Benchmarks can help you figure out what devices have the most power, but sometimes theyre just a distraction.
What Does Benchmarking Really Do?
Graphics cards crank out huge amounts of processing power by chaining togetherthousands of relatively slow cores.
Benchmarks provide a way to measure real-world performance without getting bogged down in comparing specs.
Suites likePassmark use a variety of math-based teststo see how much a processor can handle.
The more it can get through, the more powerful the processor is.
Some benchmark tests use real-world situations to measure performancefor example,by playing Crysiswhile othersuse more generic tests.
So, when do benchmarks really matter?
Again, like graphics cards.
The following are situations where benchmarks can be the most helpful.
Benchmarks can be a huge help here.
Sites likePassmarkandFuturemarkkeep a running list of graphics cards graded by their benchmarking suites.
They also show the lowest price for each card from various online retailers.
Futuremark also shows popularity scores for each card, so you might see what other users are buying.
Thatll be the surest bet that youre getting a better experience.
In that case, benchmarks can be helpful.
Passmark divides its rankings into several charts to help you narrow down which jot down of CPU youll need.
Thehigh end chartranks CPUs designed for high performance gaming and editing rigs, as well as server-grade processors.
Here are some situations in which you might be better off ignoring the tests.
This is good information to have, but it should hardly be the only factor you consider.
More importantly, the benchmark score only matters if youre planning to push your phone to its limits.
Unless youre building a server for a business, however, it’s possible for you to ignore them.
This makes them much faster.
Almosttwice as fast as regular HDDs, in fact.
If you have an older style hard drive, dont bother with benchmarks.
Just get an SSD.
If your gear is still slow, youll probably see a bigger benefit by upgrading your other components.
Depending on your needs, you might care more about benchmarks than the average person and thats okay.
However, in general, benchmarks are a useful tool that you shouldnt always treat as gospel.
