Best Stress Tests

[Tr1cK]

List of stress tests for different components:

Orthos - This is a CPU stress test that is based upon the good old Prime95. It can stress your CPU and memory. Orthos or Prime95 are typically the immediate go-to tests for overclockers after tweaking their system. It is considered by many the best single application to check overall system stability (minus 3d graphics). (freeware)

Memtest86+ - This is a memory only tester. It is typically executed by burning an ISO to a CD and then booting from it. It will show if your memory has errors. If there is an error, typically the memory is at fault, but it can also point to a potential problem with the motherboard due to memory compatibility or possible failure. (freeware)

FurMark - FurMark is a video card benchmark and stress test. It is OpenGL based and is a great application for checking overclocks on your GPU and video card memory. Since it is OpenGL, it may not reflect issues that may arise in Direct3d applications. (freeware)

3dMark - 3dMark has long been a gamers benchmark. It is often criticized due to not using any particular game engine, but it still holds a place on every video card review. Regardless of the relevance of it as a benchmark, it can be a very useful stress testing application in 'loop mode'. 3dMark Vantage is the latest iteration that utilizes DirectX 10 and as such requires Windows Vista. 3dMark06 is the latest version for those who use operating systems prior to Windows Vista and only requires DirectX 9. It is not free for those who wish to run custom benchmarks or plan on using it in 'loop mode'.

This is all that comes to mind for now. If anyone else has a useful application for stress testing, then add it to this list. Maybe it can get a sticky if we are comprehensive enough.

[Sycario]

OCCT is pretty good also.

[MisterMister]

How the hell can you skip Prime95?

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm

[npras42]

Originally Posted by MisterMister

How the hell can you skip Prime95?

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm

Isn't Orthos basically an updated multi-core compatible Prime95?

[bacon12]

Prime 95 is mulitcore?

[SH64]

^No.

[Tr1cK]

Originally Posted by npras42

Isn't Orthos basically an updated multi-core compatible Prime95?

Yes.

[Lfctony]

Prime 25.6 is multi-core...

[MisterMister]

Originally Posted by bacon12

Prime 95 is mulitcore?

Originally Posted by SH64

^No.

BZZZT! Time to get your facts straight.

P95 stresses all 4 cores on quad core CPUs. The latest version IS a multi-core app.

As a matter of fact, the "Small FFT" Torture Test on Prime95 is one of the better stress testing applications out there for multi-core CPUs.

[bacon12]

Yea I thought so and it has a box for the number of threads to run, which means one thread per core.

[shabby]

Originally Posted by Tr1cK

3dMark[/url] - 3dMark has long been a gamers benchmark. It is often criticized due to not using any particular game engine, but it still holds a place on every video card review. Regardless of the relevance of it as a benchmark, it can be a very useful stress testing application in 'loop mode'. 3dMark Vantage is the latest iteration that utilizes DirectX 10 and as such requires Windows Vista. 3dMark06 is the latest version for those who use operating systems prior to Windows Vista and only requires DirectX 9. It is not free for those who wish to run custom benchmarks or plan on using it in 'loop mode'.

I rather run crysis in loop mode than 3dmark. I was looping 3dmark for an hour and all was well, then i started playing crysis and 15min later it crashed, had to lower my core speeds by 50mhz for it to stop crashing.

[bacon12]

Nvm