For many of us, PC is the meaning of life. We take care of our computer, try to buy the best hardware for it, regularly clean it from dust, change the thermal paste on the processor and graphics card. All this is dedicated to one goal - getting the most out of our gadget. Wanting to evaluate the power of our system, we resort to various tests, available both in the form of network services and as desktop programs. Below we will discuss how to perform a personal computer performance test online. We will also provide a number of stationary programs that will complement the list of tools.
Features of PC performance tests
PC performance test(or benchmark) is a set of tasks that allow you to check the speed and stability of the hardware and software components of your computer. It includes tests of the central processor, graphics card, memory, monitor, Internet speed (online), sound card and other test options.
The objectives of such a test are as follows:
- Counting PC performance units. The obtained result allows you to compare different processors with each other in terms of their performance levels. The test clearly demonstrates where our system lags behind analogues, and where replacement of outdated components is necessary;
- PC component stress test. This test allows you to load the computer or its individual components to the maximum to check the stability of their operation under maximum load.
Most of the benchmarks available to us are implemented as stationary programs. Network tests, which allow you to perform online testing of PC performance, have a number of inconveniences. In particular, such checks are performed through a browser, which does not always work stably under maximum system load, and sometimes simply crashes.
Therefore, most developers of such tools create tests in the form of programs installed on the system. Running such software with administrator rights makes it possible to conduct an extensive system check and obtain detailed final results.
However, there are several online tools to check your computer's performance. Let's look at them in order.
WEB 3.0 BASEMARK – software for checking PC online
Testing products of the Finnish company BASEMARK are known to users around the world. In addition to well-known stationary solutions, the company offers its users performance tests. The latter is called "" and is very popular on the Internet. At the same time, the company notes that the test is unofficial, so you shouldn’t rely too much on its results.
Do the following:
Speed-battle.com – online computer speed testing
The resource offers its users a quick test of the system online. To work with it, just follow the link above, and in just a few seconds the computer will estimate the speed of your PC.
The results obtained can be compared with the indicators below “Average” (average), “Best” (best), “Poorest” (lowest).
Speed battle test scores
Scratch.mit.edu – online computer CPU performance test
The resource is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, a laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA.
Among the various capabilities of the resource, there is also an online CPU speed test, which we will use:
How to determine Internet speed
The list of network resources for testing a computer would not be complete without a variety of services for testing Internet speed.
- Speedtest.net is a popular Internet speed test all over the world;
- Fast.com is another convenient service;
- Yandex.ru/internet – meter from Yandex;
- Testskorosti.ru – domestic online speed test.
Programs for testing computer power
Nevertheless, the basis for calculating PC performance is a variety of desktop programs recognized throughout the world. They are often paid, created by professionals, and allow you to check the performance of your PC under stressful loads.
Among such tools we would note the following:
System Performance Test for Mac
Conclusion
In our material, we have analyzed a list of tools that allow you to test the power and performance of a personal computer online. We have also listed a number of desktop programs for Windows and Mac OS that are popular among users around the world. When conducting stress tests, keep in mind that excessive load on older PCs can lead to their failure. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the potential risks and use such services carefully, aware of the consequences of your steps.
Hello.
When working at a computer, sometimes various kinds of failures and errors occur, and getting to the bottom of the reason for their occurrence without special software is not an easy task! In this help article, I want to post the best programs for testing and diagnosing PCs, which will help in solving a wide variety of problems.
By the way, some of the programs can not only restore the computer’s functionality, but also “kill” Windows (you will have to reinstall the OS), or cause the PC to overheat. Therefore, be careful with such utilities (it’s definitely not worth experimenting without knowing what this or that function does).
CPU testing
Rice. 1. CPU-Z main window
A free program for determining all the characteristics of a processor: name, core type and stepping, socket used, support for certain multimedia instructions, cache memory size and parameters. There is a portable version that does not require installation.
By the way, processors of even the same name can be slightly different: for example, different cores with different steppings. Some information can be found on the processor cover, but usually it is hidden far away in the system unit and is not easy to get to.
Another important advantage of this utility is its ability to create a text report. In turn, such a report can be useful when solving a wide variety of problems with a PC problem. I recommend having such a utility in your arsenal!
One of the most frequently used utilities, at least on my computer. Allows you to solve a wide range of problems:
Control over startup (removing everything unnecessary from startup);
Monitor the temperature of the processor, hard drive, video card;
Obtaining summary information on the computer and any of its hardware in particular. This information can be indispensable when searching for drivers for rare hardware:
In general, in my humble opinion, this is one of the best system utilities, containing everything you need. By the way, many experienced users are familiar with the predecessor of this program - Everest (by the way, they are very similar).
One of the best programs for testing the performance of a computer's processor and RAM. The program is based on complex mathematical calculations that can completely and permanently load even the most powerful processor!
By the way, the program works in all popular Windows operating systems today: XP, 7, 8, 10.
Temperature monitoring and analysis
Temperature is one performance indicator that can say a lot about the reliability of a PC. The temperature is usually measured for three PC components: the processor, the hard drive and the video card (they are the ones that most often overheat).
By the way, the AIDA 64 utility measures the temperature quite well (about it in the article above, I also recommend this link:).
SpeedFan
This small utility can not only monitor the temperature of the hard drives and processor, but also help adjust the rotation speed of the coolers. On some PCs they make a lot of noise, thereby irritating the user. Moreover, you can reduce their rotation speed without harming the computer (adjusting the rotation speed is recommended for experienced users, This operation may cause your PC to overheat!).
Core Temp
A small program that measures temperature directly from the processor sensor (bypassing unnecessary ports). The accuracy of the readings is one of the best of its kind!
Programs for overclocking and monitoring video card performance
By the way, for those who want to speed up a video card without using third-party utilities (i.e., no overclocking and no risks), I recommend reading the articles on fine-tuning video cards:
Rice. 6. Riva Tuner
A once very popular utility for fine-tuning Nvidia video cards. Allows you to overclock an Nvidia video card both through standard drivers and “directly”, working with hardware. That is why you should work with it carefully, without going too far with the parameter settings (especially if you have not yet had experience working with such utilities).
Also, quite well, this utility can help with resolution settings (locking it, useful in many games), frame rate (not relevant for modern monitors).
By the way, the program has its own “basic” driver and registry settings for certain work cases (for example, when starting a game, the utility can switch the video card operating mode to the required one).
Rice. 7. ATITool - main window
A very interesting program for overclocking ATI and nVIDIA video cards. It has automatic overclocking functions, and also has a special algorithm for “loading” the video card in three-dimensional mode (see Fig. 7, above).
When testing in three-dimensional mode, you can find out the number of FPS produced by the video card with one or another fine tuning, and also immediately notice artifacts and defects in the graphics (by the way, this moment means that it is dangerous to overclock the video card further). In general, an indispensable tool when trying to overclock a graphics adapter!
Recovering information if accidentally deleted or formatted
Quite a large and extensive topic that deserves a whole separate article (and more than one). On the other hand, it would be wrong not to include it in this article. Therefore, here, in order not to repeat myself and not to increase the size of this article to “huge” sizes, I will only provide links to my other articles on this topic.
Recovering Word documents -
Determining a malfunction (primary diagnosis) of a hard drive by sound:
A huge directory of the most popular data recovery programs:
Testing RAM
Also, the topic is quite extensive and cannot be described in a few words. Typically, if there are problems with RAM, the PC behaves as follows: freezes, “ ” appears, spontaneous reboot, etc. For more details, see the link below.
Hard drive analysis and testing
Analysis of the occupied space on the hard drive -
Hard drive slows down, analysis and search for reasons -
Checking the hard drive for functionality, searching for bad problems -
Cleaning your hard drive from temporary files and junk -
That's all for me today. I would be grateful for additions and recommendations on the topic of the article. Good luck with your PC.
TOP programs for computer diagnostics
Your computer has become faulty again, but you don't know what the problem is? Maybe you are thinking about selling your hardware, but collecting information with built-in applications takes a lot of time, and you would like to find a solution faster and easier? Then you can pay attention to computer diagnostic programs. We have compiled a small rating; all of them have already proven themselves to be reliable and fast help, so we can recommend them for work.
Pivot table
| Name | Purpose | Version/Year | Spreading | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A system utility that allows you to obtain information about all computer components | v1.32.740 | Free / Paid PRO version | DOWNLOAD | |
| A system utility that allows you to obtain information about all computer components. As well as readings from the system’s temperature sensors | v5.86/2018 | Free | DOWNLOAD | |
| A system utility that contains all the necessary information about your computer. As well as a large number of PC performance and stability tests | v5.97.4600/2018 | Shareware 30 days License ($39.95 for 3 PCs) | DOWNLOAD | |
| View characteristics of the processor, motherboard, memory (RAM), Benchmark and stress test of the processor. | v1.85.0 / 2018 | Free | DOWNLOAD | |
PerformanceTest | The system utility contains general information about the PC, as well as a large list of performance tests for both the system and individual elements | v9.0 (Build 1025) / 2018 | DOWNLOAD | |
HWMONITOR | Convenient utility for monitoring temperature sensors, fan speeds and system voltage | v1.35/2018 | Free | DOWNLOAD |
SpeedFan | The utility monitors system temperature sensors and controls the speed of the PC's active cooling system | v4.52/2017 | Free | DOWNLOAD |
| A comprehensive utility with great functionality. Contains information about system hardware, as well as installed software | v8.3.0710/2018 | Shareware 30 days License ($19.00) | DOWNLOAD | |
Memtest86+ | Utility for testing the performance of random access memory (RAM) | v5.01/2013 | Free | DOWNLOAD |
CrystalDiskInfo | Utility for testing hard drives (HDD/SSD) | v7.6.1/2018 | Free | DOWNLOAD |
Passmark Keyboard Test | Utility for testing the functionality of the data input device (keyboard) | v3.2 (Build 1002) / 2017 | Shareware 30 days License ($29.00) | DOWNLOAD |
Monitor Test | Computer screen testing utility | v3.2 (Build 1006) / 2018 | Shareware 30 days License ($29.00) | DOWNLOAD |
Why is it necessary to monitor your PC system?
Any computer and laptop is a complex machine that every second performs many processes from displaying a picture on the screen to writing a letter pressed on the keyboard. That is why it is important to constantly monitor the condition of your device, noticing problems that arise in the operation in time, because one incorrectly functioning element can break the operation of the entire machine.
Programs that conduct a complete diagnostic of the entire PC help to track incorrect operation.. As an example, they can determine how much memory is installed on your laptop, as well as the type of memory and the number of slots. Why do you need this information?
The computer technician will tell you that this will help you find a new, more suitable RAM. With new data, you will be able to understand whether you need to change the motherboard, add memory, install a more powerful processor, or buy an additional hard drive. Some utilities will monitor the temperature of the processors to tell you if the thermal paste needs to be replaced to avoid overheating. In general, all diagnostic type applications will help you find out why your PC or a specific installed program is not working. To understand which utility to install for you, it remains to learn more about each of our ratings.
Diagnostic highlights
Inexperienced PC users are confident that they will not be able to cope with the problems that have arisen, and immediately run to computer technicians and service centers without trying to figure it out on their own. However, it is enough to find out what problems may occur with your computer in order to find out what the problem is and solve it on your own.
The following may interfere with the operation of your computer or laptop:
- Overheating of chips and connectors due to dust
- Severe oxidation of contacts
- Incorrect grounding
- Unstable operation of the power supply
- Overheating of PC components due to excessive cooling
- Burnout of components due to overvoltage or power surge
The reports that any utility will produce will tell you exactly where non-standard parameters are observed. Also, if the situation is clearly beyond your capabilities, you can take the diagnostic result to the specialist or send it by email.
If you experience incorrect operation of only one element, then you should download a utility whose work is aimed at analyzing its performance. For example, for graphics cards, it is important that the benchmark still evaluates the PC's performance. And to analyze the performance of hard drives, you will have to compare the results with the characteristics of drives on other devices.
Description of diagnostic programs: top 12 leaders
We have selected all the necessary tools available on the Internet. The programs have different purposes and a variety of functionality, you just have to find the best option for you. Remember that sometimes it is necessary to install several programs at once in order to carry out not only a general scan of the computer, but testing and comparison with analogues.
AIDA64
Utility tariff plans
AIDA64
It is often found on the devices of specialists and computer technicians, because it provides comprehensive and reliable information about components, OS, other installed programs, networks and external devices. This program conducts a complete diagnostic of the computer, collecting the necessary system data, but tests individual elements, including RAM, helping to configure parameters for optimal operation.
This utility will be very convenient for those who are not very versed in hardware: all the information provided is located on the right in a separate panel, and it is also intuitively structured according to the main parameters.
This utility is good because it performs the functions of a benchmark. – that is, it determines the power of the processor and video card and compares it with data from other models. It can also detect installed drivers and even search for their latest versions, if necessary.
AIDA64 makes it possible to monitor the system in real time to monitor the load on key system nodes. Review reports are issued as a document that can be saved in any format. The reports themselves, as well as the program interface, have been translated into Russian, which will allow even an amateur to work with the program. By the way, you can install AIDA64 not only on any version of Windows, but also on mobile gadgets on the Android, iOS and Windows Phone platforms. Unfortunately, the utility is not free, but it does have a demo version, albeit a rather limited one.
Speccy
Official site
Speccy
Now Speccy is the most effective program for obtaining detailed reports on the operation of the system, although it has not yet gained much popularity on the Internet. It is free and supported on all Windows models from XP to 10. This utility allows you to find out the necessary data about the processor, memory, video card, hard drive and installed operating system, and it provides complete information in an extremely convenient form, so that even a beginner can understand it. For example, with its help you can see the number of RAM slots and decide whether you need to upgrade your PC.
What is important, Speccy not only helps to obtain information from temperature measurement sensors, but also suggests ways to correct connection errors or easily install a ventilation system.
The program works in such a way that upon startup it scans the entire computer. It weighs very little, so we recommend downloading it, even if there is no need for it now: it will allow you to control the heating of your PC, quickly make a list of components, and even monitor the list of drivers needed for installation.
By the way, the data is saved in TXT and XML formats, so in the event of a breakdown, you can show the report to the technician. Don’t forget that the developers of Speccy are the creators of CCleaner and Defraggler, which in itself is a guarantee of quality and stable operation.
HWiNFO
Program website
HWiNFO
HWiNFO is a program used mainly by professionals and hardware experts. Anyone who delves into the depths of hardware needs it, because it gives out all the information about every important element. In addition to PC analysis, it is suitable for obtaining data about outdated equipment, old BIOSes, video cards, and so on. It also helps to compare the performance of hardware components not only with standard indicators, but also with the characteristics of popular analogues.
The main functionality of the utility includes:
- Recognition of microprocessors with determination of their parameters
- FSB frequency calculation
- Testing processors, memory and disks
- Obtaining data about the motherboard and BIOS
- Reading information from SPD
- Identification of a large variety of video accelerators
And this is not a complete list of possibilities. In general, HWiNFO allows you to obtain information about almost everything except, perhaps, drivers. She saves all received data in a log., so that in the future they can be obtained and used. By the way, you can constantly monitor parameters for some element by installing tray icons.
CPU-Z
Official site
CPU-Z
This is a simple free program, allowing you to quickly obtain important technical information about the main elements of your computer. The utility is distributed in two versions, differing in the need for installation, but in terms of performance they are approximately the same.
CPU-Z can determine:
- Model, number of cores, architecture and processor socket
- Voltage, frequency, cache and processor multiplier
- Motherboard brand and model
- BIOS version and memory type
- Volume, type and frequency of RAM
- Name, type and capacity of the video card
The main advantage for Russian speakers is the ability to obtain accurate characteristics in Russian. Of course, the design of CPU-Z is quite sparse, but for applications of this type it is not important, and minimalism does not complicate the perception of information.
The only real disadvantage is the inability to determine the processor temperature. But in contrast are the good speed of scanning the computer and the reliability of the utility.
HWMonitor
Program website
HWMonitor
Simple, clear and most importantly absolutely free utility.
With which you can monitor the readings of temperature sensors motherboard, CPU temperature, hard drive temperature, voltage in the circuit.
As well as the battery capacity and the degree of its wear. The program shows three columns: minimum, average and peak values.
PerformanceTest
Official site
PerformanceTest
This tool is slightly different from previous options - it is a set of tests for assessing PC performance. As a result of each testing, the program collects characteristics that it compares with those of similar devices. The latest version of this utility contains 27 functions that differ in their association with a specific category. Several can be highlighted:
- For the processor - compression, encryption and computation speed
- For a video card that evaluates the quality of displaying two- and three-dimensional graphics and animation, as well as compatibility with DirectX and its analogues
- For a hard drive where you can test writing, reading and speed of information retrieval
- For disk drives
- For RAM
There are many more functions, in addition, the user can create five of his own tests. By the way, the program saves test reports in many standard formats from HTML to Docx. They can be sent by email, or pasted into any text editor and printed.
Very noteworthy is the ability to import tests into another application and insert them into the site code. It is important to note that PerformanceTest is only shareware, but it can be easily downloaded and activated on many file hosting services. It works on all versions of Windows from XP to 10.
CrystalDiskMark
Program website
CrystalDiskMark
Another program designed to conduct tests and analyze the read and write speed of a hard drive. CrystalDiskMark uses test files ranging in size from 50 MB to 32 GB, and by running them, the utility reveals the average disk speed. To identify accurate performance indicators, it performs several checks at once, the number of which you personally specify before starting testing. In the settings section, you can choose the data type, intervals between tests, queue sizes and number of threads.
The program is free, Russified and suitable for any version of Windows. It is very small in size, so it downloads quickly and takes up almost no space.
CrystalDiskMark provides results in a convenient format. Of course, data on the average speed of reading and writing “hard” is unlikely to be of interest to an amateur, but a professional can easily understand the reporting. By the way, the more tests the program runs, the more average results you will get.
Hard disk information
Instructions
Do not delude yourself if your operating system is faultless. This does not mean that it lacks unnecessary elements. Naturally, for many users, personal or no problems are quite enough. But some seek to increase the operating system and their computer as a whole.
To check the status of your computer's operating system, install the Advanced System Care program. It is capable of not only identifying the bulk of Windows system faults, but also successfully identifying all the errors found. Launch the program and click on the “System Diagnostics” menu. Open the program settings. Go to “Registry Errors” and check the box next to “Enable deep scanning”. Save your settings.
Select all four items from the System Diagnostics menu and click Scan. Once the troubleshooting process is complete, click Repair and wait for the operation to complete.
Open the Windows Cleanup menu. Similar to the previous step, activate the menu items and start scanning. Surely the program will find a certain number of registry errors. You can run the troubleshooter with confidence because all the important system registry files will not be affected during this process.
After checking the general condition of your computer, it's time to start searching for viruses. You can choose any antivirus that you like best, but it is better to carefully study the recommendations of experts. Be that as it may, launch your antivirus and open the menu related to scanning hard drives. Open Custom Hard Drive Scan. Specify the hard drive partition on which the operating system is installed and start scanning. Those files that the antivirus program cannot delete, find and delete them yourself.
As practice shows, users are only satisfied with the capabilities of their own computer for the time being - sooner or later they have to resort to an upgrade. Everything is banally simple - new versions of the OS and applications used, as a rule, require more and more resources. The easiest way to update your PC is to purchase a new system unit with modern hardware, which is not difficult if you have the money. However, this is not always reasonable - often to increase productivity it is enough to resort to replacing individual components.
To choose an upgrade strategy, you need to find out what hardware is installed and understand what the computer lacks for faster operation - processor power, video system capabilities, memory capacity, hard drive read/write speed, etc. But this is only one side of the coin. After purchasing a new system unit or upgrading an old one, you will need to quickly find out whether the “filling” of the system unit corresponds to what was stated at the time of purchase (without opening the unit itself, since there may be a seal on it), evaluate how much the performance has increased, and understand whether the computer is really stable works.
Any professional assembler (and all overclocking enthusiasts) can easily solve the listed problems, since they have in their arsenal many diverse and highly specialized information and diagnostic tools. The average user has no need to acquire such solutions, but it is still necessary to install a simple comprehensive utility for obtaining information about the hardware and testing the computer. These are the programs we will consider in this article.
Retrieving Hardware Data
Theoretically, any information diagnostic utility is capable of recognizing the “stuffing” of a system unit. However, not every program is able to identify new models of processors, video cards and other hardware (it all depends on the completeness of the database and the regularity of its updates), and the amount of information on the identified components can vary - from minimal to exhaustive.
Among the solutions considered, the program has the most detailed information AIDA64, which knows almost everything about any hardware, including the latest innovations. For example, this utility will be able to recognize Intel 510 and 320 SSDs that have recently appeared on the market, AMD Radeon HD 6790 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M video cards, five new Quadro M series mobile video cards from NVIDIA, etc.
Using AIDA64, you can easily find out everything about the processor, motherboard, video card, network adapter, drives (including the latest SSDs) and input devices, multimedia, as well as ports, external connected devices and power management. The program is able to determine the type of flash memory, controller model (reading SMART information of controllers manufactured by Indilinx, Intel, JMicron, Samsung and SandForce is supported) and data transfer speed. Moreover, the utility recognizes USB 3.0 controllers and devices compatible with this new standard.
The volume of data provided by AIDA64 is impressive - access to it is provided from a tree-like menu of sections that combine the main modules of the program. Yes, through the section Computer it is easy to obtain aggregate information about hardware components, the system and BIOS, as well as data on processor overclocking, power supply features, the state of system hardware monitoring sensors, etc. (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. Summary information about the computer (AIDA64)
Other “hardware” sections provide more detailed information - so in the section Motherboard there is detailed information about the central processor, motherboard, memory, BIOS, etc. In the section Display it is easy to obtain information related to the graphical interface of the system (in particular, information about the video adapter and monitor - Fig. 2), and in the section Multimedia learn about the multimedia capabilities of the system (multimedia devices and installed audio and video codecs).
Rice. 2. Video card information (AIDA64)
In chapter Data storage provides information about hard drives and optical drives, as well as the logical and physical structure of hard drives, the values and statuses of SMART parameters. You can find information about network adapters in the section Net, and about buses, ports, keyboard, mouse, etc. - in the section Devices. In addition, from the menu Service panel opens AIDA64 CPUID(Fig. 3), which displays data about the processor, motherboard, memory and chipset in a compact form.
Rice. 3. AIDA64 CPUID panel
Program SiSoftware Sandra It is also very informative and allows you to obtain comprehensive information about almost all hardware components of a computer system. In particular, the utility displays summary data about the computer as a whole (Fig. 4) - that is, basic information about the processor, motherboard, chipset, memory modules, video system, etc. (tab Devices, pictogram System Information).
Rice. 4. Summary information about the computer (SiSoftware Sandra)
Along with summary information, in the tab Devices The utility also provides more detailed information about the motherboard and processor, display and video adapter (Fig. 5), memory, buses and devices installed in them, disks, ports, mice, keyboard, sound card, etc. As for the readings of various types of monitoring sensors, then to receive them you will need to launch not the information module, but the diagnostic module Environment Monitor(tab Tools). This module provides display of text and graphic information about processor temperature, fan speed, voltage, etc.
Rice. 5. Video system information (SiSoftware Sandra)
Utility PC Wizard provides access to information about the main hardware modules installed in the computer: motherboard, processor, video card, memory, I/O ports, drives, printers, multimedia devices, printers, etc. All this data is available on the tab Iron. By activating the icon on it General information about the system, you can determine in one click what exactly is in the system unit (Fig. 6) - which motherboard, which processor, etc. Other tab icons Iron will help you obtain more detailed information about components (Fig. 7); The amount of data provided is quite sufficient for the average user. In addition, through the menu Tools → Overclocking information you can find out whether any of the system components (processor, bus or memory) have been overclocked, and if so, to what limits, and also take readings from some sensors.
Rice. 6. General information about the computer (PC Wizard)
Rice. 7. Graphics subsystem data (PC Wizard)
Utility HWiNFO32 It will also allow you to learn a lot of interesting things about the hardware of the computer. Immediately after startup, it begins diagnostic tests and within seconds displays a window System Summary with compact display of data about the processor, motherboard, memory, chipset, disks, etc. (Fig. 8). This window can also be called up while working with the utility by clicking on the button Summary. In addition, HWiNFO32 displays detailed information about the processor, motherboard (Fig. 9), memory, video adapter, etc. in the corresponding tabs - Central Processors, Motherboard, Memory, Video Adapter etc. Data on the processor, memory modules, motherboard, buses and disks is quite detailed, information on other devices is more modest. If necessary, it is easy to obtain readings from the touch sensors installed on the motherboard (temperature, voltage, etc.) by clicking on the button Sensors.
Rice. 8. Summary information about the computer (HWiNFO32)
Rice. 9. Video card information (HWiNFO32)
Program Fresh Diagnosis allows you to find out information about any iron components, although not always detailed. For example, on the tab Hardware System you can find out about the motherboard, processor, cache memory, buses, BIOS, CMOS memory, etc. Section Device contains information about the video card (Fig. 10), peripheral devices (keyboard, printer, monitor, optical drives, etc.) and ports. In chapter Multimedia combines data on various multimedia devices, DirectX, audio and video codecs.
Rice. 10. Video card data (Fresh Diagnose)
Performance Evaluation
Before upgrading, you need to evaluate the performance of the computer and its individual components in order to understand which hardware needs to be replaced immediately, and which components can wait until better times (after all, in a crisis, not everyone decides to completely upgrade). This is quite simple to do by conducting a couple of specific benchmark tests in the environment of a suitable diagnostic utility. After buying a new computer or upgrading an old one, it also doesn't hurt to test it to make sure that the computer has become more productive. Of course, you can feel the effect of the upgrade while working normally in applications, but to complete the picture, it is better to verify the performance improvement using tools specifically designed for this purpose.
When conducting tests, to obtain a more objective assessment, it is better to close all applications, not use the mouse and keyboard, run the same test (in the same version of the utility) several times and focus on the average result. In addition, it is worth keeping in mind that the same synthetic tests in different utilities are implemented in a far from identical way, so the programs show different results. And you shouldn’t take the results obtained literally, since they do not reflect real performance, but only indicate the level of performance when performing strictly specific tasks. Nevertheless, conducting such testing makes it possible to understand how outdated the hardware components installed in your computer are in comparison with reference samples, as well as to evaluate the level of performance before and after the upgrade, which is what interests us in this article.
The programs of greatest interest from a testing point of view are AIDA64 and SiSoftware Sandra, some of whose benchmarks are used even by professionals in various hardware testing techniques. The capabilities of the other utilities discussed in the article are limited in this regard, although they also provide some test functionality.
In a programme AIDA64 a wide range of benchmark tests is presented. Yes, in the section Test 13 synthetic tests are combined, the first four of which evaluate memory performance - read/write/copy speed (Fig. 11), and also measure latency (testing the average time the processor reads data from RAM). The rest of the tests in this section evaluate processor performance in integer and floating point operations, when creating ZIP archives, when performing encryption using the AES crypto algorithm, etc. (tests CPU Queen, CPU PhotoWorxx, CPU ZLib, CPU AES, CPU Hash, FPU VP8, FPU Julia, FPU Mandel, FPU SinJulia). All tests compare performance with other systems, including the latest ones.
Rice. 11. CPU performance evaluation (CPU Queen test; AIDA64)
Via the menu Service Three more benchmark tests are available: Disk test, Cache and memory test And Monitor diagnostics. The disk test measures the performance of hard drives, solid state drives, optical drives, and more. The cache and memory test measures the bandwidth and latency of the processor cache and memory (Figure 12). In the test Monitor diagnostics The display quality of LCD and CRT monitors is checked.
Rice. 12. Cache & Memory Benchmark; AIDA64
In terms of testing for a wide range of users, the program is even more interesting SiSoftware Sandra, with which you can not only evaluate the performance of your PC in comparison with other reference computer configurations, but also test your computer to see if it needs an upgrade. Modules designed for testing the most important computer subsystems are combined on the tab Benchmarks. A whole group of synthetic tests is designed to test the processor - arithmetic and multimedia tests, multi-core efficiency tests, power efficiency tests, cryptographic performance and GPGPU cryptography. Several tests are responsible for testing physical drives - including a file system test, as well as modules for testing physical disks, removable/flash drives, CD-ROM/DVD and Blu-ray optical drives. Tests available to test memory include Memory Bandwidth Test, Memory Latency Test, and Cache and Memory Test. In addition, there are tests to evaluate visualization speed and video memory performance, an audio/video encoding/decoding test, a network bandwidth test, an Internet connection speed test, etc. When testing a number of components (processor, RAM, etc.), results are given in comparison with reference models that are more or less similar in characteristics. At the same time, it is possible to independently select standards for comparison, including the most modern ones (Fig. 13), which is very convenient and allows you to quickly understand how outdated the hardware components installed in the computer are and which models are best to replace them with.
Rice. 13. CPU performance evaluation
(arithmetic test; SiSoftware Sandra)
Two interesting test modules are presented on the tab Tools- these are modules Performance index And Analysis and recommendations. Using the test Performance index The overall performance of the computer is assessed during arithmetic and multimedia tests of the processor, determination of memory bandwidth, as well as testing of physical disks and a video card (Fig. 14). Reference models of components for comparison are selected by the program or the user. Module Analysis and recommendations provides a detailed analysis of the PC for possible upgrades. At the end of this analysis, the program produces a list of recommendations on which hardware components are best replaced in order to improve performance (Fig. 15), and draws attention to possible problems (for example, the difficulty of adding memory due to all slots being occupied, too high processor temperature (and suggests checking cooling), etc.).
Rice. 14. Assessing overall computer performance (SiSoftware Sandra)
Rice. 15. Computer analysis for upgrade (SiSoftware Sandra)
Utility PC Wizard also includes certain functionality for testing hardware (tab Test). With its help, you can clearly evaluate the overall performance of your computer (icon Global Performance) in comparison with other configurations and based on the test results, understand which of the subsystems in terms of performance significantly fall short of the selected (from a preset list) reference sample - that is, they need to be updated, and which are quite on par (Fig. 16).
Rice. 16. Assessing overall computer performance (PC Wizard)
PC Wizard also has a number of synthetic tests that allow you to evaluate the performance of the processor, L1/L2/L3 caches and memory in general (bandwidth, timing assessment), as well as the video subsystem, hard drive, optical drive, etc. In particular, for The processor is equipped with basic tests Dhrystone ALU, Whetstone FPU and Whetstone SSE2, which allow assessing its performance in integer and floating point operations. Test results are displayed in text and graphical form; in a number of tests, it is possible to compare the results obtained with the test results of the selected reference subsystem (Fig. 17).
Rice. 17. CPU testing (PC Wizard)
Utility HWiNFO32 is able to evaluate the performance of the processor (CPU, FPU, MMX), memory and hard drive during express testing (button Benchmark). Test results are presented in two versions - in numerical form and in the form of a comparative chart. The diagram contains many reference components, including modern ones, so it is easy to understand how the processor (or other component) installed in the computer is inferior in performance to modern models (Fig. 18).
Rice. 18. CPU performance evaluation (HWiNFO32)
Program Fresh Diagnosis has tools for determining the performance of individual system components. These are seven synthetic test modules in the section Benchmarks. With their help, you can evaluate the performance of the processor (Whetstone, Dhrystone and multimedia tests), memory, video system, hard drives, optical drives and network adapter. Test results are presented in comparison with basic systems and presented in the form of visual histograms. True, in our opinion, there is not much benefit from them, since outdated reference systems are selected for comparison (Fig. 19).
Rice. 19. CPU testing (Fresh Diagnosis)
Checking your computer for stability
Unfortunately, it is not a fact that the updated computer will be stable in operation. Why? There are many reasons - for example, the power supply may not cope well with the increased load due to the replacement of the processor or video adapter with newer models.
If such a picture occurs, then the situation should be dealt with as soon as possible - that is, before obvious signs of instability appear in the form of a blue screen of “death”, etc. This means that you need to find out the temperature of the processor, motherboard and other important hardware and understand whether any component is overheating under load, and also evaluate how the computer generally behaves under stressful conditions. This can be done by conducting stress testing.
Most stability tests place intense computational load on various units of the central processor, system memory, graphics processor and system logic set - that is, they force the computer to work under stressful conditions. Unfortunately, none of these tests by itself guarantees 100% system stability, but if the test reveals a failure in the system or was not completed, then this is a clear signal that you need to pay attention to the hardware.
Provided in AIDA64 system stability test (available through the menu Service) is intended for stress testing of the processor (testing cores separately is allowed), memory, local disks, etc. (Fig. 20). The test results are displayed on two graphs: the upper one shows the temperature of the selected components, the lower one shows the processor load level (CPU Usage) and the CPU Throttling mode. Mode CPU Throttling is activated only if the processor overheats, and it should be understood that activating this mode during testing is an alarm signal calling for attention to the operation of the cooling system. During testing, system heating is controlled by continuously monitoring the temperature.
Rice. 20. CPU stress testing (AIDA64)
In addition to temperature, the graphs of which are displayed on the first tab during stress testing, on other tabs the program presents other useful information - about fan speed, voltage, etc. It should be borne in mind that the system stability test in AIDA64 can last indefinitely, so it is stopped manually, making sure that everything is working normally (after 30 minutes), or when suspicious results are detected (for example, severe overheating of one of the components).
Using stability test SiSoftware Sandra(tab Tools), stress testing can also be performed (Fig. 21). It will allow you to navigate the stability of the system and identify its weak points by analyzing the operation of the processor, memory, physical disks and optical drives, energy efficiency, etc. Testing lasts for a specified period of time or without taking it into account - in this case, the number of times the run is indicated selected test modules. During testing, the utility monitors the system state and stops the process if errors occur or in case of overheating (critical temperatures are set by default or manually).
Rice. 21. Stability test (SiSoftware Sandra)
Utility features PC Wizard in terms of system stability testing (test System Test Stability from the menu Tools) are limited to CPU and motherboard testing. During testing, the processor is maximally loaded and operates under such conditions for a long time, during which the temperatures of the processor and motherboard are measured at certain intervals, and the results are displayed on a graph (Fig. 22).
Rice. 22. Testing the processor for stability (PC Wizard)
Brief overview of utilities
AIDA64 (Extreme Edition) 1.60
Developer: FinalWire Ltd
Distribution size: 11.7 MB
Price:$39.95
The AIDA64 program is an updated version of the well-known information diagnostic solution EVEREST, designed for diagnosing hardware and software computer resources and versatile computer testing. The utility can be launched from a hard drive, CD/DVD/BD disks, as well as from flash drives. The program is presented in two editions: AIDA64 Extreme Edition and AIDA64 Business Edition; the AIDA64 Extreme Edition is designed for home users. The utility is regularly updated and supports the vast majority of modern models.
SiSoftware Sandra 2011 (Lite)
Developer: SiSoftware
Distribution size: 53.3 MB
Price: free (for personal and educational use)
SiSoftware Sandra Lite is the best of the free information diagnostic programs. It provides detailed information about the computer and any of its hardware and software components, and also allows you to test the PC for performance, the need for an upgrade, etc. The utility can be used to analyze, diagnose and test a PDA or smartphone. The program is available in several editions; for home use, the free edition of SiSoftware Sandra Lite is sufficient. The utility is updated quite regularly and supports the vast majority of modern models.
PC Wizard 2010.1.961
Developer: CPUID
Distribution size: 5.02 MB
Price: for free
PC Wizard is an information diagnostic utility used to diagnose hardware and software components and conduct various testing. In the basic version, the program is launched from a hard drive; it can be loaded from portable devices, for example from a flash drive (a special version of Portable PC Wizard). The utility is not updated as often as we would like (the last update was from August 2010), although it supports many modern models (of course, we are not talking about new products).
HWiNFO32 3.71
Developer: Martin Malik
Distribution size: 2.26 MB
Price: for free
HWiNFO32 is an information diagnostic utility that allows you to obtain detailed information about PC hardware and test the performance of the processor, memory and hard drives. The program is updated monthly - as a result, all new products that appear on the market are included in its database in a timely manner. There is a special portable edition of the utility that can be launched from a removable USB drive or other portable device.
Fresh Diagnosis 8.52
Developer: FreshDevices.com
Distribution size: 2.08 MB
Distribution method: freeware (http://www.freshdiagnose.com/download.html)
Price: free (registration required; tests cannot be used in the unregistered version)
Fresh Diagnose is an information diagnostic utility designed to obtain information about all hardware and software components of a PC, as well as testing it. The program is regularly updated and supports many modern models, but its shortcomings include a poorly designed interface and poor-quality Russian-language localization (therefore, it is wiser to use it with an English-language interface).
