3dmark

[[TW]Fox]

Whats the deal with 3Dmark these days? Last time I used it you simply went to the website, downloaded it, ran it, uploaded the results to ORB and that was that.

These days it all seems a lot more confusing. From what I can tell it seems you actually need to PAY MONEY to run a benchmark. Surely I've got the wrong end of the stick here?

 

[stulid]

you can run a basic version for no money, that is restricted in the amount of tests available and the resolution available.

 

[muon]

Even 3dmark06 free version was restricted from what I remember.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Even 3dmark06 free version was restricted from what I remember.

I'm thinking back to the good old days of 3DMark2001.

 

[buchtis]

People actually pay for a benchmark?

Christ...

 

[[TW]Fox]

People actually pay for a benchmark?

Christ...

This is what I am trying to understand. Surely not?

 

[stulid]

This is what I am trying to understand. Surely not?

why not? they have to pay for the development work some how? a few Antec/msi banners wont do much.

If a review/test site wants to test hardware/new tech at decent resolutions and settings then they need to cough up the money.

 

[Redmint]

As Stulid said, it's a piece of software with development costs...

 

[[TW]Fox]

As Stulid said, it's a piece of software with development costs...

It'll be dead in 5 years. It used to be hugely popular because we could all download it for free and run benchmarks to see how our computers performed. This made it hugely popular and no self respecting review site, magazine or hardware producer would ignore 3dmark, and these people needed to pay to use it.

Nowadays I guess nobody bothers with it because you have to pay for it.

In 5 years time, it'll not exist, IMHO.

 

[HangTime]

Maybe so but as mentioned they've been going down this path for a long time (since 06) and people are still lapping it up in terms of review sites (and maybe some others) stumping up the cash.

The fact that every geek from here to Hobart is no longer benching with it every 5mins doesn't really hurt them, they still have enough rep to make the sales. I haven't run 3dmark since 06 and even then I didn't like it compared to 2000/2001/2003 etc because of the limitations, yet it is still around.

 

[MikeHiow]

What are the alternatives?

 

[buttkinz]

None that are so widely known and unbiased. Heaven is completely irrelevant due to it not reflecting real world gameplay, stone giant is just a showcase for nvidia. I personally love the new 3dmark, it's free to bench and it's got in my opinion the most cutting edge graphics. Kinda shows what games would look like if companies coded for pc's exclusively and not have to write a game engine that runs onconsoles lol.

 

[dave_beast]

The majority of the results in the 3DMark11 thread here on OCuK are based on the free benchmark test.

 

[FlukeRogi]

Nowadays I guess nobody bothers with it because you have to pay for it.

In 5 years time, it'll not exist, IMHO.

Don't forget that you will sometimes get a registered version with a graphics card, so I'm guessing they have a nice licensing deal going with various manufacturers that is bringing in the $$.

 

[dave_beast]

Don't forget that you will sometimes get a registered version with a graphics card, so I'm guessing they have a nice licensing deal going with various manufacturers that is bringing in the $$.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/searc...ch=3dmark&utm_source=forums&utm_medium=banner

 

[mrk]

I have Pro Vantage (was free) but I have not bothered with it or any newer version at all because they mean absolutely nothing in the real world of gaming.

A waste of money for those paying for a such a benchmark, better just to buy a demanding game and timedemo it.

 

[MikeHiow]

Well I downloaded the free version last night, hoping the benchmark my 4890 before getting my 6950 - not realising it is DX11 only