Everything you’ll need
The good news about all this benchmarking hoop-la, is that just about everything you need is free. The bad news is, if you’re serious about doing this, you’ll have to do a little downloading. Ok, here’s what I’m gunna use:
.CPUmark 99 v1.0 – this tests CPU and Memory efficiency
.3DMark 99 Max – this tests CPU and Graphic performance
.Quake 2 v3.20 Demo1.dm2 – used for fast framerate testing
.Quake 2 v3.20 Crusher.dm2 – used to stress framerate out
.Q3test v1.08 q3demo1.dm3 – used at different video settings
Alright, I’ll assume that most of don’t have this stuff just laying around. So to get both CPUmark 99 and 3DMark 99 MAX, head over to www.pcbenchmarks.com (you can also check some results while you’re there). Ok, that takes care of that. Now Quake 2, if you’re a hardcore gamer and don’t have it — shame on you. Seriously though, the reason so many people use it in benchmarks is because of the rock solid stability and performance of the Quake 2 graphics engine. If you have Quake 2, you should already have “demo1.dm2.” The “Crusher.dm2″, however, can be downloaded from www.voodooextreme.com. If you don’t have Quake 2, just follow along anyway to see how it’s done. Concerning q3test v1.08, if you don’t have it, don’t bother downloading it — The “Quake3 Arena Demo” is out now!! Yeah, check out www.quake3arena.com!!
Quick tips
Running benchmarks puts a hefty workload on your system which causes greater heat internally in your components. Don’t run loops of benchmarks for hours on end just to get a 0.2 higher score. Oh yeah, be sure to have adequate cooling. This is no real cause for alarm though, there’s nothing wrong with a little moderate benchmarking. Run each test two to three times for maximum results. This is especially true in 3D tests since textures will not have the chance to get fully cached the first time through. Also, for maximum results with no stray interference, hit control-alt-delete and end all your unnecessary background tasks (like ICQ and such). The only things you should need running is explorer (the shell interface for windows) and systray (the little dude with your clock and icons in it). Everything else can hit the road, I gua-rahn-tee 
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