How to Benchmark Your Own Games Properly

Everyone has an opinion about which setting gives the best performance, but few people measure it carefully. Benchmarking your own games is not difficult, and it turns guesses into evidence. It helps you decide whether an upgrade, a driver update or a setting change really made a difference. Here is a practical method that does not require special equipment.

Pick a test you can repeat

The most important rule is repeatability. If you run a different path each time, you will measure the difference between paths, not between settings. Use a built-in benchmark if the game has one. If it does not, choose a short route, perhaps 60 to 90 seconds, in a demanding area, and play it the same way every time. Avoid sections with random events or other characters that behave differently on each run.

Control the environment

Before testing:

1. Close background programs, including browsers, launchers and chat applications.
2. Pause updates and scanning tasks.
3. Warm up the computer by playing for a few minutes, so temperatures reach a typical level.
4. Make sure power settings are the same for every test.
5. Note your driver version and any relevant software.

The goal is to change only one thing at a time.

Choose what to measure

Several metrics tell different stories:

• Average frame rate: the overall speed.
• 1% lows: a measure of the slowest moments, which relates to stutter.
• Frame time graph: shows spikes and consistency over time.
• Component usage and temperature: helps identify bottlenecks and throttling.

Combine at least the first three for a useful picture. Our article on why frame rate stutters even when the average is high explains why the average alone is not enough.

Use a logging tool

Many free overlay and logging tools can record frame times and show them during play. Set one up to save results to a file so that you can compare them later. Make sure the tool itself is not heavily affecting performance, and use the same tool for all your tests.

Run it more than once

A single run can be misleading. Do at least three runs for each configuration and compare them. If the results vary a lot, something in your setup or test is inconsistent. Discard obvious outliers, such as a run where a background task kicked in, but be honest about why.

Change one thing at a time

Suppose you want to test whether lowering shadows helps. Keep resolution, upscaling and everything else fixed, run your test, change shadows and run it again. If you change several settings simultaneously, you will not know which one made the difference. This approach also guides you when you follow our guide to the graphics settings that matter most.

Record your results

Keep a simple table or spreadsheet with the date, driver version, settings, average, 1% low and notes. Over time, it becomes a useful reference, especially when you update drivers or hardware.

Interpret results carefully

Small differences may be within the margin of error. A change of a couple of percent is hard to distinguish from noise. Focus on changes that are consistent across runs and noticeable in play. Remember that benchmark results apply to your own system and settings, not to everyone.

Know when to stop

Benchmarking can become an end in itself. If the game feels smooth and you enjoy it, you can stop. The point is to improve your experience, not to chase numbers.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a built-in benchmark? No, but it makes testing easier and more consistent.

How long should a test run last? One to two minutes is often enough, as long as it covers a demanding scene.

Should I benchmark after every driver update? Not always, but it can help to check when you notice a change in behavior.