A guide to benchmarks and benchmark scores

We know that choosing a new PC, smartphone or tablet is hard. With many options to choose from and no easy way to compare them, no wonder people worry about making the right choice.

We make benchmarking software for testing the performance of PCs, laptops, notebooks, tablets, and smartphones. A benchmark is simply a test that helps you compare similar products.

Each of our benchmarks produces a score. The higher the score, the better the performance. So instead of trying to compare devices by looking at their specifications, you can just compare the benchmark scores. It's that easy.

You can see which products offer the best value for money by looking for the perfect combination of a high benchmark score paired with a low price.

Our benchmark tests are designed around the ways that people use PCs and mobile devices in their everyday lives. We help retailers use benchmark scores to define categories such as "basic", "home", "produce" and "create" that help people understand a system's capabilities.

Choosing a new PC from within a category is not only easier, but also helps you avoid paying too much for an over-specified system or making a false saving on a cheaper system that doesn't have the performance to meet your needs.

You can read more about our benchmarks below. Each one has a free version that you can download to test your own PC. Comparing your score with the results from recent models is a great way to see if it's time for an upgrade or replacement.