User:Gargan/Benchmarking

Methodology

My current method for benchmarking is as follows.

1. Start logging with HWiNFO64
2. Wait at least 15 seconds
3. Start Skyrim
4. Start logging with Fraps as soon as fps counter appears (F11 hotkey)
5. Wait at least 15 seconds after the main menu appears
6. Start a new game
7. Stop Fraps logging a couple of seconds after the autosave (F11 hotkey again)
8. Exit Skyrim
9. Stop logging with HWiNFO64

This procedure allows me to gather all sensor data with HWiNFO and also gather frametimes from Fraps. I prefer using frametimes to calculate FPS instead of using the approximately average FPS that is logged with either HWiNFO or Fraps. This allows me to see stuttering that would otherwise be averaged out. Good information on the use of frametimes instead of FPS is here.

Computer Specifications

My current setup is as follows.

CPU	Intel Core i7-4771
Motherboard	MSI Z87-GD65 GAMING (MS-7845)
Memory	G.Skill F3-1600C7D-16GTX (2x8GB)
GPU	EVGA 04G-P4-2768-KR GeForce GTX 760 4GB
HDD	Samsung SSD 840 EVO 1TB
OS	Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

Vanilla

I was able to get five extremely similar benchmarks. The pale green area is the maximum and minimum for all data used to compute the average.

	Mean	Std. Dev.	Run 1 error	Run 2 error	Run 3 error	Run 4 error	Run 5 error
GPU Temp [°C]	49.718	5.472	-0.0657 ± 0.3294	-0.3907 ± 0.3854	0.2805 ± 0.3466	0.1303 ± 0.3132	0.0456 ± 0.3181
GPU Load [%]	61.046	8.391	0.1199 ± 1.0946	-0.1197 ± 1.2930	0.0224 ± 1.2216	-0.0148 ± 1.2373	-0.0078 ± 1.4577
Dedicated Mem. [MiB]	979.063	115.187	0.9142 ± 3.9035	3.2687 ± 4.4915	-3.5207 ± 4.2546	-0.3464 ± 3.9375	-0.3157 ± 3.7933
Dynamic Mem. [MiB]	26.835	4.194	0.2371 ± 1.7285	-0.6451 ± 1.6417	0.7391 ± 1.5204	-0.1653 ± 1.5592	-0.1657 ± 1.8936
FPS	60.063	1.873	-0.0279 ± 3.1130	-0.0216 ± 2.9609	-0.0075 ± 2.8510	0.0074 ± 2.8603	0.0496 ± 3.5849

Plots

Step 2.D. Fixes

	Mean	Std. Dev.	Run 1 error	Run 2 error	Run 3 error	Run 4 error	Run 5 error
GPU Temp [°C]	51.499	5.364	-0.4010 ± 0.3031	0.1442 ± 0.3422	0.2543 ± 0.2955	0.0661 ± 0.3048	-0.0636 ± 0.3417
GPU Load [%]	66.509	9.587	0.0580 ± 1.4191	-0.1565 ± 1.5332	0.2123 ± 1.3483	-0.1316 ± 1.3951	0.0178 ± 1.4552
Dedicated Mem. [MiB]	1081.580	76.210	-1.3101 ± 7.5866	8.9257 ± 7.6296	-10.4515 ± 5.9729	-0.5883 ± 5.7764	3.4243 ± 7.6782
Dynamic Mem. [MiB]	25.768	2.413	-2.1581 ± 1.0560	0.6401 ± 0.9930	0.6143 ± 1.1540	0.1474 ± 1.0587	0.7564 ± 0.9528
FPS	60.085	1.971	0.0129 ± 3.3313	-0.0025 ± 3.5475	-0.0019 ± 3.3134	-0.0305 ± 3.0339	0.0221 ± 3.5934

Plots

Step 2.E. Interface

	Mean	Std. Dev.	Run 1 error	Run 2 error	Run 3 error	Run 4 error	Run 5 error
GPU Temp [°C]	51.584	5.230	-0.1545 ± 0.2988	-0.1289 ± 0.4580	0.4115 ± 0.3359	-0.1331 ± 0.3546	0.0050 ± 0.3102
GPU Load [%]	67.082	9.747	-0.1051 ± 1.3893	-0.1051 ± 1.5075	0.0831 ± 1.2910	0.0197 ± 1.4225	0.1075 ± 1.3884
Dedicated Mem. [MiB]	1094.494	78.753	2.3358 ± 6.4618	-8.4548 ± 12.8400	2.3694 ± 3.2659	9.8450 ± 8.4191	-6.0954 ± 4.4576
Dynamic Mem. [MiB]	28.857	2.608	-0.5078 ± 1.0133	-2.9763 ± 1.1394	-1.5513 ± 0.9761	-2.5376 ± 1.5123	7.5731 ± 1.7228
FPS	60.080	1.883	0.0191 ± 3.6262	0.0026 ± 3.5192	-0.0030 ± 3.2441	-0.0111 ± 3.3895	-0.0076 ± 3.1688

Plots

Step 2.F. Conflicting Graphics

	Mean	Std. Dev.	Run 1 error	Run 2 error	Run 3 error	Run 4 error	Run 5 error
GPU Temp [°C]	52.951	5.337	0.4500 ± 0.3117	0.0202 ± 0.2972	0.0491 ± 0.3363	0.1686 ± 0.3296	-0.6880 ± 0.2955
GPU Load [%]	69.326	10.291	-0.0108 ± 1.4229	0.1685 ± 1.3118	-0.1966 ± 1.4457	0.0504 ± 1.5204	-0.0115 ± 1.4936
Dedicated Mem. [MiB]	1268.931	69.630	-4.7380 ± 3.3755	2.5174 ± 2.3540	1.8189 ± 2.4453	-2.9139 ± 3.4100	3.3156 ± 2.1776
Dynamic Mem. [MiB]	28.269	3.120	0.3289 ± 1.2405	0.1209 ± 0.9660	-0.5999 ± 1.7693	-0.0522 ± 1.0860	0.2023 ± 1.4460
FPS	60.073	1.871	0.0107 ± 3.2489	0.0280 ± 3.2307	-0.0063 ± 3.4148	-0.0213 ± 3.0851	-0.0112 ± 3.2757

Plots