CPU-M Benchmark

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on July 02, 2012

Major Share's CPU-M Benchmark is a free program that runs benchmarking tests on your CPU and RAM and displays detailed test results in an easy-to-read interface. You can also post your results online to share and compare. That's all this tool does, but it's enough to have so much useful technical data in one place. Most users won't need CPU-M Benchmark's detailed reports; at least, not beyond basic performance data. But technicians and geeks will find lot of useful information.

CPU-M Benchmark's compact, dialog-based user interface looks a lot like the system data and performance resources in Windows. A tree view-style navigation console on the left accessed main categories: Benchmark, CPU, Memory, and About, the latter accessing Web-based assistance and contacts. The main page, Benchmark, displayed our CPU's maker's logo (hint: It's blue) as well our processor's model and specifications. We could select our CPU's Threads and Cores individually as well as test the whole processor. A large zero indicated that we hadn't yet run a benchmark test, so we clicked the button to start the test. The test completed quickly, replacing the zero with a numerical score. Clicking CPU on the menu displayed more detailed results, such as Clock Speed, Cache Size and Bus Speed. A green bar graph displayed CPU usage. We found several active bar graphs in CPU-M Benchmark, a nice touch that helps counter the "printout" feel of some similar tools' reports. Under CPU, submenus displayed Advanced EDX, ECX, and EBX data. The Memory tab displayed RAM usage in real time as well as basic d-facts about our RAM, with more specific data on our modules under the Values submenu. A History feature keeps track of your benchmarking runs.

Clicking Submit My Score sends your benchmarking score and report to the program's Web site, though it doesn't display any personal data or identifiers, just your number. But there's no intermediate step and no opt-out options, so don't click Submit My Score unless you really want to share your results. CPU-M Benchmark offers a good overview of your system's performance and the option to compare it with others' systems.

Publisher's Description

From Major Share:

We had no trouble operating the program's interface since it had practically no command icons. The program is basically like reading a report, though one rich in information. Casual computer users probably won't get much from CPU-M BENCHMARK, since the information it presents is heavily data oriented. However, technophiles will love its attention to detail. The interface features seven tabs that catalog everything from your motherboard's chipset and manufacturer to your clock's technical details. In between, we were able to quickly find information about our PC's memory, cache, graphics, and SPD. CPU-M BENCHMARK lays everything out in easy-to-read tables full of highly technical terms and numbers. Seeking this information out through traditional methods would have taken much longer. The program, unfortunately, doesn't have any special features, though some accompanying charts and graphs would have been nice. Overall, this tool yields an impressive collection of raw data in an easy-to-ready format that makes it easy to use, too.

What's new in this version: Version 1.3: improved GUI and Installer.