Good (free) benchmarking tools?

[CaptainRAVE]

What are good tools to benchmark a system? Obviously there are programs like Heaven, 3Dmark etc and the in-game like Dirt2, Just Cause 2 etc. But what are the essential tools to use? Preferably free!

 

[kuyaglen]

Demos of your games + Fraps

 

[YamahaAlex37]

Furmark? I heard it's better than 3d mark.

 

[THRESHIN]

mostly what i do is to test stability...don't really care for the benchmarks myself. i just use OCCT to test then go back to playing some starcrack 2

 

[tcraig_4096]

If you want something really simple, just use the Windows Experience Index.

[Vista] control panel -> performance Information & tools

 

[THRESHIN]

If you want something really simple, just use the Windows Experience Index.

[Vista] control panel -> performance Information & tools

only the biggest bullshit benchmark ever conceived!

 

[AltTabbins]

only the biggest bullshit benchmark ever conceived!

This.
There are a ton of free benchmarks. Most of them are so-so. The best benchmark is just playing your games.

 

[Bman123]

I have always used the lost planet benchmark, it is free and it does a good job of stressing the system. The first run is really gpu dependant and the second one is very cpu dependant

 

[FranklyShankly]

mostly what i do is to test stability...don't really care for the benchmarks myself. i just use OCCT to test then go back to playing some starcrack 2

Sometimes when I run OCCT the animation doesn't move. My on screen display shows the framerate, my cards at full load, etc. but the picture is just still. Anyone knwo what that's about?