PCMark Vantage 1.2.0.0

Overview

PCMark Vantage from FutureMark is an extensive benchmark test suite that is designed to determine a computer's graphic performance capabilities.

Installation 

With a file size of 668 MB, the download and installation process can present a pretty long wait time. In addition to the large file size, if you want to utilize all of the software's features you'll also need a computer that has an Intel Pentium 4 processor with a minimum clock speed of 3.0 GHz, 1.7 GB of free disk space, a minimum of 1024 MB of free system memory, Windows Vista or Windows 7, and a graphics card that is Shader Model 2.0 compliant (3.0 compliant is needed to run the GPU image manipulation benchmark).

Interface

Despite its advanced features, PCMark Vantage has a surprisingly intuitive and simple interface that is split into three main sections - Suites, Settings, and Results. By clicking the “Select Suites” button in the upper left you can choose which suites you'd like to run during the next benchmark test. The “Settings” button lets you adjust preferences like resolution, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, and anisotropic level.

Pros

• Six types of consumer scenario benchmark tests (two for each type - a total of 12 tests) simulate the CPU load of common activities, including TV/Movies, Gaming, Music, Productivity, Communication, and Digital Memories.

• Nine types of CPU tests analyze nearly every aspect of your computer's performance, including but not limited to audio/video transcoding, text editing, Windows Mail, Windows Contacts, CPU game test, and data encryption/decryption/compression/decompression.

• Includes two types of graphics tests – video playback and GPU game test

• Six HDD tests gauge the efficiency of your computer's hard disk and system storage performance

• Communications test suite measures system performance in realistic communication simulations

• TV/movies suite analyzes performance while displaying videos and photos.

• Gaming test suite measures your computer's ability to handle the latest and greatest PC games

• Online Results Browser (ORB) significantly enhances the software's value by letting you search through the benchmark scores of more than 20 million users to compare your results using integrated graphs. These comparisons make it easy to determine which part of your computer needs to be upgraded to improve performance.

Cons

• Large file size makes for a long download wait

Alternatives

PCMark Vantage is easily the most popular, feature-rich CPU performance benchmark testing software available. However, there are a few notable alternatives, including Furmark, Heaven Benchmark, Video Card Stability Test, and CINEBENCH. It should be noted that none of the aforementioned competitors can compete with the extensive capabilities of PCMark Vantage.

Conclusion

PCMark Vantage is the perfect diagnostic tool to help you analyze and/or improve the performance of your computer's processor, graphics card, and memory. If you are serious about reaching the pinnacle of computer entertainment and gaming, this software can help you bring your multimedia experiences to the next level by giving you a plethora of benchmark test suites, the ability to compare your scores with millions, and useful feedback for computer modifications and enhancements.