The time-honored measuring rod of “Can It Run Crysis?” doesn’t hold water anymore.
Numerous applications have been developed to provide a more accurate way of testing the latest GPUs, but there are different ways to perform these tests and many more types of GPU benchmarking software available.
This guide will show you a detailed look at a few of these applications and help you find the top GPU benchmarking software for 2025.
First, you should know why we’re even using benchmarking software and why it’s crucial to know which is the best. There are various reasons why you might want to benchmark your GPU, but the most common one is to know how much intensity your graphics card can handle.
You could be looking for bottleneck issues in your machine, or maybe you just want to test your fresh new GPU and compare it with other users. It could also be that you’re overclocking your card and wondering just how near to the limit you have managed to push it.
We also need to discuss the diverse methods of benchmarking. On the surface, this may seem like a simple stress test, but if we dig a little deeper, there are clearly two distinct ways of benchmarking your graphics card.
Synthetic Benchmarks are programs designed to replicate the characteristics of a considerable set of software. For this reason, they’re also called Artificial Benchmarks.
The aim is to create a single benchmark program where the execution frequency of statements in the benchmark matches the statement frequency of an extensive set of benchmarks. The results will usually be presented as a score/points, but this doesn’t tell gamers what they really want to know: their frame rate.
Real-time benchmarking provides exactly that. This type of benchmarking is also called Real-world benchmarking, as it can be used to test particular games and provide precise FPS, which is why gamers opt for this sort of test in the first place.
Keep in mind that, even when employing both benchmarking methods, you might still have a subpar frame rate despite possessing a high-quality graphics card. This is likely the consequence of a bottleneck elsewhere, such as your CPU or RAM.
Let’s examine the prominent GPU benchmarking software currently available.
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3DMark
This is probably the foremost result of almost any benchmarking-related software search. It was produced by a software company, Futuremark, which develops various benchmarking tools for business and domestic use.
Something cool about 3DMark is that there is a free version available. If you plan on using a benchmarking tool regularly, however, it’s probably worth trying the Advanced Edition. You should also use the Advanced Edition if you’re looking to test for 4K settings, as that preset is only available there. There is also a Professional Edition, which is intended for business use.
3DMark displays detailed charts for thermal levels (both CPU and GPU) and shows how velocity and framerate change during testing. The greatest part of this software is that it recognizes the hardware you own and assigns a suitable benchmark test.
It is also available for Android and iOS platforms, which is another major positive.
PassMark PerformanceTest
PassMark is swift and easy to use, which is a good benchmark for any software (pun intended). PerformanceTest can benchmark your CPU, 2D/3D graphics, Memory, Storage, and CD drive via 28 standard benchmark tests across six suites. A detail that many tech nerds will love is the ability to create their own custom tests.
The largest drawback of PerformanceTest is that while it technically comes in two versions, free and paid, the free one barely resembles the full edition. It’s virtually worthless.
However, the paid version of PassMark is considered one of the best benchmarking tools because it is very intensive and thorough.
Heaven UNIGINE
This is a very demanding GPU benchmarking tool. The fact that it is primarily a GPU benchmarking software is what separates it from the others. It is designed to perform very heavy and extended stress tests for the graphics card and can be used to measure its stability accurately.
Another reason why this might be the best tool for overclockers is the ability to monitor the GPU cooler and see how much it can handle when pushed to the limit.
FurMark
FurMark is a GPU benchmarking software for cards that are OpenGL compliant (this applies to the vast majority of GPUs, so don’t worry). This tool can also be used to monitor the temperature. As such, it’s beneficial when overclocking.
Although FurMark (also known as GPU Burner) is free, it’s only available on Windows platforms. Still, this software is useful enough to be among the most popular benchmarking apps out there.
GFXBench
Your first impression might be that this is just another free GPU benchmarking software, but it’s far more than that. Unfortunately, the stigma against ‘free software’ still exists, but GFXBench is doing its best to fight it.
It’s a great tool with tests made especially for various purposes. The greatest aspect is that you can compare your graphics card’s performance with almost any other.
As shown, GFXBench permits testing on many platforms and comparing performance to other systems.
Superposition
Coming to you from the makers of Heaven, Superposition is another great release. It tests for top-notch visuals using the UNIGINE 2 Engine, and, best of all, it’s complimentary. It can also compare the performance of your graphics card on the Unigine leaderboard.
It also includes some captivating mini-games that you can use to check how your GPU performs while playing directly.
Cinebench
Although primarily CPU benchmarking software, this tool is also excellent for GPU testing. It’s unique because it can render an image and compare it with various “real-world” tasks. It does this because image rendering is often assigned to the CPU.
As a result of this CPU-centric benchmarking, Cinebench uses substantially larger and more intricate test scenes than other GPU benchmarking tools. A very impressive feature is that it can test up to 16 cores of your processor.
MSI Afterburner
Last but certainly not least, we have MSI’s overclocking tool. It’s free, and if you’re confused about the MSI label, don’t worry; you can use it on almost any graphics card, regardless of its manufacturer.
It allows you to monitor the performance of your GPU while in-game; there is a translucent overlay while you play. How cool is that? This might seem intrusive at first, but there’s no more efficient way to assess how your machine is functioning.
One of the finest features of Afterburner is its power to adjust fan speed. If that seems not needed, keep in mind that increasing the fan speed from 50% (usually the starting setting) to 75-100% can transform a game from causing system crashes to being completely stable and enjoyable.
Afterburner requires an additional stress testing tool called MSI Kombustor to be installed, but it’s straightforward and integrates flawlessly with the best part of this software: overclocking.
MSI Afterburner allows you to overclock your GPU manually and run an overclocking analysis test, which gives you a superb overview of what exactly your graphics card is capable of. When combined with Kombustor, you can see effectively in real-time the enhancement that your card is making.
Alright, it’s time to pick a winner. Drum roll, please.
The Best GPU Benchmarking Software Right Now
MSI Afterburner is our selection for the best GPU benchmarking software of 2025. It’s specifically designed for GPUs and is an almost flawless tool for overclocking.
Clearly, this is solely our decision. You are welcome to have an alternate preference, and it is crucial to contemplate your requirements and monetary plan while selecting overclocking software.