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How to Benchmark a Game

Benchmarking your computer games helps you determine how well your system runs the games you play. A benchmark is a test or comparison to find how well your computer performs under certain conditions. Simply playing a game usually tells you if it works well on your PC, but benchmarking gives you detailed information and may let you evaluate performance before you buy a game. The depth and accuracy of each option differs, so using multiple methods presents the best result.

Instructions

- 1
  Use your Windows Experience Index to evaluate how your system compares to a game's requirements. The Control Panel's "System and Security" section features an option under the "System" setting to "Check the Windows Experience Index." This tool tests your processor, memory, gaming graphics and more, giving each category a numerical score. Your base score indicates the lowest result. In your Windows "Games" folder, some games offer a "Required" and "Recommended" base score. Comparing them to your score gives you a good idea of how well your computer may run that game.
- 2
  Run game-specific benchmarks to test your system for individual games. Developers sometimes release tests to rate your performance with a short demo of in-game action. While not available for all games, these tools prove useful for determining whether you can run a game before you purchase it. Enter the game's name and "benchmarking tool" into a search engine to see if a tool exists for the game in question. While useful, these tools may not be as accurate as actual gameplay benchmarking.
- 3
  Download a tool that tests your frame rate during actual gameplay. The number of frames per second displayed while gaming determine how smooth or choppy the picture is. 30 to 60 fps indicates smooth performance, while anything less might look choppy. Programs such as Fraps, Game Camcorder and Xfire have free versions that let you record and see your fps during actual gameplay. This provides the most realistic result and you can test it under different conditions, like while on the game's main menu or during a graphically-intense battle, where performance may slow down.
- 4
  Compare your computer's specifications to the game's minimum and recommended requirements. Check your PC's manual for specs. If you don't have the manual, go to a search engine and enter your computer's make and model, along with "specifications." Games usually offer minimum and recommended hardware either on their box or in the manual, though this information is also online if not offered with the game. Ensure your specifications surpass the minimum requirements. The closer they are to the recommended hardware, the smoother the game performs on your system.

Computer Games