FurMark is a simple benchmarking utility based around OpenGL with an emphasis on fur rendering that will test your computer’s various hardware components with detailed results. The application is completely free.
Installation & Requirements
The setup is very fast and should complete in no time due to the program’s small size. The supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista and 7.
Interface
The application’s main interface window is pretty straightforward. Each utility you start will open in a new window that you can customize. What the interface lacks in visuals it more than makes up in functionality. It is also extremely simple to use. You simple click on one of the various utilities and the respective process begins.
There are various features in the application. The benchmarking utility is obviously the main feature and what the application is designed around. This is precisely the reason why the program offers so many benchmarking settings and tools. There are benchmarking presets on 1080p and 720, a user-configured benchmark and two Burn-in benchmarking tests.
Clicking on any of those will bring up a warning stating that the application is very heavy on the GPU and that you should use it at your own discretion. You might want to visit the application’s website first to get an idea around the issues that might arise. When you decide to proceed, a new window will open. It will display the frame rate, the time elapsed, the FPS, the renderer used, information about your GPU and its temperature. When it is done, a new window will open that will detail your results.
Apart from the score, you will also get details on the benchmarking settings, the FPS your GPU achieve and some information about specific components of your computer like the OS, the CPU and its speed, your drivers and more. Furthermore, you can directly compare your score with others by clicking on the respective link located under your score. There is a huge list of different graphics card with different settings and scores that you can compare with. You can even submit your own score provided you create an account.
Finally, the application offers some extra utilities for monitoring your GPU and CPU, namely GPU-Z, GPU Shark and CPU burner. Of those, GPU-Z is offered as a standalone application that you can also choose to install if you want. The utilities can provide you with extremely detailed information about your system as well as provide monitoring tools like temperature control. They are all extremely useful tools if you want to keep the issues to a minimum and to get as much information as possible out of the program.
Pros
-Fast installation
-Very easy to use
-Multiple benchmarking modes and settings
-Various utilities offered
Cons
-None that would be worth mentioning
Conclusion
FurMark is a very good benchmarking application that will really put your GPU to the test. Since the application comes for free, you have nothing to lose by at least trying it out.
