WHY YOU MUST BENCHMARK YOUR PC
Check its speed Detect faulty hardware Make it faster!
The term ‘benchmarking’ conjures up images of stress tests being carried out on equipment by white-coated boffins in hi-tech laboratories, or by PC gamers seeking performance perfection. But anyone can carry out benchmark tests on their computer hardware.
Running a benchmark tool on your PC checks that your hardware is working as it should be, helping you to identify problems. If your computer’s feeling sluggish, you can use a benchmarking tool to spot which components are causing bottlenecks, making it easy to establish exactly what maintenance tasks or hardware upgrades you need to carry out to get your PC back on track.
Get a free benchmark tool
There are several great free benchmarking tools, from serious software aimed at IT professionals, such as Passmark (£25 from www.passmark.com), to free programs anyone can use. We like Sisoftware Sandra ( www.sisoftware.co.uk), but even the free version can be a bit daunting.
So, instead, we’re going to use Novabench throughout this feature, because the free version is easy to use and its results are simple to interpret. It’s also regularly updated – the latest version detects your hardware more effectively, and checks the temperature of new types of processor.
You can download Novabench from https://novabench.com/download. There’s also a portable version, but it requires a Novabench Pro licence (currently around £14). You’ll also need to pay for Pro if you want to use Novabench’s laptop-battery benchmark tool, though there are free alternatives available, such as Battery Eater ( www.batteryeater.com).
Before you start, make sure you don’t have any programs running in the background, as these use up system resources and may affect your results. Shut down any open program windows and check your notifications (bottom right of your taskbar) for any other running programs. Click the up arrow, then right-click any non-essential items and select Exit.
When you’re ready, launch Novabench and click the Start Tests button. Novabench will run a series of tests on your processor (CPU), graphics card (GPU), memory and hard drives. Try not to use your PC for anything while they’re carried out. The tests should only take a few minutes.
How to interpret the results
Once the test is complete, Novabench will show the results on screen ( 1 in our screenshot below – our overall score was 1760) and save them on the left 2 for future reference. Write down the results on the right. Like a lot of test results, the numbers won’t make a lot of sense until you’re given some context. Clicking the button at the bottom of the program window will allow you to ‘View Performance Charts and Comparisons’ on the Novabench website 3 .
Here you’ll be asked to register or sign in to add the results to your online profile. However, this is optional and you can click ‘Continue and keep this result anonymous’ if you prefer.
On the next screen, you’ll see a summary of your hardware and your test scores on the left, with three buttons on the right. Click the Performance Analysis button first and you’ll see speedometer-style images of how your CPU (processor) and GPU (graphics processing unit) compares with other computers that have taken the
test (see screenshot below).
If either is dipping dangerously into the red, these may be the source of any bottlenecks hampering your performance. You’ll also see your hardware’s percentile ranking compared with others in the database. Our own results showed our processor is far weaker than our GPU, though it hasn’t yet swung into the red. However, it’s a good early-warning sign that we might need to take action soon.
Clicking the ‘i’ icon below each speedometer offers links to general tips about how to improve performance, and further information about your component – useful to find out exactly how it compares with others of the same model.
Next, click ‘Back to Tools’ and this time select Baseline Comparison. Choose the type of PC you want to measure yours by – ‘Budget laptop’, for example, or ‘Mid-level Gaming PC’ – and you’ll see how well your scores compare. Ours compares poorly with other gaming PCS, scoring 22 per cent lower overall (see screenshot above).
To get an idea of how your hard drive or SSD’S results compare, go to www.
snipca.com/35741 and browse the most recent scores or use the search tool to find your model. Check how the read and
write speeds compare with yours – it’s measured in megabytes per second (MB/S).
Check your temperatures
High temperatures are a clear sign that your hardware is under too much stress. Novabench includes a tool that monitors your processor and GPU temperature in real time. Click the Benchmark tab, then the Temperature button just below the Start Tests button. Here you’ll see a temperature value for your CPU and GPU, though if you have a multi- core processor, clicking the ‘i’ icon will provide more details, including temperatures for each of your cores.
The temperature value will fluctuate, depending on how hard your components are working, so keep an eye on the load figures (the percentages in brackets, see screenshot above right) and the temperatures underneath. If yours are hitting the high 70s or more even at low loads, there could be something wrong.
Improve your scores
There are a few things you can do to improve your scores before you resort to buying new and more powerful components. If your Novabench RAM score seems low, for example, you could run the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, which will check for and automatically fix problems with your PC’S memory. Click Start, type memory and press Enter, then click ‘Restart now and check for problems’.
You can also use the Task Manager to check for any background programs that might be hogging your PC’S resources. Right-click the taskbar, select Task Manager, then click ‘More details’ (if it says this at the bottom of the Task Manager window) and select the Processes tab. Click the Memory or CPU column header (see screenshot above right) to sort processes by which ones are using most memory or power. Closing these programs will free up resources temporarily, but you may need to uninstall them altogether to make more permanent gains.
Try cleaning the dust from your PC’S vents and making sure there’s plenty of room for air to circulate around your PC – this can help to bring those processor and GPU temperatures down if they’re looking a little high.
Re-run the benchmark test
Once you’ve carried out these tasks, try running Novabench again and compare your new scores with your original ones. You could even consider carrying out tests after each task and creating a spreadsheet to see how your benchmark scores compare over time. Hopefully, you’ll notice a big improvement. If you don’t, it may be that your hardware is faulty or has just reached the limits of its abilities.
Your benchmark results should have helped you establish where your weak link is. Adding RAM or replacing an old hard drive for a speedy new SSD are relatively easy upgrades to carry out yourself. It may even be worth considering a graphics card upgrade if your GPU scores are poor. Graphics cards aren’t just for games – installing even a cheap one with its own dedicated GPU and video memory (such as the Geforce GT 710 - £37 from Amazon www.snipca. com/35740) can free up system resources and help speed up your entire PC.
The bad news is that if you’ve identified that it’s your processor that’s dragging down your system, there’s little point in upgrading this yourself. Installing a processor is a complicated and delicate task, dogged with potential pitfalls, particularly where compatibility is concerned. If your processor is holding your PC’S performance back, it might be time to consider the ultimate upgrade – buying a brand new computer.