There are plenty of tools out there for comparing your graphics cards or GPUs in Windows 10. If you’re overclocking, we recommend using something like Heaven Benchmark or 3DMark to see if your tweaks challenge the frame rates you want at the temperatures you want. FurMark?
FurMark may look similar to these tools, but it is actually more of a stress test than a benchmarking tool. What is the difference? FurMark will use your GPU harder and consume more power, which makes it a great way to test that your graphics card is stable on default settings.
If you suspect that your GPU hardware is faulty, give it a try in FurMark and you will find answers quickly. It’s also a great way to test your GPU’s thermal management and give you an idea of whether your cooling might need to be upgraded. Push your GPU to the limit to test its stability.
Note: For these reasons, we do not recommend using FurMark on overclocked GPUs just to test a GPU at its default settings. With that in mind, here we show you how to test your GPU with FurMark.
For information on benchmarking your overclocked GPU, see our benchmarking guide with Heaven.
Related: How to Fix Mac WiFi Problems and Dropped Connections
Set Up FurMark
1. Download and install FurMark.
2. Open FurMark and you will see various settings to play with. Most of these should be left as is if you just want to run a regular GPU stress test.
3. The only thing you want to change in the settings menu is to enable the “GPU temperature alarm” checkbox, which will warn you when your GPU reaches a certain temperature. (I set mine to 95°C, which my GPU should definitely not hit.)
4. To run a standard stress test based on the resolution you normally run games at, click the appropriate preset in the GPU Benchmarks box.
What looks like a giant donut covered in cat fur will appear on your screen. (Everything looks strange, like a Windows 95 screen saver.)
The stress test slowly increases the power consumption of your GPU and you will see your GPU temperature rise. If you can run a FurMark stress test for 30 minutes without any problems, it means that your graphics card generally performs as it should.
5. Keep an eye on the upper left corner to keep an eye on your GPU utilization (it should be around 100 percent) and the graph below to monitor the temperature.
While the stress test is in progress, there are a few tell-tale signs that your GPU may be having trouble.
The first and most obvious sign of hardware problems is that FurMark is failing or your PC is failing. If this occurs repeatedly during multiple stress test runs, there may be a faulty GPU or a faulty power supply unit (power supply unit).
More subtle indications of GPU problems can be visual artifacts and screen glitches during testing.
If your GPU (not overclocked) runs above 90 ° C to 95 ° C during a stress test preset, you need to improve your cooling situation, either by adding a cooler for your GPU or by improving the design of the fan in your case or a different PC case with better cooling.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can FurMark damage my GPU?
FurMark is likely to use its GPU harder than most games – that’s the point of a stress test. It shouldn’t really harm your GPU though, as your GPU should have safes that automatically lock once it reaches certain temperatures.
Your GPU is likely to crash or crash before you can damage it with FurMark. However, as mentioned above, for stability reasons, you shouldn’t use FurMark with an overclocked GPU.
2. Is FurMark a Virus?
Well, for those of us who know, this sounds like a crazy question, but over the years, FurMark has been branded a “heat virus” by GPU makers who have raised concerns about how much stress it exerts. about GPUs.
So the answer is: No, FurMark, of course, is not a virus, although the term “heat virus” is somewhat justified as it creates situations that in no way reflect daily use. We reiterate that FurMark is a way to check your GPU for errors rather than testing its performance as such.
Related: How to Stop the Spinning Wheel on your Mac
3. Are there alternatives to FurMark?
There certainly are, and some people even prefer them. Unigine’s Heaven Benchmark is a good alternative that consumes less energy and gives you benchmark results that you can compare with other users. If you’re just looking for a benchmark rather than a full stress test, 3DMark Time Spy is a great option too.
No Responses