What are computer benchmarks?

While some people use their computers mainly for surfing or for work, others are more interested in the performance of their systems or various components. They like to test hardware and sometimes software, not only to see if it lives up to its potential, but also to push it to new heights. There are special tests for this purpose, known as benchmarks. Some computer enthusiasts “overclock” or raise the clock speed to see just how far they can push their systems. Benchmarks are a series of tests used to measure the level of performance at both stock and overclocked speeds. When a system is overclocked, it may not be stable at certain levels, so benchmarks are also used to measure stability at various speeds. People who build their own high performance systems or do a lot of gaming, sometimes run benchmarks to compare scores, competing to see whose system is superior. However, one doesn’t have to overclock in order to use computer benchmark programs. Benchmarks offer a series of ...  more