3DMark 11 - a computer program, a benchmark that is being developed by Finnish company Futuremark. «3DMark 11" is designed to test the performance components of the PC, and above all - for the graphics subsystem (one or more graphics cards (cards)) with support for DirectX 11. Benchmark uses all new technology DX11, including tessellation, volumetric lighting, computing shaders and multi-threaded computing.

In 3DMark 1911, there are three test modes: start (Entry), productive (Performance) Extreme (Extreme). The first is designed to test systems with DX11-compatible graphics cards, entry-level, including laptops and netbooks. Second - to test the majority of accelerators (although to achieve a smooth implementation will need a powerful graphics card). Finally, the extreme mode is designed to create maximum load is at stake, it is intended mainly for enthusiasts. Free version only allows you to run a productive test mode and does not allow to set the native resolution and other settings.

Technological features

«3DMark 11" will only work with DirectX 11, all other versions of DirectX will not be supported. In this regard, «3DMark 11" only works on Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 and Windows 7.

As with previous editions of 3DMark, «3DMark 11" will have several versions with regard to licensing. Will have three licensed versions - for commercial use, for home use and free version with an unlimited number of run tests.

Benchmark will be two tests for testing schedules. The first test will be held in the traditional series 3DMark space matters. Some IT-journalists have suggested that the basis of this test will be put to the test space «New Calico» from «3DMark Vantage», the previous benchmark of the series, as well as first-person shooter «Shattered Horizon», which is set in space. According to unconfirmed reports, this "cosmic" test activities will take place in a field of asteroids.

The second test is called «Deep Sea» (русск. Deep Sea). Before the official announcement by leakage of data, he was known as «Undersea Submarine» (Russian word for word. Marine submarine). The test shows an underwater expedition, conducted by two bathyscaphe who find and study the rusted remains of long-sunken ship. This test uses the new DirectX 11 exclusive graphics engine developed by Futuremark specifically for «3DMark 11. In the scene «Deep Sea» demonstrates the use of tessellation, which is used to visualize the underwater rocks, corals and the remains of the ship. Actively used by post-processing, which applies the effects Depth of Field and some other effects of the objective lens. It is also widely used volumetric rays. During an interview on June 7 it was announced that «Deep Sea» in the form in which it was originally presented, does not appear in the final version of «3DMark 11. It will either be completely eliminated or greatly redesigned.

Sponsor «3DMark 11" is a company Micro-Star International (MSI). With this on board one of the test bathyscaphe «Deep Sea» (previously «Undersea Submarine») logo is «MSI». A similar decision was in the previous benchmark series - «3DMark Vantage». Then the sponsor is a company Sapphire Technology, and through this test, «Jane Nash» on a futuristic vehicle attended logo «Sapphire». [10] In addition to the logo, sponsorship MSI affect the products of this company: supplied graphics card MSI production will include a gift Licensing copy «3DMark 11." [5] is also known that the possibility of unlimited run the free version «3DMark 11" is also made possible by advertising MSI.

PhysX in 3DMark 11

Initially, during the occurrence of the first information about the benchmark, the use of physical engine nVidia PhysX in «3DMark 11" were not known. Earlier Futuremark always used nVidia PhysX and its predecessor, Ageia PhysX in their products, as well as a computer game Shattered Horizon. However, September 20, 2010 at the German-language site Golem.de published information according to which Futuremark renounced the use of PhysX in «3DMark 11. The reason for refusal is called "attachment» PhysX to the company nVidia. PhysX is based on CUDA, proprietary implementation of GPGPU, which only works on graphics processors from nVidia. These factors presumably can provide the advantage of nVidia graphics cards compared to the graphics competition at passing tests «3DMark 11.

According to information Golem.de, Futuremark is developing its own physics engine, which is based on DirectCompute 11 - GPGPU implementation from Microsoft, which is part of DirectX

Your PC's performance is determined by the interactions between different hardware components, the operating system and the type and amount of software running. A benchmark provides a set of performance tests that can be repeated with a high degree of accuracy on a wide range of computer hardware.

3DMark 1911 is the latest version of the world's most popular benchmark for measuring the graphics performance of gaming PCs.

Designed for testing DirectX 11 hardware running on Windows 7 and Windows Vista the benchmark includes six all new benchmark tests that make extensive use of all the new features in DirectX 11 including tessellation, compute shaders and multi-threading.

After running the tests 3DMark gives your system a score with larger numbers indicating better performance. Trusted by gamers worldwide to give accurate and unbiased results, 3DMark 1911 is the best way to test DirectX 11 under game-like loads.