I'm looking for some free stress test software because I don't want to spend $35 on 3D Mark when I'll likely just use it once. I'm trying to figure out the actual importance of stress testing my system. I only have one day left to return some parts, and with prices fluctuating so much, I'm cautious about any potential issues. I've been using my computer for two weeks, and it seems fine so far. I have benchmarked it, but does that really push it as hard as a stress test would?
3 Answers
Keep in mind that 3DMark has a free trial version. It limits you to one test scenario and might cut some features, but you can get a decent benchmark out of it and compare your scores online.
I’d recommend using Prime95, especially for testing stability. It can really stress your CPU! You might want to start with Cinebench for a quicker test, then run Prime95’s "Blend" test for more thorough testing. It would be best to run Cinebench R23 two or three times for confidence before going all in with Prime95.
There are plenty of options out there, just skip 3DMark! Some popular ones include Furmark, Prime95, OCCT, and Cinebench.
If I crash during a Prime95 run, does it damage my PC or just cause a reboot? This is my first time building one.