. Since we’re interested specifically in virtual reality, their free Superposition benchmark is the go-to option. After you download the Superposition benchmark, you’ll want to run the VR Ready test in the Benchmarks section. Even though it’s surprisingly lightweight, this benchmark provides you with scores for your hardware for three different use scenarios: basic desktop, gaming, and workstation. You also get an overall score and scores for each of your components, like your CPU, GPU, and RAM. These numbers allow you to easily compare the performance of your PC against similarly equipped computers to identify potential problem areas. 3DMark comes with a lot of benchmarks, many of which are only available if you pay for the premium version. Since we’re interested in 3D performance, the free Time Spy benchmark is perfect. If your computer is capable of running it, 3DMark will automatically put it front and center, allowing you to simply click RUN to get the ball rolling. When it’s done running the benchmark, 3DMark will present you with an in-depth results screen. It presents an overall score, a graphics score, and a CPU score, allowing you to identify if either your CPU or GPU might be holding you back in terms of 3D rendering. For more information, you can compare your results online. A strong contender for best all-in-one benchmark, the only real drawbacks of PCMark are the fact that it’s a massive download, and a lot of its tests are locked behind buying the premium version. The free version does perform an impressive amount of tests as it is though, providing almost too much information across a bunch of different categories. Some users will find the results screen to be information overload, while others will be sure to appreciate the breadth and depth of the testing and results. SiSoftware Sandra packs in a whole lot of tools and utilities, but we’re interested in the free benchmarks. To access the free benchmarks, you need to select Benchmarks and then Overall Score. From the benchmarks screen, you can also select a wide variety of individual benchmarks like CPU, GPU, RAM, and more.
