Category: Windows 10

HDXPRT 4: Getting it right

on November 8, 2018

For BenchmarkXPRT Development Community members anticipating the HDXPRT 4 Community Preview (CP), we want to thank you for your patience and explain where we are in the release process.

This past month has brought a flurry of activity in the Windows 10 development world. We’ve been testing HDXPRT 4 extensively on each of the new prerelease builds available through the Windows Insider Program. While testing on a recent Windows 10 Redstone 5 preview build, we began to see inconsistent HDXPRT 4 workload scores on some systems. The difference between those workload scores and scores on the same systems with previous Windows 10 builds was significant enough for us to decide that the best course of action is to hold off on the CP until we understand the issue. We don’t want to release a CP only to run into serious problems with an imminent Windows release. We want to take the time to figure out what’s going on and get it right.

We hope to resolve these issues and publish the HDXPRT 4 CP as soon as possible. Thanks again for your patience. We’ll update the community soon with more information on the anticipated release schedule.

Justin

Posted in Application-based benchmarks, Benchmarking, BenchmarkXPRT, BenchmarkXPRT development community, Collaborative benchmark development, Community Preview, HDXPRT, HDXPRT 4, HDXPRT development process, HDXPRT release cycle, Performance benchmarking, Windows 10 | Tagged BenchmarkXPRT Development Community, Community Preview, HDXPRT, HDXPRT 4, Windows, Windows 10 |

Sneak a peek at HDXPRT 4

By Justin Greene

on August 23, 2018

A few months ago, we shared some details about HDXPRT 4 development progress. Now that we’re closer to releasing a community preview build, we wanted to offer a sneak peek at the new benchmark. We may still tweak a few things during pre-release testing, but we’re close to the final look.

Below, you can see the benchmark’s new start page. After installation and completing a few brief pre-test configuration steps, running HDXPRT 4 is as easy as entering a test name and clicking the start button.

During the test, you’ll see HDXPRT’s real-world trial applications such as Adobe Photoshop Elements and CyberLink Media Espresso open and close during each iteration, though you won’t see workload graphics within the HDXPRT UI harness. When the test finishes, the results screen pops up. As you can see below, the results screen displays the overall and individual workload category scores in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner. Below the workload scores, a button provides access to additional test and system information.

We’re not yet ready to share a date for the community preview, but we’ll provide more information in the coming weeks. As always, XPRT community previews are only available to BenchmarkXPRT Development Community members. If you’re interested in testing the HDXPRT 4 Community Preview, we invite you to join the community now. If you have any questions or comments about HDXPRT or the community, please contact us.

Justin

Posted in Benchmarking, BenchmarkXPRT, BenchmarkXPRT development community, Collaborative benchmark development, Community Preview, HDXPRT, HDXPRT 4, HDXPRT development process, HDXPRT release cycle, PCs, Performance benchmarking, Windows 10 |

New opportunities for TouchXPRT

By Justin Greene

on March 29, 2018

Next week’s XPRT Weekly Tech Spotlight will feature a unique device: the HP Envy x2 2-in-1. The first device of its kind on the market, the Envy x2 runs Windows 10 on ARM hardware—in this case, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 platform. ASUS and Lenovo will release similar devices in the coming months. Using the ARM chips found in many flagship phones, these devices aim to power robust operating systems on 2-in-1s and laptops while providing extended battery life and always-on LTE connections.

These new devices bring ample opportunities for benchmarking. Consumers will want to know about potential trade-offs between price, power, and battery life—incentivizing tech reviewers to dive into the details and provide useful data points. But for the new Windows on ARM systems, the usual benchmarks have presented challenges. Many traditional laptop benchmarks just won’t work on the new systems. TouchXPRT, however, works like a charm.

TouchXPRT assesses performance on any Windows device. Since it’s a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app that runs on both x86 and ARM systems, it can evaluate how well a Windows device running on ARM hardware performs compared to traditional laptops and 2-in-1s. It’s easy to install, takes about 15 minutes to run, and you can download it directly from TouchXPRT.com or install it from the Microsoft Store. Labs can also automate testing using the command line or a script.

If you’ve been looking for a Windows performance evaluation tool that’s easy to use and has the flexibility of a UWP app, give TouchXPRT a try. Read more details about TouchXPRT here, and please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.

Justin

Posted in Benchmark metrics, Benchmarking, Mobile devices, TouchXPRT, TouchXPRT 2016, TouchXPRT results, Windows 10 |

What’s next for HDXPRT?

By Justin Greene

on October 12, 2017

A few months ago, we discussed some initial ideas for the next version of HDXPRT, including updating the benchmark’s workloads and real-world trial applications and improving the look and feel of the UI. This week, we’d like to share more about the status of the HDXPRT development process.

We’re planning to keep HDXPRT’s three test categories: editing photos, editing music, and converting videos. We’re also planning to use the latest trial versions of the same five applications included in HDXPRT 2014: Adobe Photoshop Elements, Apple iTunes, Audacity, CyberLink MediaEspresso, and HandBrake. The new versions of each of these programs include features and capabilities that may enhance the HDXPRT workloads. For example, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2018 includes interesting new AI tools such as “Open Closed Eyes,” which purports to fix photos ruined by subjects who blinked at the wrong time. We’re evaluating whether any of the new technologies on offer will be a good fit for HDXPRT.

We’re also evaluating how the new Windows 10 SDK and Fall Creators Update will affect HDXPRT. It’s too early to discuss potential changes in any detail, but we know we’ll need to adapt to new development tools, and it’s possible that the Fluent Design System will affect the HDXPRT UI beyond the improvements we already had in mind.

As HDXPRT development progresses, we’ll continue to keep the community up to date. If you have suggestions or insights into the new Fall Creators Update or any of HDXPRT’s real-world applications, we’d love to hear from you! If you’re just reading out about HDXPRT for the first time, you can find out more about the purpose, structure, and capabilities of the test here.

Justin

Posted in AI, Application-based benchmarks, BenchmarkXPRT development community, HDXPRT, HDXPRT development process, HDXPRT release cycle, Performance benchmarking, What makes a good benchmark?, Windows 10, Windows 10 Creators Update |

A new HDXPRT 2014 build is available

By Justin Greene

on September 21, 2017

Today, we’re releasing a new build of HDXPRT 2014 (v1.3) that eliminates the need for workarounds when testing with the Windows 10 Creators Update. The new build is available for download at HDXPRT.com. Please note that the app package is 5.09 GB, so allow time and space for the download process.

This build contains the following changes:

– Updates the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x86) to version 14.10.25017
– Updates the version of CPU-Z to v1.8.01
– Deletes Bin\power_settings.exe, which was prompting errors in certain configurations

The changes do not affect results, so v1.3 scores are comparable to v1.2 scores.

The new build ran well during testing in our labs, but issues could emerge as Microsoft releases new Windows updates this fall. If you have any questions about HDXPRT or encounter any issues during testing, we encourage you to let us know.

We look forward to seeing your test results!

Justin

Posted in HDXPRT, HDXPRT 2014, HDXPRT development process, Windows 10, Windows 10 Creators Update |

Planning the next version of HDXPRT

By Justin Greene

on July 20, 2017

A few weeks ago, we wrote about the capabilities and benefits of HDXPRT. This week, we want to share some initial ideas for the next version of HDXPRT, and invite you to send us any comments or suggestions you may have.

The first step towards a new HDXPRT will be updating the benchmark’s workloads to increase their value in the years to come. Primarily, this will involve updating application content, such as photos and videos, to more contemporary file resolutions and sizes. We think 4K-related workloads will increase the benchmark’s relevance, but aren’t sure whether 4K playback tests are necessary. What do you think?

The next step will be to update versions of the real-world trial applications included in the benchmark, including Adobe Photoshop Elements, Apple iTunes, Audacity, CyberLink MediaEspresso, and HandBrake. Are there other any applications you feel would be a good addition to HDXPRT’s editing photos, editing music, or converting videos test scenarios?

We’re also planning to update the UI to improve the look and feel of the benchmark and simplify navigation and functionality.

Last but not least, we’ll work to fix known problems, such as the hardware acceleration settings issue in MediaEspresso, and eliminate the need for workarounds when running HDXPRT on the Windows 10 Creators Update.

Do you have feedback on these ideas or suggestions for applications or test scenarios that we should consider for HDXPRT? Are there existing features we should remove? Are there elements of the UI that you find especially useful or would like to see improved? Please let us know. We want to hear from you and make sure that HDXPRT continues to meet your needs.

Justin

Posted in 4K, BenchmarkXPRT, Collaborative benchmark development, Future of performance evaluation, HDXPRT, HDXPRT capabilities, HDXPRT development process, HDXPRT release cycle, Let us know your thoughts, Performance benchmarking, What makes a good benchmark?, Windows 10 |

Category: Windows 10

HDXPRT 4: Getting it right

Sneak a peek at HDXPRT 4

New opportunities for TouchXPRT

What’s next for HDXPRT?

A new HDXPRT 2014 build is available

Planning the next version of HDXPRT

Check out the other XPRTs: