We use a number of Futuremark’s benchmarks when we test systems around here, and there’s a new one coming called 3DMark “Sky Diver”, a DX11 bench aimed at gaming laptops and midrange PCs. “Sky Diver is the ideal test for benchmarking systems with mainstream DirectX 11 graphics cards...Read more...
Futuremark isn't letting up on its decision to publicly shame handsets and device manufacturers that get caught trying to game the company's 3DMark benchmark. Just the opposite, Futuremark wasted no time calling out HTC and its recently refreshed One (M8) for the way the device handles itself when running 3DMark . One...Read more...
Smartphone makers may have learned an important lesson -- don't try to pull a fast one in Futuremark's 3DMark benchmark, because if you're caught, Futuremark will make a public spectacle out of banning your product. This happened last November when Futuremark delisted several Samsung and HTC handsets for breaking...Read more...
Futuremark has just updated its 3DMark benchmark for Android, introducing a couple of new features and preparations for beefier updates in the future. At the forefront is a new feature for recommending a device; once a benchmark run is complete, you can simply click on "Recommend". While Futuremark already ranks...Read more...
We saw a lot of Steam Machine announcements by both OEM and boutique system builders at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week (14 in all). It's safe to say that damn near everyone is excited about what Valve is doing, and with so much early support, it's already a little bit daunting sifting...Read more...
Futuremark today released an update to the Windows desktop version of its 3DMark benchmark. If you grabbed your copy from Steam, you should receive the update automatically, otherwise the standalone version will check in with the mothership and ask you to install the update the next time you fire up the benchmark. On...Read more...
When Apple introduced the iPad Air, the company made a big deal about the tablet having a custom 64-bit System-on-Chip (SoC) inside. It's the same 64-bit part found in the iPhone 5 and the latest iPad mini. If you own any of those devices and are into benchmarking, you'll be happy to know that Futuremark's 3DMark...Read more...
Benchmarking is serious business, and we're not saying that tongue-in-cheek. Buying decisions are often made based on how well a product benchmarks, which is why we spend so much time putting hot (and sometimes not-so-hot) hardware through their paces. However, benchmarks are only meaningful when there's a level...Read more...
Apple's new A7 SoC that sits at the heart of the iPad Air and iPhone 5S is a fast chip. Benchmarks and analysis have shown that it picks up its additional performance over the older A6 thanks to a mixture of architectural tweaks and, in some cases, its new 64-bit architecture. On average, the gains are split about...Read more...
Futuremark has made available its 3DMark benchmark for Windows RT a little over a week before Microsoft is scheduled to release Surface 2 on October 22, 2013, the company announced today. Surface 2 boasts several improvements over its predecessor, both inside and out, but if you're wondering how its performance...Read more...
Earlier this year, Futuremark launched a version of its 3DMark benchmark that would run on PCs, notebooks, and mobile devices alike. Some mobile users could run the tests using 3Dmark for Android, and now there’s an iOS app, as well. 3Dmark for iOS lets users test and directly compare performance on iPads...Read more...
Futuremark recently undertook a major revamp of its popular PC performance tool, and this time, it’s creating one benchmark to rule them all. The new 3DMark launched with support for Windows PCs and laptops, and – as of today – also supports Android devices, including tablets and smartphones. Apple...Read more...
For 14 years, Futuremark's 3DMark benchmarks have served as a reliable point of comparison for PCs with a vast range of CPU and GPU configurations. Now, the company is branching out into cross platform testing. The new 3DMark (there's no year or modifier attached) is designed to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons...Read more...
The wait has been long, but Futuremark has finally announced a release date for its latest 3DMark benchmark: February 4th. Unlike previous 3DMarks, this one foregoes a suffix - it's not "3DMark 13", but simply "3DMark". This simplification might be due to the fact that for the first time, this software isn't exclusive to Windows....Read more...
While we all wait patiently for the latest edition of the 3DMark benchmark, Futuremark is releasing a new test for Windows notebooks and desktops called 3DMark Cloud Gate. Cloud Gate is designed to offer a benchmarking tool for gamers with more modestly-spec’d systems, such as entry-level DirectX 11 rigs that...Read more...
The release of the next 3DMark is right around the corner, and to help tide us over Futuremark has released a new trailer called "Fire Strike" that shows off some pretty DirectX 11 effects - aka: effects we hope to actually see implemented in our future games. If you can believe it, this trailer is even shorter...Read more...
We're plenty familiar with Futuremark's assortment of benchmarks, as we should be since we feature 3DMark and PCMark in several of our reviews. They're great tools for assessing performance on the Windows platform, but what about the growing number of Android devices? Well, Futuremark's going to cover those, too. The...Read more...
Futuremark today released a sexy 3DMark tech demo, giving viewers a glimpse of the upcoming 3DMark benchmark that has yet to receive a formal name (perhaps 3DMark 12? "New" 3DMark? 3DMark for Windows 8?) The trailer provides a preview of the DirectX test and "is a work-in-progress," Futuremark says, and as such it doesn't represent the final...Read more...
Although details are still under wraps, Futuremark let us know that its next gaming benchmark is forthcoming and gave us a peek at the tool’s concept art. With a working title of “3Dmark for Windows 8”, the benchmark will measure gaming performance across a variety of devices including tablets, notebooks, and high-end systems....Read more...
Last week, Futuremark released the latest version of 3DMark. We've taken the new benchmark for a spin using CPUs from Intel and AMD as well as GPUs from AMD and NVIDIA. The new version, dubbed 3DMark 11 (in reference to its level of DirectX support, not the upcoming year) includes a fresh set of tests, a game demo sequence, and measures...Read more...
Last week, Futuremark released the latest version of 3DMark. We've taken the new benchmark for a spin using CPUs from Intel and AMD as well as GPUs from AMD and NVIDIA. The new version, dubbed 3DMark 11 (in reference to its level of DirectX support, not the upcoming year) includes a fresh set of tests, a game demo sequence, and measures...Read more...
Oh, boy! Time to rejoice! Futuremark Corporation, which produces a variety of highly respected industry benchmarking tools, has finally released the latest version of 3DMark. This is an app used nearly industry-wide to test multiple stress points on PCs, and the results are widely regarded as the baseline to whether a specific machine is outperforming...Read more...