Each owner of the average PC sometimes has such a dustmin: “Why does my computer work so slowly?” In a fit of frustration, we are looking for a magical “accelerate” button, which of course is not there. That is why I decided to prepare a short guide on how to check your computer speed. It will be about tools, tests, practice and theory.
Why test your computer speed at all?
Let’s start with motivation, because without it a man (or computer) can do much. The speed of the computer (or using “technical” nomenclature: performance) is not a foggy invention of marketers, but a real indicator of how our PC copes with the tasks that we entrust to him. It doesn’t matter if you edit movies in 4K, you play the latest AAA titles, or just browse the internet – you always want everything to go smooth, right?
But how do you go for checking your speed? Is it enough to start the game and look at the number of frames? Or maybe turn on a hundred cards in the browser and pray that nothing will hang? Well, it’s also a method, but not very reliable. That is why we have dedicated performance tests, called benchmarks. Thanks to them you will learn how your processor, graphics card or SSD fall out against the background of others, and where all your configuration against the world of computer equipment is where you are.
What components are crucial for speed?
Although it might seem that the speed of the computer is affected by everything that is in it (and this is a total of truth), the four elements are definitely the most important thing:
- Processor (CPU) – Its speed and number of cores decide how well the computer copes with calculations.
- RAM – If there is not enough for it, the system begins to slow down, and at heavy loads programs will moor to power.
- Graphics card (GPU) – Especially important for players, 3D designers or video editors.
- Disk (SSD or HDD) – SSD can really felt the system start and programs charging time.
What else can matter? Even the motherboard (its chipset, power section), power supply (voltage stability), and even processor cooling or housing (if everything is cooked inside, the performance flies to the head!). Let’s focus on how to test these key components.
Speed testing programs – where to start?
If you want to conduct a reliable test, it is worth reaching for proven tools that will give you legible results. Some of them are more affordable, others are the opposite. It is important that you know what you are interested in: general performance test, or maybe specifically processor performance, graphics card, memory, etc.
CPU-Z and GPU-Z
Two small but powerful tools that provide insight into the parameters of your processor and graphics card. It is true that CPU-Z also has a built-in processor test, but it is more useful for general equipment performance.
Cinebench
This is a more serious benchmark, primarily for the processor. The application renders the advanced 3D scene and on this basis calculates the result in points. You can compare your results with other users on the web and check whether our CPU configuration is mighty or rather average.
3dmark
If you care about checking the graphics card, then 3DMark is one of the most popular tools. We have different tests for different levels of equipment: from stronger graphics cards to integrated ones. The result will be in points, and on the Internet you will find a lot of rankings to see how you are.
Pcark
Nice option for testing overall performance in daily applications. He will check everything: from office tasks, through browsing the Internet, to multimedia. Perfect if you want to know how the computer copes in typical life scenarios.
Crystaldiskmark
A small and pleasant tool for testing the speed of disk. It shows the values of the reading and sequential and random recording. Sometimes it turns out that we have a SSD, and the speeds are drastically below the declared – this is where we will find out quickly.
Userbenchmark
One of the simpler collective tests that examines the CPU, GPU, RAM and disk at the same time, then adapts our results to the average. For many people, this is the most convenient form of checking whether something on the computer does not stand out from the norm.
How to properly conduct tests?
Now, when you know which tools to use, it is worth paying attention to a few things so that the test will give a reliable result. Based on poor measurements, you can draw poor and not necessarily real conclusions.
If your computer stands in a preheated room, then the test results can be low. The process will overheat and reduce the clock. That is why it is good to take care of the breath in the housing and the normal ambient temperature.
Each application that works in the background (e.g. Discord, Spotify, a million cards in the browser, system update and God knows what else) can burden components and hypociate the results. Take a clean test – it’s best to turn off what you can, and calm the anti -virus so that he does not look at half the disk at that time.
If you want to compare tests from today’s and next week, then make sure that the conditions are the same. The same version of the software, similar background load, similar temperature. Otherwise it will be difficult to say whether you have improved performance, or maybe just a coincidence.
Sometimes a single decrease in cinebench may result from accidental system load. It is better to make a few attempts and pull out the average. Then you are more certain about the condition of your equipment.
Interpretation of the results and what next?
You have results. Great. But what does it mean that your disk has achieved in Crystaldiskmark a speed of sequential reading 3000 Mb/s, and the record of 1500 Mb/s? Or that in Cinebench R23 your configuration obtained 12,000 points in a multi -thread test? If you have no reference, the numbers are only numbers.
The easiest way is to upload the name of the test and the result of your processor or graphics card on Google. I guarantee that you will find a lot of comparative results on the web, benchmarks of various users, and even equipment reviews. There you will see immediately if you are in the norm, or rather you are somewhere at the gray end.
What if it turns out that the result of your computer is much weaker than others with a similar configuration? Then it is worth starting by checking the drivers (especially the graphics card), the BIOS version (motherboard), as well as the thermal state (or by accident the computer does not overheat). Sometimes it is worth updating Windows, make sure that the disk is not collapsed. It happens that ordinary cleaning in the system (uninstalling unnecessary software, cleaning the autostart) can give the second life to old hardware.
Testing the computer speed is not complicated at all, although in the first contact it seems a bit overwhelming. But as soon as you get into the topic and start firing the benchmarks, you will quickly catch what and how. You will find out where your equipment demands attention, whether you still have a supply of power or maybe it’s time to look around for the upgrade. Remember not to panic if something comes out worse than you expected (-As). Maybe a small change in BIOS settings or update of the drivers is enough for the computer to gain a second youth. And if your PC is so old that I barely zip, even the best benchmarks and tricks will not make a demon of speed. Then only the investment in new equipment is left.
Finally, a short advice: Always treat tests and results with some distance. The computer is primarily to work as you need. If everything is smooth enough to you, there is nothing to worry about numbers. On the other hand – if something really chokes, the tests will help you detect a weak link in the configuration. And that’s what all about this “benchmarketing” is about.
