3DMark, by Futuremark (now UL Benchmarks), is a benchmark software suite for Windows (and other platforms) that measures the graphical and computational performance of a computer[SQ]s hardware. It[SQ]s used primarily to :

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Compare PC hardware:

It allows users to see how their computer[SQ]s graphics card, CPU, and RAM perform compared to other systems and against published benchmarks. This is helpful for gamers, content creators, and anyone wanting to evaluate their system[SQ]s capabilities.

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Assess upgrade potential:

Before upgrading components (like a graphics card), 3DMark can show how much of a performance improvement is expected.

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Troubleshoot performance issues:

If a computer is running slower than expected, 3DMark can help pinpoint bottlenecks and identify potential hardware or software problems.

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Compare different settings:

Users can test performance at various graphics settings (resolution, detail levels, etc.) to see how these affect frame rates and overall performance.

3DMark offers various tests, categorized into different "features," each targeting different aspects of hardware performance and using different rendering techniques and levels of graphical complexity:

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Time Spy:

A DirectX 12 benchmark for modern hardware.
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Time Spy Extreme:

A more demanding version of Time Spy.
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Fire Strike:

A DirectX 11 benchmark (older, but still useful for comparison).
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Fire Strike Ultra:

A more demanding version of Fire Strike.
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Port Royal:

A ray tracing benchmark.
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Speed Way:

A CPU benchmark.
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Wild Life:

A mobile-optimized benchmark (can also be used on some Windows devices).
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Wild Life Extreme:

A more demanding version of Wild Life.


The software produces a numerical score, making it easy to compare results across different systems and benchmarks. These scores are also publicly available on the 3DMark online database, allowing users to see how their system ranks against others. While not a perfect indicator of real-world performance in all applications, 3DMark provides a standardized and widely-used method for evaluating computer hardware[SQ]s graphical capabilities.