A new update has been released for Futuremark’s popular benchmarking utility 3DMark. The latest version of the tool includes some tests intended to help users determine whether their rig is ready to make the most of VR hardware, as well as some UI refreshes and some ease-of-use tweaks.
Two VR experiences have been added to the Advanced and Professional versions of 3DMark as a preview of the upcoming VRMark. The scenes can be used in conjunction with the Oculus Rift and the Vive — one has been created to test hardware that lingers around the minimum recommended for use with the Rift, whereas the other is intended for more capable PCs.
Users are able to freely explore the two scenes, both of which will be a part of VRMark when it releases, as per a report from Tom’s Hardware. Given that they’re intended as a preview rather than as full-on testing platforms in their own right, they won’t produce a benchmark score in their current form.
Futuremark has also spent some time streamlining the overall benchmarking experience in 3DMark. An update the the UI means that the first thing that you’ll see on your home screen after opening up the utility is a recommendation for the correct benchmark test to use based on your hardware, and a button to start that test immediately.
Other tests can still be accessed as normal, but they’re tucked away in the benchmarks menu in an effort to cut down on clutter.
The update also makes it possible for users to pick and choose individual benchmark tests to install and update, cutting down on download times and the amount of storage space required. This functionality is available via the Steam release of 3DMark, as well as the standalone Advanced version.
