3DMark
Encyclopedia
3DMark is a computer benchmarking tool created and developed by Futuremark Corporation
(formerly MadOnion.com and initially Futuremark) to determine the performance
of a computer's 3D graphic rendering and CPU workload processing capabilities. Running 3DMark produces a 3DMark score with higher numbers indicating better performance. The 3DMark measurement unit is intended to give a normalized mean for comparing different PC hardware configurations (mostly graphics processing units and central processing units), which proponents such as gamers and overclocking
enthusiasts assert is indicative of end-user performance capabilities.
Many versions of 3DMark have been released since 1998. As each 3DMark is based on a specific version of the DirectX
API
scores cannot be compared across the different releases.
Futuremark
Futuremark Oy is a Finnish software development company, that produces computer benchmark applications for home users and businesses. Company headquarters and R&D department are located in Espoo, Finland...
(formerly MadOnion.com and initially Futuremark) to determine the performance
Performance testing
In software engineering, performance testing is in general testing performed to determine how a system performs in terms of responsiveness and stability under a particular workload...
of a computer's 3D graphic rendering and CPU workload processing capabilities. Running 3DMark produces a 3DMark score with higher numbers indicating better performance. The 3DMark measurement unit is intended to give a normalized mean for comparing different PC hardware configurations (mostly graphics processing units and central processing units), which proponents such as gamers and overclocking
Overclocking
Overclocking is the process of operating a computer component at a higher clock rate than it was designed for or was specified by the manufacturer, but some manufacturers purposely underclock their components to improve battery life. Many people just overclock or 'rightclock' their hardware to...
enthusiasts assert is indicative of end-user performance capabilities.
Many versions of 3DMark have been released since 1998. As each 3DMark is based on a specific version of the DirectX
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
API
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
scores cannot be compared across the different releases.
Versions
| Version | Description | Released | Operating System | | DirectX API | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark99 | The first 3DMark was one of the first 3D benchmarks to be aimed directly at the 3D gaming community, rather offering a generic overview of a PC's capabilities. The graphics tests use an early version of Remedy Entertainment Remedy Entertainment Remedy Entertainment is a Finnish computer game developer founded in 1995 and based in Espoo, Finland. The company is best known for its Max Payne and Alan Wake series of video games.-History:... 's MAX-FX engine, which was later used in the game Max Payne Max Payne Max Payne is a BAFTA Award–winning third-person shooter video game developed by Finnish developers Remedy Entertainment and published by Gathering of Developers in July 2001 for Microsoft Windows. Ports created later in the year for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and the GameBoy Advance were published by... . |
October 26, 1998 | Windows 95 Windows 98 |
DirectX 6.0 | Discontinued after the release of 3DMark99 MAX |
| 3DMark99 MAX | 3DMark99 MAX is a content update to 3DMark99. | March 8, 1999 | Windows 95 Windows 98 |
DirectX 6.1 | Unsupported |
| 3DMark2000 | The second generation 3DMark, making use of key features from DirectX 7 (such as hardware accelerated transform and lighting). The east East East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the right side of a map is east.... and west West West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west.... are inverted in the games tests. |
December 6, 1999 | Windows 98 | DirectX 7 | Unsupported |
| 3DMark2001 | The third generation 3DMark and the first 3D benchmark that supports DirectX 8, using key features such as vertex and pixel shaders, and point sprites. | March 13, 2001 | Windows 98 Windows 98 SE Windows Millennium Windows 2000 Windows XP |
DirectX 8.0 | Discontinued after the release of 3DMark2001 SE |
| 3DMark2001 SE | 3DMark2001 Second Edition is an updated version of the third generation 3DMark2001 (the core benchmark tests are as in 3DMark2001, but there is an additional Feature test and broader hardware support). 3DMark2001 SE is the last version of 3DMark to use the MAX-FX engine. | February 12, 2002 | Windows 98 Windows 98 SE Windows Millennium Windows 2000 Windows XP |
DirectX 8.1 | Unsupported |
| 3DMark03 | The fourth generation 3DMark. It is the first version that supports Microsoft DirectX 9.0 and introduces several new features. The graphics tests cover a range of rendering techniques and DirectX 9 features, expanding on a similar system used in 3DMark2001. 3DMark03 does not use a 3rd party engine for any of the tests; light DirectX wrappers are used instead. The final score is a weighted sum of the game tests. The results of CPU and other tests are not taken into account. As a complete package, 3DMark03 consists of:
|
February 11, 2003 | Windows 98 Windows 98 SE Windows Millennium Windows 2000 Windows XP |
DirectX 9.0 | Supported |
| 3DMark05 | The fifth generation 3DMark. Like 3DMark03, it is based on DirectX 9 but all of the graphics tests require a minimum hardware support of Shader Model 2.0. While the tests only make use of Shader Model 2.0, by default the highest compilation profile supported by the hardware is used, including 3.0.
The final score is an a geometric mean Geometric mean The geometric mean, in mathematics, is a type of mean or average, which indicates the central tendency or typical value of a set of numbers. It is similar to the arithmetic mean, except that the numbers are multiplied and then the nth root of the resulting product is taken.For instance, the... weighting the game tests equally. The CPU results are not taken into account. In the free version only the part 1, "Return to Proxycon", of the demo is shown now. |
September 29, 2004 | Windows 2000 Windows XP (SP2) |
DirectX 9.0(c) | Supported |
| 3DMark06 | The sixth generation 3DMark. The three game tests, renamed "graphics tests", from 3DMark05 were carried over and updated, and a forth new test "Deep Freeze" was added. The scoring formula was changed to incorporate CPU tests results: "For the first time in its history, the CPU result affects the final 3DMark score. This was done due to the fact that there are more and more games using complex AI algorithms and complex physics calculations." Some of the graphics tests have the following features:
The CPU tests in 3DMark06 are different to those found in previous 3DMark versions - instead of using software vertex shading to provide the CPU workload, path-finding, physics and engine routines are used instead, across multiple thread Thread (computer science) In computer science, a thread of execution is the smallest unit of processing that can be scheduled by an operating system. The implementation of threads and processes differs from one operating system to another, but in most cases, a thread is contained inside a process... s. The free version only show the part 1, "Return to Proxycon", of the demo. |
January 18, 2006 | Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 |
DirectX 9.0c | Supported |
| 3DMark Vantage | Futuremark released 3DMark Vantage on April 28, 2008. It is a benchmark based upon DirectX 10, and therefore will only run under Windows Vista (Service Pack 1 is stated as a requirement) and Windows 7. Unlike all of the previous versions there is no more demo mode in 3DMark Vantage. Initially the 3DMark Vantage range included a free trial which allowed a single run, the Basic Edition priced at US$6.95 and the Advanced Edition priced at US$19.95. On March 15, 2011 Futuremark released an update for 3DMark Vantage that discontinued the trial edition and made the Basic Edition free to download. |
April 28, 2008 | Windows 7 Windows Vista |
DirectX 10 | Supported |
| 3DMark 11 | 3DMark 11 makes extensive use of all the new features in DirectX 11 including tessellation, compute shaders and multi-threading. It was released on 7 December 2010. It will install on a system with a DirectX 10.1 (or lower) card, but will not run on it (DirectX 11 hardware is stated as a requirement). Demo mode is back in this version (wasn't included in Vantage). | December 7, 2010 | Windows 7 Windows Vista |
DirectX 11 | Supported |
| 3DMark for Windows 8 (working title) |
Development of a new version of 3DMark for Windows 8 was announced on 14 November 2011. 3DMark for Windows 8 is being designed to enable gaming performance measurement and comparison across all Windows 8 devices from tablets to notebooks to desktops and will support both x86 and ARM ARM An arm is an upper limb of the body.Arm may also refer to:-Geography:* Arm , a narrow stretch of a larger body of water** Canal arm, a subsidiary branch of a canal or inland waterway** Distributary or arm, a subsidiary branch of a river... -based architectures. |
In development | Windows 8 | DirectX 11 | Supported |